Use Bitcoin in Kenya

Bitcoin is much more than an investment – it's a practical tool for everyday life in Kenya. Whether you want to save money, send remittances, pay for goods and services, or accept payments for your business, bitcoin makes so much more possible.

This page provides vetted resources and platforms to help you buy, save, spend, and accept Bitcoin safely in Kenya.

Bitcoin Wallets for Kenyans

Your wallet is your gateway to Bitcoin. Most people start with a mobile wallet to try sending & receiving their first bitcoin transactions. They don't require investing much time or money to experiment with. With these lightning-enable wallets you can quickly learn and try sending 5 bob to friends and family.

Mobile Wallets (Beginner-Friendly)

  • Blink: A simple, open-source Lightning wallet with instant payments and an easy onboarding experience. Good support for pricing in KES.
  • Wallet of Satoshi:A custodial Lightning wallet designed for maximum simplicity — great for beginners who want instant payments with zero setup.
  • Machankura: Lets you use Bitcoin on any phone, including feature phones, via USSD. Also supports Bitcoin transactions through WhatsApp.
  • Phoenix Wallet: A fully self-custodial, Lightning-first wallet that automatically manages channels for you using cutting-edge Lightning tech.
  • Misty Breez: A non-custodial Lightning wallet focused on simplicity and low friction, with minimal technical setup.
  • Blitz: A non-custodial Lightning wallet with business features, including a companion app for teams and multi-employee payment acceptance.


Hardware Wallets (For Serious Savings)

Once you have learned the basics with mobile app wallets, and you have a have accumulated a significant amount of bitcoin, it may be time to consider adding extra security to your long term savings. That's where hardware wallet become useful:

  • Coldcard: One of the most powerful feature-rich hardware wallets built by bitcoiners for bitcoiners.
  • Trezor Safe: Flagship hardware wallet with dual secure elements and premium build.
  • Blockstream Jade: Fully open-source hardware wallet with air-gapped QR signing at half the price of competitors.
  • BitBox: Swiss-made hardware wallet with beginner-friendly setup and advanced security features.
  • Seed Signer: DIY air-gapped signing device you build yourself for under $100.


Important: Always download wallets from official websites and verify checksums when possible. Never trust wallet recommendations from strangers or social media!

Buying Bitcoin in Kenya

Once you have a bitcoin wallet, now you need some bitcoin to put inside of the wallet. Here are a few ways to get your first bitcoin within Kenya.

Bitcoin Exchanges for Kenyans

P2P platforms connect you directly with sellers. You can pay with M-Pesa, bank transfer, or cash:

  • Bitika: Easiest way to get your first bitcoin and pay with M-Pesa in under one minute!
  • Bitnob: African built exchange that can handle larger purchases of bitcoin. Good integration with M-Pesa as well.
  • Azteco: Bitcoin vouchers that you can buy with cash (and online) and redeem into your bitcoin wallet.

International Exchanges

Exchanges can be overwhelming to most people just getting started. They sell many cryptocurrencies that can cause you to lose your money, so it's generally discourged unless you are experienced. Try not to get tempted into trading bitcoin. There are professionals and automated trading bots looking to take advantage of inexperienced people. Don't get taken advantage of.

  • Binance
  • OKX
  • Luno

Never leave your bitcoin on an exchange. Always move it from the exchange to your own wallet after purchase. Be aware that exchanges often have high minimum purchase & transfer requirements that often times may exceed the amount you purchased. So please research the minimum amounts before making a purchase.

Bitcoin ATMs

Bitcoin ATMs allow you to buy Bitcoin with cash.

  • Bitcoin ATM in Two Rivers Mall: Deposit cash and receive bitcoin to your bitcoin wallet address. Note: this ATM doesn't support instant withdrawls via lighthing yet so you may be waiting 10-20 minutes for the transaction to complete.


Safety Tips:

  • Start with small amounts when using a new platform
  • Always move bitcoin off exchanges into your own wallet ASAP.
  • Keep your wallet apps secured with a secondary PIN when possible.
  • Don't share your phone with wallet apps with other people.
  • If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.

Spending Bitcoin in Kenya

Tando

Tando makes bitcoin easy to use in everyday life in Kenya. It's a free mobile app for Android and iOS that lets anyone spend bitcoin anywhere in Kenya that accepts M-Pesa. It automatically connects to your Lightning mobile wallet, enabling instant payments with zero transaction fees, while merchants receive Kenyan shillings as usual. Send Money, Buy Goods (Till) and Pay Bill all with bitcoin!

Direct Merchant Payments

A growing number of Kenyan businesses accept Bitcoin directly:

  • Waitabit Cafe: Great coffee and baked goods. Quiet working environment. And a good place to occasionally meet & learn about bitcoin.
  • Sarah's Nutritive Supplies: a Kenyan wellness company dedicated to transforming lives through trusted, natural, plant-based healing solutions for everyday health.
  • Detox Health Spa: a wide variety of Massages and Facials
  • and many more... accepting bitcoin at your place of business is a great way to get free marketing before your competitors catch on to bitcoin.


Gift Cards & Vouchers

Convert Bitcoin to gift cards for popular retailers:

  • Bitrefill: Buy mobile airtime, gift cards, and bill payments with Bitcoin

Accepting Bitcoin at Your Business

Why Accept Bitcoin?

  • Lower fees: Bitcoin fees are often lower than credit card processing
  • No chargebacks: Bitcoin transactions are final
  • Global reach: Accept payments from anywhere in the world, great for tourism related businesses!
  • Fast settlement: Receive funds directly without intermediaries
  • Marketing advantage: Attract Bitcoin users and tech-savvy customers

Payment Processors

Make it easy to accept Bitcoin with these tools:

  • pay.bitcoin.co.ke: Add your business to the bitcoin.co.ke network, and get priority hands-on support from local Kenyans. Includes a free @bitcoin.co.ke lightning address!
  • Blink: Lightning cash register for Kenyan Shillings, Printable Paycode, Lightning address all connected to your Blink wallet.
  • OpenNode: low-cost bitcoin payments and payouts for your business with our powerful API, ecommerce plugins, or hosted payment pages.
  • Blitz: A non-custodial Lightning wallet with business features, including a companion app for teams and multi-employee payment acceptance.
  • Flash: Accept Bitcoin payments instantly, anywhere in the world. Immediate transactions, minimal fees, set-up in 1 minute.
  • Breez POS: Breez Mobile works like a digital cash register for businesses and merchants who want to accept Lightning payments

Getting Started

  1. Choose a payment processor or wallet that fits your business
  2. Generate a QR code or payment button for your website/store
  3. Train your staff on how to accept Bitcoin payments
  4. Display "Bitcoin Accepted Here" signage
  5. Decide whether to hold Bitcoin or convert to Kenyan Shillings
  6. Join a free Kenya bitcoin class to learn more and get your questions answered.

Saving with Bitcoin

Dollar-Cost Averaging (DCA)

Instead of trying to time the market, buy a small amount of Bitcoin regularly – weekly or monthly. This strategy reduces risk and builds your savings over time.

Long-Term Savings Strategy

  • Set aside a portion of your income: Even 5-10% saved in Bitcoin can compound significantly
  • Think in years, not months: Bitcoin is volatile short-term but has proven itself over the long term
  • Investing in your own bitcoin education is the smartest investment you can make.
  • Self-custody is key: Move Bitcoin from exchanges to your own wallet

Security Best Practices

  • Use hardware wallets for large amounts
  • Back up your seed phrase and store it securely (never digitally)
  • Consider multisig setups for family or business savings
  • Test your backup recovery process with small amounts first
  • Never share your private keys or seed phrase with anyone!!

Remittances with Bitcoin

Sending Money Abroad

Bitcoin makes international money transfers faster and cheaper than traditional services like Western Union or MoneyGram.

How It Works:

  1. Buy Bitcoin in Kenya using M-Pesa or bank transfer
  2. Send Bitcoin to your family or friend's Bitcoin wallet
  3. They convert Bitcoin to their local currency

Fees are typically 0-3% total compared to 5-10% with traditional remittance services.

Receiving Remittances

If you receive money from abroad:

  1. Family and friends buy bitcoin anywhere in the world
  2. They install the Tando app and use the Send Money feature to send KES through the bitcoin network to any M-Pesa account.
  3. Alternatively they can use Pay Bill to pay your bills with your account details. Or even to M-Pesa Tills with Buy Goods.

Fees are 0% compared to 5-10% with traditional remittance services!

Lightning for Small Amounts

Lightning is a global peer-to-peer network for instant bitcoin payments. Lightning is great for smaller, frequent transfers from one Lightning wallet to any other Lightning wallet. People from anywher in the world can send value into Kenya with the bitcoin tools!

Staying Safe

Common Scams to Avoid

  • Fake exchanges: Only use well-known, vetted platforms
  • Ponzi schemes: Avoid "guaranteed returns" or "double your Bitcoin" offers
  • Phishing: Verify website URLs before entering sensitive information
  • Fake support: Never share your seed phrase or private keys with "support" staff
  • Impersonation: Scammers may pretend to be celebrities or Bitcoin companies

Security Checklist

  • Enable two-factor authentication (2FA) on all accounts
  • Use strong, unique passwords for each service
  • Keep your device and apps updated
  • Don't click suspicious links or download unknown apps
  • Verify addresses carefully before sending Bitcoin
  • Start with small test transactions


Remember: Bitcoin transactions are irreversible. Once sent, there's no way to get it back. Always double-check before sending.

Need Help?

Bitcoin can seem intimidating at first, but thousands of Kenyans are already using it successfully. Start small, learn as you go, and don't hesitate to reach out to the Kenyan Bitcoin community for help.

Want to learn more before getting started? Visit our Learn About Bitcoin page for educational resources.

Looking for opportunities in Bitcoin? Check out Work on Bitcoin to find jobs and business opportunities.