Kenya: Ethio telecom collaborates with Visa to launch first virtual Visa card

Ethio Telecom has signed a partnership agreement with Visa to launch Ethiopia’s first wallet-based virtual Visa card. This initiative aims to enhance international money transfer remittance services through the introduction of the telebirr Remit App and Visa Direct, promising significant improvements in the efficiency and security of money transfers.

The Visa Direct service enables both individuals and institutions to send money from over 190 countries, offering greater efficiency and lower service fees compared to existing remittance services in Ethiopia. To receive international funds via Visa Direct, customers need to register for the Virtual Visa service through the telebirr Super App and share their 16-digit virtual Visa card number with the sender. The virtual card will be received within one hour.

The telebirr Remit service is designed to allow customers abroad to securely send money directly to their friends and relatives’ telebirr mobile numbers. This can be done easily by installing the telebirr Remit App on their mobile devices. The service supports remittances from the United States, Canada, Israel, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, the United Kingdom, South Africa, Italy, and Sweden.

This agreement introduces enhanced alternatives to traditional remittance methods by integrating Visa Direct with telebirr Remit. The service is also set to expand by enabling seamless online cross-border payments, including e-commerce transactions in the near future. These innovations aim to create jobs and support the shift toward a cashless digital society, providing greater benefits to our valued customers.