How to Pay for Mihoyo Games in Africa: Mobile Money and Card Options
How Mihoyo games accept payment in Africa
Mihoyo games—including Genshin Impact, Honkai: Star Rail, and Zenless Zone Zero—accept several payment methods across Africa, but which ones work depends on your country and what you have available. Mobile money services like M-Pesa (Kenya), MTN Mobile Money (multiple countries), Airtel Money, and Vodafone Cash are the most direct route for most players. Credit and debit cards issued by African banks also work, though not all cards process internationally without extra setup. PayPal is available in some African countries and connects to Mihoyo's payment system. The game itself shows you which methods are live in your region when you try to make a purchase—if a method does not appear in the payment screen, it is not currently active for your location.
The payment flow is the same across methods: you open the game, go to the shop or battle pass section, select what you want to buy, choose your payment method, and complete the transaction. Mihoyo does not hold the money; it goes directly to a payment processor that handles the conversion and deposit. Charges appear on your mobile money account, bank statement, or card bill within minutes to a few hours, depending on your provider.
Key Takeaways
- Mobile money services like M-Pesa, MTN Mobile Money, and Airtel Money are the fastest payment route in most African countries and do not require a bank account or card.
- Debit and credit cards from African banks work with Mihoyo games, but your bank may block the first international transaction until you confirm it.
- PayPal is available in select African countries and can be linked to your Mihoyo account as a payment method.
- The payment method you see in the game depends on your country and phone number; if a method does not appear, it is not active in your region yet.
- Charges post to your account within minutes to a few hours, and Mihoyo sends a receipt by email after each purchase.
Mobile money: the most common payment method
Mobile money is the fastest and most widely supported payment method for Mihoyo games across Africa. Services like M-Pesa (Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Democratic Republic of Congo), MTN Mobile Money (Cameroon, Côte d'Ivoire, Ghana, Zambia, and others), Airtel Money (multiple countries), and Vodafone Cash (Ghana, Tanzania) all connect directly to Mihoyo's payment system. You do not need a bank account—only an active mobile money wallet with enough balance. The transaction happens in seconds, and your in-game currency (Primogems or Stellar Jade, depending on the game) appears immediately.
To use mobile money, open the game, go to the shop, select your purchase, and choose the mobile money option at checkout. You will be asked to enter your phone number and confirm the payment through your mobile money app or via a prompt on your phone. Some providers send a PIN or confirmation code you enter to complete the transaction. Charges appear on your mobile money statement right away, and you receive a receipt from both your provider and Mihoyo by email.
The main limitation is that not all mobile money services are integrated everywhere. M-Pesa works in Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, and DRC but not in Nigeria or South Africa. MTN Mobile Money covers more countries but not all MTN markets. Check the payment screen in your game to see which services are live in your country. If your service is not listed, you will need to use a card or PayPal instead.
Bank cards and what to expect on your first purchase
Debit and credit cards issued by African banks—such as Ecobank, Standard Chartered, First Bank (Nigeria), Equity Bank (Kenya), or Stanbic—work with Mihoyo games. When you enter your card details at checkout, the payment goes through a processor that handles the currency conversion (your local currency to USD or CNY, depending on Mihoyo's pricing in your region). The charge appears on your bank statement in your local currency, and you see the converted amount.
On your first international purchase, your bank may decline the transaction as a fraud prevention measure. If this happens, you will see an error message at checkout. Contact your bank's customer service line or use their mobile app to confirm that you authorise international online purchases. Some banks let you set a spending limit for online transactions or temporarily raise it for a single purchase. Once you confirm, try the purchase again—it usually goes through on the second attempt.
Visa and Mastercard are the most reliable; American Express is less commonly accepted. Some regional cards (like those issued only within one country) may not work if they are not flagged for international use. If your card keeps declining, ask your bank whether it supports online payments outside your country. If it does not, mobile money or PayPal is your alternative.
PayPal as a backup payment method
PayPal is available in select African countries—including South Africa, Nigeria, Kenya, Ghana, and Egypt—and can be linked to your Mihoyo account as a payment method. To use it, you need an active PayPal account with a linked bank account or card. At checkout in the game, select PayPal, and you will be redirected to log in and confirm the payment. The charge comes from your PayPal balance or linked payment method, and the transaction completes in seconds.
PayPal is useful if your bank card does not work internationally or if you want an extra layer between your card and the game's payment system. However, PayPal is not available in all African countries, and setting up an account requires identity verification and a linked payment method. If PayPal is not available in your country, mobile money or a card remains your best option.
Currency conversion and what you actually pay
Mihoyo prices in-game purchases in USD or Chinese Yuan (CNY), depending on your account region and payment method. When you pay with mobile money or a local card, the processor converts the price to your local currency at the current exchange rate, plus a small conversion fee (usually 1 to 3 percent). The final amount you see at checkout is what you will be charged.
For example, if a battle pass costs $10 USD and the exchange rate is 1 USD = 150 Kenyan Shillings, you might see 1,500 to 1,550 KES at checkout (depending on the processor's fee). The exact rate varies by day and by payment processor, so the same purchase may cost slightly different amounts on different days. Mihoyo does not control this conversion—your payment processor does. You can see the final local amount before you confirm, so you always know what you are paying.
Some players use VPNs to change their account region and access cheaper pricing in other countries. Mihoyo's terms of service prohibit this, and doing so can result in account suspension or loss of purchases. It is not worth the risk.
Troubleshooting common payment problems
If a payment fails, the most common reasons are insufficient balance, an incorrect phone number (for mobile money), a card flagged for fraud, or a payment method not active in your region. Check your mobile money or bank balance first. If you have enough funds, try again—sometimes a single failed attempt is a temporary network issue. If it fails twice, contact your bank or mobile money provider to confirm the transaction was not processed (sometimes money is held for 24 hours before being returned).
If the payment method you want does not appear in the game, it is not currently active in your country. Mihoyo adds and removes payment methods based on partnerships and regulations, so a method that works today might not work next month, and vice versa. Check back in a few weeks, or use an alternative method in the meantime. If you believe a method should be available in your country, you can contact Mihoyo support through the game's help menu, though response times vary.
If you are charged but did not receive your in-game currency, check your email for a receipt from Mihoyo. If you have a receipt, the purchase went through and the currency should appear in your game within a few minutes. Restart the game or log out and back in to refresh. If you do not have a receipt and were charged, contact Mihoyo support with your transaction ID (from your bank or mobile money statement) and they will investigate.
Regional differences: what works where
Payment method availability varies significantly by country. Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda have strong M-Pesa integration. Nigeria, Ghana, and Cameroon rely more on card payments and MTN Mobile Money. South Africa and Egypt have PayPal and card options. East African countries generally have the most mobile money options, while West African countries often require cards or regional services like Flutterwave (which some games use but Mihoyo does not currently integrate directly).
The game shows you only the methods active in your country when you enter your phone number or select your region. If you travel or change your phone number, the available methods may change. If you move to a new country, you may need to update your payment method before making a purchase. Mihoyo support can help if you are unsure which methods are available in your new location.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will my bank block a payment to Mihoyo?
Many banks block the first international online purchase as a fraud prevention measure. If this happens, contact your bank to confirm you authorise the transaction, then try again. Some banks let you set a spending limit for online purchases or raise it temporarily. Once confirmed, future Mihoyo purchases usually go through without delay.
Can I use a prepaid card to pay for Mihoyo games?
Yes, if the prepaid card is a Visa or Mastercard and your provider allows international online purchases. Some prepaid cards block international transactions by default. Check with your card provider or try the purchase—if it fails, contact them to enable international use. Mobile money is often simpler if your prepaid card does not support it.
What happens if I pay with mobile money but the currency is wrong?
The game and payment processor handle the conversion automatically. You see the final amount in your local currency before you confirm, so you always know what you are paying. If the amount seems wrong, cancel and contact your mobile money provider or Mihoyo support with the details.
Can I refund a purchase if I change my mind?
Mihoyo's refund policy is strict: in-game currency and battle passes are non-refundable once purchased. If you were charged by mistake or did not receive what you paid for, contact Mihoyo support with your receipt and transaction ID. They may investigate, but refunds are rare unless there is a clear error on their end.
Is it safe to link my card or mobile money to Mihoyo?
Mihoyo uses standard payment processors (not storing your card details directly) and encrypts transactions. Your payment information is as safe as it would be on any other online purchase. However, use a strong, unique password for your Mihoyo account and enable two-factor authentication if available. Do not share your account login with others.