Kenya-Rwanda : toward a regulatory passport for payment fintechs in East Africa

On March 11, 2026, Kenya and Rwanda signed a memorandum of understanding to establish a regulatory passport framework allowing licensed digital payment firms in one country to operate in the other without obtaining a new license. The Central Bank of Kenya (CBK) and the National Bank of Rwanda (NBR) will coordinate supervision, simplifying cross-border expansion for fintechs and reducing compliance costs. This move is part of the East African Community’s Cross-Border Payment System Master Plan, aimed at connecting regional payment systems and facilitating digital transactions. Kenya, home to M-PESA with over 40 million users, and Rwanda, rapidly adopting digital finance reforms, strengthen their regional fintech leadership.