The Wall NewsSouth Africa · Cardless Transfer Guide · Updated 2026
Cardless Money Transfers in South Africa: Complete Guide 2026
Send Cash. No Card. No Bank Account Needed.
Compare all major cardless money transfer services in South Africa — fees, send limits, USSD codes, collection points and answers to the most common questions South Africans have about sending money without a card.
Cardless withdrawal lets you send cash to any South African cellphone number. The recipient does not need a bank card or bank account — they use an SMS PIN or voucher to collect cash at an ATM or retail till points such as Pick n Pay, Shoprite, SPAR, Boxer, and PEP Stores. It is available from Standard Bank (Instant Money), FNB (eWallet), Absa (CashSend), Nedbank (Send-iMali), Capitec (SendCash), TymeBank (SendMoney), MTN (MoMo), and Vodacom (VodaPay).
🏦 Big 4 Banks — Cardless Services & Cardless Withdrawals
South Africa's four largest banks — Standard Bank, FNB, Absa and Nedbank — all offer cardless money transfer services. Each uses a PIN-based voucher system. The recipient receives an SMS and can collect cash without a card at ATMs or retail stores nationwide.
Widest retail footprint — collect at major supermarkets nationwide including Pick n Pay, Shoprite, SPAR, Boxer and PEP Stores.
8-digit access code withdrawn at Absa ATMs nationwide. Sender does not need an Absa account for all send methods.
FNB's flagship cardless solution. Collect at FNB ATMs and select Pick n Pay tills using a PIN.
South Africa's lowest Big-4 send fee (~R6.90). Collect at Nedbank ATMs and Pick n Pay Money Market counters.
| Feature | Instant Money Standard Bank |
CashSend Absa |
eWallet FNB |
Send-iMali Nedbank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Send Fee | ~R10.50 | ~R10.50 | ~R10.50 | ~R6.90 ✓ Cheapest |
| Send Limit / Tx | R3 000 | R3 000 | R3 000 | R1 000 |
| Daily Limit | R25 000 | R25 000 | R25 000 | R3 000 |
| Voucher Expiry | 30 days | 30 days | 30 days | 30 days |
| Cash Out Method | PIN at ATM / till | 8-digit code at Absa ATM | PIN at FNB ATM | PIN at Nedbank ATM |
| Retail Access | Widest ✓ | ATM only | ATM + select PnP | ATM + PnP Money Market |
| USSD Code | *120*2345# | *120*2272# | *120*321# | *120*001# |
| Bank Account Required (Sender) | Yes (Standard Bank) | Yes (Absa) | Yes (FNB) | Yes (Nedbank) |
| Bank Account Required (Recipient) | No ✓ | No ✓ | No ✓ | No ✓ |
Where to Collect — Big 4 Banks
- Standard Bank ATMs
- Pick n Pay
- Shoprite / Checkers
- SPAR
- Boxer Stores
- PEP Stores
- Ackermans
- Cash Express outlets
- CryptoExpress
- Absa ATMs nationwide
- Absa branches
- FNB ATMs nationwide
- FNB branches
- Pick n Pay (select)
- Nedbank ATMs
- Nedbank branches
- Pick n Pay Money Market
🏛️ Challenger Banks — Cardless Transfers
South Africa's digital and challenger banks — Capitec, TymeBank, African Bank and Mutual Bank — all offer cardless send services, often with lower fees or zero-fee app-based transfers.
Send via app or *120*3279#. Collect at Capitec ATMs and most major retail chains. ~R8.00 fee.
Digital-first bank. Send via app at zero fee. Collect at Pick n Pay and Boxer TymeBank kiosks.
Send to any South African cellphone number. Recipient redeems with a voucher number + secret PIN at Shoprite, Checkers and OK Furniture.
Co-operative mutual bank. Member-based transfers via app or branch. ~R8.00 fee.
| Feature | Capitec SendCash | TymeBank SendMoney | African Bank MoneySend | Mutual Bank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Send Fee | ~R8.00 | ~R0 (app) ✓ Free | See africanbank.co.za | ~R8.00 |
| Send Limit / Tx | R3 000 | R2 000 | See africanbank.co.za | R2 000 |
| Daily Limit | R25 000 | R5 000 | See africanbank.co.za | R5 000 |
| Voucher Expiry | 30 days | 30 days | 30 days | 30 days |
| Cash Out Method | PIN at ATM / till | PIN at PnP / Boxer kiosk | Voucher no. + PIN at retail | PIN at branch / ATM |
| USSD Code | *120*3279# | App only | App / Online Banking | App / branch |
| Bank Account Required (Recipient) | No ✓ | No ✓ | No ✓ | No ✓ |
Where to Collect — Challenger Banks
- Capitec ATMs nationwide
- Capitec branches
- Pick n Pay
- Shoprite / Checkers
- PEP Stores
- Ackermans
- Cash Express outlets
- CryptoExpress
- Pick n Pay (TymeBank kiosk)
- Boxer Stores
- TymeBank ATMs
- Shoprite
- Checkers
- OK Furniture
- African Bank branches
- Mutual Bank branches
- Partner ATMs
- In-app transfers
📱 Mobile Money — MTN MoMo & VodaPay
South Africa's two largest mobile networks — MTN and Vodacom — each offer mobile wallet services that allow cardless cash transfers without a bank account.
South Africa's largest mobile money wallet. Send to any mobile number, cash out at MTN MoMo agents, Nedbank ATMs, Pick n Pay, Boxer, Kazang and Cash Express outlets. Dial *120*151#.
Vodacom's super-app wallet. Send money, pay bills and shop. Open to all networks. Cash out at Vodacom outlets, Cash Express, and VodaPay partner agents. Dial *135*6# or use the app.
| Feature | MTN MoMo | VodaPay |
|---|---|---|
| Send Fee | ~R5–R10 | ~R5–R10 |
| Send Limit / Tx | R5 000 | R3 000 |
| Daily Limit | R25 000 | R25 000 |
| Voucher Expiry | 30 days | 30 days |
| Network Required | MTN SIM | Any network ✓ |
| Bank Account Required | No ✓ | No ✓ |
| USSD Code | *120*151# | *135*6# |
| Cash Out | PIN at agent / ATM / PnP / Boxer / Kazang / Cash Express | PIN at agent / outlet / Cash Express / CryptoExpress |
Where to Collect — Mobile Money
- MTN MoMo agents (spaza shops, retailers)
- Nedbank ATMs
- Pick n Pay
- Boxer Stores
- Kazang outlets
- Cash Express outlets
- CryptoExpress
- MTN stores
- Vodacom outlets nationwide
- Cash Express outlets
- CryptoExpress
- VodaPay partner agents
- Pick n Pay (select)
- In-app wallet balance
📞 USSD Codes — Quick Reference: All SA Cardless Services
All of the following USSD codes work on any South African mobile network from a basic feature phone — no smartphone or data required.
🔒 Is Cardless Money Transfer Safe? — Security Tips for South Africans
Cardless transfers are generally safe, but voucher fraud does occur in South Africa. Follow these precautions every time you send or receive cardless money.
Always share the PIN or access code verbally by phone — never in the same SMS, WhatsApp, or message that contains the voucher number.
Verify the recipient's cellphone number twice before confirming. Sending to a wrong number means the money may be collected by a stranger.
Advise the recipient to collect as soon as possible. Vouchers valid for 30 days can be intercepted if an unintended party obtains the PIN.
Only send cardless money to people you know and trust. Scammers in South Africa pose as employers, family members, and government officials to solicit cardless vouchers.
If you suspect the voucher PIN has been shared with the wrong person, contact your bank immediately to cancel before it is redeemed. Standard Bank: 0860 123 000 | FNB: 087 575 9404 | Absa: 0860 100 372.
Only use official bank apps, websites, or USSD codes listed here. Avoid third-party sites that claim to facilitate cardless transfers.
❓ Frequently Asked Questions — Cardless Money South Africa
Answers to the most common South African questions about cardless withdrawals, fees, limits, and what to do if something goes wrong.
You can send Standard Bank Instant Money from any South African mobile phone — no smartphone or data required:
- Dial *120*2345# on any mobile phone, or use the Standard Bank app or internet banking.
- Select "Instant Money" from the USSD menu.
- Enter the recipient's South African cellphone number — 10 digits, starting with 0. Double-check before continuing.
- Enter the amount to send. Maximum per transaction is R3 000. The send fee is approximately R10.50.
- Create a 6-digit secret PIN. Remember it — do not write it in any message.
- Call the recipient and tell them the PIN verbally. Never SMS the PIN alongside the voucher — this is the most common cause of cardless fraud in South Africa.
- The recipient uses the SMS voucher + spoken PIN to collect cash at Standard Bank ATMs, Pick n Pay, Shoprite, Checkers, SPAR, Boxer, PEP Stores, or Ackermans. The voucher is valid for 30 days.
TymeBank SendMoney is free via the app, making it the cheapest overall. Among banks offering USSD-based sending, Nedbank Send-iMali is cheapest at approximately R6.90 per transaction. Capitec SendCash charges ~R8.00. Standard Bank Instant Money, Absa CashSend, and FNB eWallet each charge approximately R10.50. MTN MoMo and VodaPay charge between R5 and R10 depending on the amount.
No — the recipient does not need a bank account. All they need is a South African cellphone number. They receive an SMS with a voucher number and then use a secret PIN (shared separately by the sender) to collect cash at an ATM or retail till point. This is why cardless transfers are so widely used to send money to unbanked family members and domestic workers across South Africa.
Maximum per-transaction and daily limits in 2026:
- Standard Bank Instant Money: R3 000 / tx, R25 000 / day
- Absa CashSend: R3 000 / tx, R25 000 / day
- FNB eWallet: R3 000 / tx, R25 000 / day
- Nedbank Send-iMali: R1 000 / tx, R3 000 / day
- Capitec SendCash: R3 000 / tx, R25 000 / day
- TymeBank SendMoney: R2 000 / tx, R5 000 / day
- MTN MoMo: R5 000 / tx, R25 000 / day
- VodaPay: R3 000 / tx, R25 000 / day
All major South African cardless vouchers — including Standard Bank Instant Money, FNB eWallet, Absa CashSend, Nedbank Send-iMali, Capitec SendCash, TymeBank SendMoney, MTN MoMo, and VodaPay — are valid for 30 days from the date of sending. If not redeemed within 30 days, the money is reversed back to the sender's account. Contact your bank if the reversal does not appear within 1–3 business days after expiry.
Yes. USSD codes work on any mobile phone — including basic feature phones — with no smartphone, internet connection, or data required. Use these codes:
- Standard Bank Instant Money: *120*2345#
- FNB eWallet: *120*321#
- Absa CashSend: *120*2272#
- Nedbank Send-iMali: *120*001#
- Capitec SendCash: *120*3279#
- MTN MoMo: *120*151#
Note: TymeBank SendMoney and African Bank MoneySend require the app or online banking.
Standard Bank Instant Money has the widest retail collection footprint in South Africa, covering Pick n Pay, Shoprite, Checkers, SPAR, Boxer, PEP Stores, Ackermans, Cash Express, and CryptoExpress — in addition to all Standard Bank ATMs. Capitec SendCash has a similar retail reach. MTN MoMo also provides extensive access through Kazang agents and spaza shop networks, particularly useful in townships and rural areas.
If a cardless voucher expires before being collected, the money is reversed back to the sender's account — you do not lose the funds. Most banks process the reversal automatically within 1–3 business days after the 30-day expiry. If the reversal does not appear, contact your bank directly:
- Standard Bank: 0860 123 000
- FNB: 087 575 9404
- Absa: 0860 100 372
- Nedbank: 0860 555 111
- Capitec: 0860 10 20 43
FNB eWallet is First National Bank's cardless cash transfer service. You can send money from any FNB account via the FNB app, internet banking, or by dialling *120*321#. Enter the recipient's SA cellphone number, the amount (up to R3 000 per transaction, R25 000 daily), and create a PIN. The recipient gets an SMS and uses the PIN to collect at any FNB ATM or select Pick n Pay tills — no bank card needed. The fee is approximately R10.50 and the voucher is valid for 30 days.
Capitec SendCash allows Capitec Bank customers to send cash to any South African cellphone number without the recipient needing a card. Use the Capitec app or dial *120*3279#, enter the recipient's number and amount (up to R3 000 per transaction), and create a PIN. The fee is approximately R8.00. The recipient collects at Capitec ATMs, Pick n Pay, Shoprite, Checkers, PEP Stores, Ackermans, and Cash Express within 30 days.
Yes — most South African banks allow you to cancel a cardless voucher before it has been collected. You can typically cancel via the same banking app or USSD menu you used to send, or by calling your bank's helpline. Once the recipient has already collected the cash, it cannot be reversed. Act quickly if you sent to the wrong number or suspect fraud.
Requirements vary by service and collection point. At most ATMs, only the voucher reference and PIN are required — no ID needed. At some retail till points (especially for larger amounts), the cashier may request a South African ID or proof of identity as part of FICA/anti-money-laundering requirements. It is advisable for the recipient to carry their South African ID when collecting, particularly at bank branches.
MTN MoMo (Mobile Money) is MTN South Africa's mobile wallet. You need an MTN SIM to send. Dial *120*151# or use the MoMo app. Send to any SA cellphone number (max R5 000 per transaction, R25 000 daily). The recipient collects at MTN MoMo agents (including many spaza shops), Nedbank ATMs, Pick n Pay, Boxer, Kazang outlets, and Cash Express. Fees range from R5 to R10. Vouchers are valid for 30 days.
The easiest way to send money to someone without a bank account in South Africa is via a cardless transfer service. All major options only require the recipient to have a South African cellphone number. Recommended options:
- Standard Bank Instant Money — widest retail collection (Shoprite, PEP, SPAR etc.)
- Capitec SendCash — lower fee (~R8) with wide retail reach
- TymeBank SendMoney — free via app, collect at Pick n Pay and Boxer
- MTN MoMo — widest agent network including township spaza shops and Kazang
The recipient collects the cash using an SMS PIN at the nearest ATM, supermarket, or mobile money agent.