Safaricom has unveiled what it calls the most significant upgrade of the M-PESA platform since 2015, a bold step designed to future-proof Africa’s leading fintech service as it turns 18.

The upgrade, christened Fintech 2.0, introduces a new-generation core platform built to strengthen resilience, expand capacity, and unlock advanced AI-driven innovation.

For Safaricom, it is a milestone that redefines M-PESA’s technological backbone and also signals the Kenyan telco’s ambition to anchor Africa’s fast-growing digital economy.

“This upgrade is a bold investment in the future of M-PESA and reaffirmation of our commitment to innovation, resilience and customer trust,” said Safaricom Group CEO Dr Peter Ndegwa.

He added: “By moving to Fintech 2.0, we are unlocking a platform that not only scales to meet today’s demands but also anticipates tomorrow’s opportunities.”

The numbers tell the story of how much more powerful M-PESA is set to become:

• Capacity jumps from 4,500 to 6,000 transactions per second, with the ability to scale to 12,000 as demand grows.

• An active-active architecture across multiple hosting sites guarantees higher resilience and minimal service interruptions.

• Advanced AI will power fraud detection, self-healing, and real-time monitoring.

• A cloud-native foundation means instant scalability, higher performance, and faster rollout of new products.

Fintech Powerhouse

What began as a simple money transfer service in 2007 is today Africa’s largest fintech ecosystem, with M-PESA powering everything from payments and savings to credit, insurance, remittances, and e-commerce.

The launch of Fintech 2.0 ensures this growth not only continues, but accelerates.

Safaricom says the transformation will allow it to deliver smarter, faster, and more secure financial solutions for individuals and businesses alike, while keeping M-PESA’s promise of making financial services simple, accessible, and inclusive.

Facing The Future

With this significant migration, M-PESA is laying the digital foundation for the next wave of innovation in Africa’s economy.

The move ensures the platform remains robust enough to support new opportunities, from AI-powered financial products to cross-border trade solutions.

For the 60 million customers across Africa relying on M-PESA daily, the upgrade is both a technical refresh and a reassurance that it is ready for today’s demands and tomorrow’s opportunities.