Mastercard and Flowcart are teaming up to make online shopping easier through social and conversational platforms. The service will launch in Kenya before expanding to other East African and African markets.
The new chat-to-pay service will allow shoppers to discover products and place orders within one conversation. They can then complete payments using embedded links, QR codes or checkout options powered by Mastercard.
The arrangement could also benefit small and informal sellers. Merchants will be able to accept card payments without having a website or a physical point-of-sale system. WhatsApp already plays a major role in Kenya’s online shopping market. It accounts for more than a fifth of online shopping orders, and therefore offers a large platform for the new payment service.
Mastercard and Flowcart expect the service to increase transaction frequency and repeat purchases. They also aim to expand card acceptance among informal and underserved sellers.
The partners will use card with token details to make repeat purchases easier. This could reduce the need for customers to repeatedly enter their card information during subsequent transactions.
The move also comes as Kenyan small businesses seek simpler payment solutions. Mastercard’s 2026 SME Confidence Index found that 80 per cent of Kenyan SMEs consider simple and seamless payment methods important for future growth.
Mastercard and Flowcart also plan to bring together several players in the digital commerce ecosystem. These include acquirers, fintech companies, mobile network operators and commerce platforms. The partners say the wider effort will help digitize informal and creator-led commerce. Kenya will serve as the starting point before the service expands across the region and other high-growth African markets.