M-PESA Ethiopia has expanded its cardless ATM cash withdrawal service through a new partnership with Awash Bank S.C., allowing customers to withdraw money from supported Awash Bank ATMs without a physical bank card.
The expansion gives M-PESA customers access to cash through Awash Bank’s ATM network using the M-PESA App, extending the availability of cardless withdrawals across Ethiopia.
The service provides an alternative to conventional ATM withdrawals that require a physical bank card, allowing M-PESA customers to use their mobile wallets to access cash.
How M-PESA cardless ATM withdrawals work
To withdraw cash from a supported Awash Bank ATM, M-PESA Ethiopia customers use the M-PESA App to initiate the transaction. The process involves:
- Opening the M-PESA App.
- Selecting the M-PESA section.
- Choosing Withdrawal.
- Selecting “Withdraw at ATM.”
- Authorising the transaction.
- Completing the required authentication.
- Collecting the cash from a supported Awash Bank ATM.
The transactions are processed in real time following successful authorisation and authentication.
Awash Bank expands M-PESA ATM access
The addition of Awash Bank expands the number of banking infrastructure points through which M-PESA customers can access cash without a physical ATM card.
The partnership connects M-PESA’s mobile money platform with Awash Bank’s ATM infrastructure, enabling customers to access funds held in their M-PESA wallets through supported bank terminals.
M-PESA Ethiopia has also previously expanded its interoperability through collaborations involving the national payment switch EthSwitch and other commercial banks. The service was launched with Bank of Abyssinia before the addition of Awash Bank.
M-PESA and Awash Bank digital financial services
The collaboration between M-PESA Ethiopia and Awash Bank also covers other digital financial services beyond ATM withdrawals. The two institutions have partnered on Errif be M-PESA, a mobile overdraft service designed to provide customers with access to short-term funds through their mobile wallets.
The overdraft service forms part of the wider collaboration between the mobile money platform and Awash Bank. The partnership also covers digital savings and credit services, linking M-PESA customers with banking services through digital channels.
The Awash Bank integration enables M-PESA customers to withdraw cash without carrying a physical bank ATM card. Customers can therefore initiate withdrawals through their mobile phones and complete the process at supported Awash Bank ATMs.
The expansion adds another channel for M-PESA customers to access their funds while increasing the connection between mobile money services and Ethiopia’s banking infrastructure.