Paystack extends Pesalink payment integration

Paystack has expanded its partnership with Pesalink in Kenya, giving businesses a simpler way to accept bank transfers through its checkout page. The two companies have worked together since 2025, when Paystack began using Pesalink to settle merchant payouts. The latest update takes that relationship a step further by bringing customer payments onto the same banking network. For businesses, it means collecting payments and receiving settlements through one system instead of managing separate processes.

One payment rail for customers and merchants

Customers paying with Pesalink will receive a dedicated bank account number and a unique payment reference during checkout. They complete the transfer using their banking app, and the payment is confirmed automatically once the details match. The biggest advantage is what happens behind the scenes. Businesses no longer have to spend as much time checking bank transfers or matching payments to orders manually. It’s a small change in the checkout experience, but one that could save merchants time, particularly those that receive a high volume of bank transfer payments.

A bigger role for Pesalink

This isn’t a new partnership. It’s an expansion of one that’s already in place. Paystack has relied on Pesalink to settle merchant payouts for more than a year. Now, the same network is also handling customer payments, giving businesses a single route for both sides of the transaction. The move says as much about where payment companies are focusing their attention as it does about the partnership itself. Instead of launching new payment options every few months, many are improving the infrastructure that businesses depend on after a customer clicks “Pay”. That includes payment confirmation, settlement and reconciliation areas customers rarely see but merchants deal with every day.

Pesalink continues to grow

Pesalink, which is operated by Integrated Payment Services Limited (IPSL) under the Kenya Bankers Association, connects more than 80 banks and savings and credit co-operatives across Kenya. The network has also been broadening its reach. Earlier this year, it partnered with the Pan African Payment and Settlement System (PAPSS) to support cross border payments in Kenyan shillings. The Kenya rollout is consistent with how Paystack has been expanding across Africa. In South Africa, it introduced Capitec Pay to let customers approve payments through their banking app instead of entering card details online. In Nigeria, the company is testing purchases through AI assistants such as ChatGPT and Claude using its Zap payment service. The Pesalink update follows the same pattern. Rather than asking businesses or customers to change how they pay, Paystack is making better use of payment systems that are already familiar to the market. It’s a practical update, but one that could make day to day payment processing a little easier for Kenyan businesses.