How Do You Receive KES (Kenyan Shilling) Payments in India in 2026?

The table ranks platforms with full published pricing for KES by the INR received on KES 650,000, then lists other business platforms that accept KES, unranked. Fees were checked on 30 Sept 2026 or later.

The real KES to INR rate is the mid-market rate, the midpoint between buying and selling prices. Bank TT, card and platform rates sit below it, and shillings converted through US dollars can carry two margins. For example, at an example rate of ₹0.68 per KES, KES 500,000 is ₹3,40,000. See what the mid-market rate means.

Today's rate, its history and every platform's payout are on the KES to INR rate page.

Each row applies the platform's published fee, FX markup and 18% GST on the fee to the mid-market rate of ₹0.7301 per KES for 3 Nov 2026.

Holding Kenyan shillings in India depends on your AD bank. An EEFC account lets a person resident in India keep up to 100 percent of foreign exchange earnings in foreign currency. Ask your AD bank whether it offers a KES balance. If it does not, you can invoice in US dollars and hold those. See EEFC account benefits.

• Eligibility: Any person resident in India with foreign exchange earnings can open an EEFC account, as set out in para 3.1 of the Master Direction on Deposits and Accounts.
• Conversion rule: The Master Direction says monthly accruals should be converted into rupees by the last day of the next month, after adjusting for approved uses or forward commitments (para 3.1). Ask your AD bank how it applies this.
• Uses: Balances can pay for current and capital account transactions abroad, and rupee withdrawals are allowed but cannot be credited back (para 3.1).
• No credit: Banks cannot give fund-based or non-fund based credit facilities against EEFC balances, and the account is non-interest bearing (para 3.1).

• Spot: Convert to INR on the day the money arrives at the rate your bank or provider quotes. This is the simplest option and leaves you open to rate moves between invoice and payment. The Central Bank of Kenya says the shilling rate is market determined.
• Forward contract: Ask your AD bank whether it quotes a forward against your export exposure. The amount and tenor cannot exceed the exposure under para 2.4 of the Master Direction on Risk Management. KES-INR is not among the currency pairs permitted on Indian stock exchanges under para 3.2. See RBI hedging rules for exporters.
• Limit order: Some banks and providers let you set a target rate and convert automatically when it is reached. RBI does not set a standard product for this, so check availability and charges with your bank.
• Natural hedge: If you pay costs abroad, you can keep foreign currency receipts in an EEFC account and pay those costs from it, as payments abroad are permitted debits under para 3.1.

KES receipts follow the same Indian export rules as any foreign currency. Kenya is not an ACU member, so payment may come in rupees or any foreign currency through an authorised bank. Since 1 October 2026, the FEMA (Export and Import of Goods and Services) Regulations, 2026 set realisation at nine months and require an EDF.

• Purpose code: Choose the code that matches the service, such as P0802 "Software consultancy/implementation (other than those covered in SOFTEX form)" or P1006 "Business and management consultancy and public relations services" from the RBI purpose code list. See P0802 purpose code.
• EDF: Service exporters file an EDF within 30 days from the end of the invoice month under Regulation 3(2). The EDF replaced SOFTEX for software from 1 October 2026 under A.P. (DIR Series) Circular No. 20. See EDF form for exports.
• Realisation: The full export value must be realised within nine months of the invoice date, or 12 months if invoiced or settled in INR, under Regulation 5. See export realisation period.
• EDPMS: For invoices up to ₹10 lakh, your AD bank may close the EDPMS entry on your declaration under Regulation 4(2).
• FIRA: FIRA is not a term defined in RBI rules. For exported services, GST refund rules refer to Bank Realisation Certificates or Foreign Inward Remittance Certificates under Rule 89(2)(c). See what FIRA means.

Rules and rails are linked to official sources below with the dates they were checked. Platform figures come from each platform's own pages, checked on 30 Sept 2026 or later, and RBI authorisation was checked against RBI's published list. Rates are XE live mid-market rates, dated 3 Nov 2026. The method is on the methodology page.

1. RBI: Foreign Exchange Management (Export and Import of Goods and Services) Regulations, 2026 (FEMA 23(R)/2026-RB, as amended), Reg 3(2) services EDF within 30 days from end of invoice month; Reg 4(2) EDPMS closure on declaration up to Rs 10 lakh; Reg 5 realisation nine months, twelve months if invoiced/settled in INR. (checked 8 Oct 2026)
2. RBI: A.P. (DIR Series) Circular No. 20 dated 16 January 2026, Supersedes Master Directions on Export/Import and SOFTEX circulars from 1 October 2026. (checked 8 Oct 2026)
3. RBI: FEMA (Manner of Receipt and Payment) Regulations, 2023, as amended, Reg 3(2)(I)(a)(iii): countries other than member countries of ACU - in Indian Rupees or in any foreign currency. (checked 8 Oct 2026)
4. RBI: A.P. (DIR Series) Circular No. 84 (29 Feb 2012), purpose codes for reporting forex transactions, P0802 Software consultancy/implementation (other than those covered in SOFTEX form); P1006 Business and management consultancy and public relations services. (checked 8 Oct 2026)
5. RBI Master Direction - Reserve Bank of India (Deposits and Accounts) Directions, Para 3.1: EEFC for persons resident in India; 100% of forex earnings may be credited; permitted debits; no credit facilities; non-interest bearing; accruals converted by the last day of the following month after approved uses. (checked 8 Oct 2026)
6. RBI Master Direction - Risk Management and Inter-Bank Dealings, Para 2.4 hedging contracted exposures; para 3.2(ii) permitted exchange-traded currency pairs: USD-INR, EUR-INR, GBP-INR, JPY-INR, EUR-USD, GBP-USD and USD-JPY. (checked 8 Oct 2026)
7. RBI Master Direction on Regulation of Payment Aggregators, Para 11(d): max value per PA-CB transaction Rs 25 lakh; para 11(h): PA-CB to provide documents for EDPMS closure. (checked 8 Oct 2026)
8. IGST Act, 2017, section 2 (definition of export of services), Section 2(6): payment received in convertible foreign exchange or in INR where permitted by RBI, among other conditions. (checked 8 Oct 2026)
9. IGST Act, 2017, section 16 (zero rated supply), 16(1) export of services is zero rated; 16(3) supply under bond or LUT. (checked 8 Oct 2026)
10. CGST Rules, 2017, Rule 96A, Bond or Letter of Undertaking in FORM GST RFD-11 furnished prior to export for supply without payment of integrated tax. (checked 8 Oct 2026)
11. CGST Rules, 2017, Rule 89, Rule 89(2)(c): for refunds on export of services, a statement of invoices and the relevant Bank Realisation Certificates or Foreign Inward Remittance Certificates. (checked 8 Oct 2026)
12. Income Tax Department: India-Kenya Comprehensive Agreement (DTAA), Notification S.O. 731(E) dated 19-2-2018, Art 13(2): fees for management, professional and technical services may be taxed in the state where they arise, capped at 10% of the gross amount. Payments covered by Articles 15 and 16 are excluded from Article 13 (per the verified Kenya country page; the treaty page returned 403 to automated fetches on 2026-10-08). (checked 8 Oct 2026)
13. Kenya Revenue Authority: Withholding Tax, Rates table: management fees and professional fees 5% resident, 20% non-resident; payer remits to the Commissioner of Domestic Taxes within 5 working days after deduction. (checked 8 Oct 2026)
14. Central Bank of Kenya: National Payments System, KEPSS implemented 29 July 2005, wholly owned and managed by CBK, settles individually, continuously and in real time; EAPS transfers between banks in Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania and Uganda in EAC local currencies; REPSS for COMESA in USD and Euro; Nairobi Automated Clearing House clears cheques and EFTs. REPSS available in Kenya through most commercial banks. (checked 8 Oct 2026)
15. Central Bank of Kenya: Forex, CBK does not set the exchange rate; it is market determined based on supply and demand; published rate is the weighted average of registered interbank spot trades; banks and forex bureaus set their own rates. (checked 8 Oct 2026)
16. Central Bank of Kenya: Mobile Payments statistics, August 2026: 95.31 million total registered mobile money accounts. (checked 8 Oct 2026)
17. Skydo homepage (pricing and fee calculator), Know what you pay; calculator showing GST 18% of transaction fee (checked 6 Oct 2026)
18. Razorpay MoneySaver Export Account (International Bank Transfers) pricing, Standard Plan: 0% FX markup, 1% fee, FlashLinks 2%, GST applicable, flat fee of INR 1,000 on transactions below INR 1,00,000, setup and AMC INR 0 (checked 6 Oct 2026)
19. Stripe India pricing, International cards with USD/other currency presentment 4.3% + 2% if currency conversion is required; Mastercard and Visa cards issued outside India 3% + 2%; American Express outside India 3.5% + 2%; dispute received INR 1,000.00 (checked 7 Oct 2026)
20. Winvesta FAQ: What are the charges for the global collections account?, Up to 2,000 a month: 0.99% + a small fixed fee; 2,000-100,000 a month: custom pricing; above 100,000 a month: flat 0.2%; USD Collections: $3 + 0.99%; 18% GST will be levied on Winvesta fees for every non-JPMC account (checked 7 Oct 2026)
21. Cashfree Docs: Global Collections overview (checked 6 Oct 2026)
22. Tazapay Pricing, Global Collection Accounts: *Contact sales; Global Cards 3.8% + USD 0.5; APMs 0.8%-2.5%; FIRC (India) USD 4; Custom tier: Volume-Based Discounts, Payment Method-Specific Rates, Customized FX (checked 7 Oct 2026)