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USD to KES
The official currency of Kenya is the Kenyan Shilling KES; it is also used as the national currencies of Sudan and Somalia. KES was rolled out as a replacement of East African shilling, and since its introduction in 1966 it has remained one of the most stable currencies in East Africa.Managed and regulated by The Central Bank of Kenya, KES is a free-floating currency and will fluctuate depending on the conditions of the foreign exchange market.
Kenya’s economy is one of the biggest and most advanced of the Eastern and Central African countries. At 580,367 km² Kenya is relatively small when compared to other African countries, but economic inequality remains to be an issue for the population of 54 million people living there.
Choosing the best service provider
When considering how to send money Kenya from United States there are some key aspects of the transfer to consider.
The fastest provider is WorldRemit, transfers from this provider normally take [SPEED]. The cheapest provider we found is WorldRemit at % Above Mid-Market Rate.
If you’re looking for the best combination of price, speed, and reliability we recommend using WorldRemit when transferring USD to KES.
This means that by using WorldRemit for online money transfers to Kenya from United States, you are likely to save on transfer fees and benefit from fast speeds – so your recipient will get more money and have it delivered in less time.
Alternatively, if you are unable to access WorldRemit for any reason, our comparison engine has found VertoFX also to be very good options when sending USD – KES.
This recommendation was updated one minute ago.
The cheapest way to send money from United States to Kenya
In order to avoid high fees, you should consider the cheapest way to send from United States to Kenya.
WorldRemit has been determined by our comparison engine to be currently offering you the cheapest rates possible.
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The fastest way to send money from United States to Kenya
When sending money from United States to Kenya, speed is one of the biggest factors you need to consider in terms of the service offered by different money transfer providers. Currently, WorldRemit is the fastest way to send USD – KES.
What payment methods are available when sending money from United States to Kenya?
Most money transfer providers allow you to deposit and send money using various payment methods, but not all providers offer every option. Typically you’ll find the most common methods are bank transfers and card payments, but many providers also accept cash and some will even deliver funds straight to your recipient’s door.
Sending money to Kenya from United States using credit card
To avoid high fees you can opt to use an online money transfer provider such as WorldRemit to pay for your transfer to Kenya.
Sending money to Kenya from United States using a debit card
With WorldRemit you can send money online to Kenya using your debit card. But before making a payment, make sure you understand all the processing fees in place.
Using a wire transfer to send money from United States to Kenya
Bank and wire transfers are the most common ways of sending money Kenya as they are secure, reliable, and convenient. However, they often come with the slowest delivery times in case speed is an important factor for you. You can use WorldRemit to send money using a bank or wire transfer at a great rate as long as you’re happy for your transfer to take 1-2 days.
When sending money to Kenya from United States using bank account transfer you are paying for the outgoing fees, flat fees, currency exchange rate markup, and sometimes an additional incoming transfer fee.
If you want to make an international transfer using wire transfer, you will need to know the SWIFT/BIC code of your recipient in Kenya. If you’re unsure what it is, check out our SWIFT calculator to figure out the correct SWIFT code in Kenya.
On the other hand, you usually only pay a sender fee and a small exchange rate markup when using online money transfer services such as WorldRemit and VertoFX .
Considerations for a USD – KES Currency Transfer
Before sending money to Kenya from United States, you should consider the following:
- The amount you want to transfer: It is likely that the more money you send to Kenya the more value you will get and more KES the recipient will receive. This is because any flat fee charged ends up as a smaller percentage of your transfer amount, and also because many providers allow you to negotiate a better exchange rate margin if sending large amounts.
- The USD – KES exchange rate margin: Money transfer providers charge a small percentage on top of the mid-market exchange rates in order to generate revenue. Current mid market rate is 112.503804 and the lowest exchange rate margin is currently offered by WorldRemit at % above the mid market rate.
- Hidden fees & charges: Before sending money to Kenya, make sure the provider you are using doesn’t charge any hidden fees. Our reviews of the top ranked providers WorldRemit, VertoFX and will give insight here.
How to send money from United States to Kenya at the best rate?
This one’s easy. Simply use our comparison table above to find the best provider to send USD to KES. After that it’s just a process of making your transfer via the following steps:
- Click “Visit Site” inside our comparison table
- Register for an account if required
- Input how much you are willing to send
- Fund your transfer
- Receive & save an email confirming your transfer
How to receive transfers from USD to KES in Kenya?
Your recipient has a few methods available to receive your money in Kenya. These will vary between providers, but it is possible to find services that will:
- Deposit KES directly into a bank account
- Enable the recipient to pick up cash a specific locations across Kenya
- Deliver money directly to their door
- Send KES to your recipient’s mobile wallet
If your recipient is going to collect or have the money delivered to them in Kenya, then they will usually need the following:
- A government issued identification document such as passport, driver license or Kenyan national I.D.
- The money transfer reference number
- Senders details and the amount of money sent
How much money can be transferred from United States to Kenya?
The amount of KES you can receive from United States will largely depend on the money transfer service you are using. There are providers that specialise in smaller remittance payments, and providers who specialise in larger transfers.
You should also check if there are any government regulations pertaining to the amount of KES that can be received in Kenya or sent from United States before making your transfer.