How to send money to Kenya from Japan with the best JPY-KES rate

A better exchange rate means more Yen being sent to Kenya. This exchange rate determines the price you will pay when buying Kenyan Shilling.

Currently the mid-market rate between Yen and Kenyan Shilling is 0.801.

The cost of sending money from Kenya to Kenya, is made-up of a combination of fees and exchange rates:

• The Mid-Market and Exchange Rates: The mid-market rate determines a mid-price for buying currency. The current mid-market rate from JPY-KES is 0.801 KES per Yen.

• Fees: Outside of exchange rates, you may need to pay a fee to send. Revolut currently offers the lowest fees on transfers to Kenya from Japan, costing 3500 JPY per transfer. Although this does include large transfers as well, we recommend searching for your exact send amount for an exact fee.

• Amount Received: The amount received in Kenyan Shilling is the amount you started with, minus the amount you paid in the exchange and fees.

The better deal you get on exchanging Yens to KES, paired with a low fee, means a higher total amount received in Kenya.

If you’re sending a large amount where this rate could make a significant difference, use a forward contract. This allows you to lock in an agreed exchange rate between Japan and Kenya.

A bank transfer through a money transfer company is the cheapest way to send money. Generally, it’s the payment method that will get you the best price on a transfer from Japan to Kenya at this moment.

Here are all the ways to send money from Japan to Kenya:

Bank transfers

Bank transfers are usually the best and easiest way to send money from Japan to Kenya.

By using a money transfer company such as Revolut for transfers from Japan to Kenya, you can send money via a bank transfer while benefitting from lower fees and more favorable exchange rates than you would get from a traditional bank.

Debit and prepaid cards

Sending money from Japan to Kenya with a debit or a prepaid card is available through .


is a one of the cheaper options for debit card payments for transfers from Japan to Kenya. This cost is against a total of 3 money transfer companies offering this option.

Credit cards

When it comes to international credit card transfers from Japan to Kenya, we recommend comparing your options to get the best deal.

Be aware of fees: using a credit card to transfer money often results in a fee being charged by your card issuer. Where possible, we recommend a bank transfer or debit card payment.

and have different financial regulators and ensuring you fully understand how these work will aid in keeping your money safe.

We’ve put together a directory of worldwide financial regulators which contains details on regulation for money transfers between Japan and Kenya.

Transfer limits to Japan and Kenya will differ per company, this may impact the amount you can send and receive if you hit the limits.

Also, rates and fees for different JPY-KES transfer amounts could change - that’s why it’s best to compare companies for your specific transfer amount. Then, for regular transfers to Kenya, shopping around each time can make a huge difference if you feel you are hitting limits regularly.

For sending large or regular amounts of JPY to Kenya we'd recommend using Wise. They offer a combination of rates and fees when sending from Japan to Kenya that is the most competitive.

There are different ways to receive money in Kenya.

The most popular ways are direct bank deposit into Kenyan Shilling, cash pickup, a mobile wallet or receiving money into a multi-currency account.

Not all providers offering money transfers between Japan and Kenya will offer every method for incoming Kenyan Shilling.

Understanding where the money will eventually go after its left Japan and entered Kenya could impact the provider you use.

The most common (and generally easiest) way to send money from Japan to Kenya is directly into a bank account. Wise is the best company for sending money from Japan to a bank account in Kenya.

And if you need cash right away, check if cash pickup is an option for transfers between Japan and Kenya.

Mobile wallets, P2P services and payment apps like PayPal, Xoom, and CashApp are popular because they offer convenience to those who already have them, but they come with more limitations and higher costs.

When sending Kenyan Shillings to Kenya, you will need to verify your ID at the sign up stage.

The documents you need will vary by money transfer company and in some cases you might need a couple of options.

For the most part however, in Japan ID can be verified through a government issued ID such as a passport or driver's license.

In Kenya, if the recipient needs an ID to collect money - both should be accepted. We’d recommend checking in advance before sending for any specific requirements on receiving money.

Large transactions between Japan and Kenya, are subject to additional checks such as proof of funds. This is for anti-money laundering purposes.

Wise is one of our recommended providers for transfers to Kenya from Japan due to the ease of sign up and ID verification.

When sending money between Japan and Kenya there will be tax declarations to consider.

Some transfers into Kenyan Shilling may need to be reported to tax authorities in Kenya, particularly where inheritance or property purchases are involved (or anywhere else there are additional legal requirements).

Depending on age and income in particular, tax limits and personal allowances will change in Kenya.

When in doubt, please contact a tax professional in Japan or Kenya to discuss the personal circumstances of the transfer. This ensures you are not missing any specific tax declarations associated with your circumstances.