How do people in Zimbabwe pay online?
Mobile money dominates by volume. The Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe reported 265.7 million electronic transactions in the second quarter of 2026, of which 236.7 million, or 89.1%, went through mobile channels. Card payments at points of sale made up 7.9% of the volume and internet banking 0.6%. By value the picture flips: the RTGS system carried 67% and mobile 13%, because large payments go between banks. Active mobile financial services subscribers rose to 11.2 million in the quarter.
EcoCash is the leader. NewsDay reported in April 2025 that EcoCash, run by Econet Wireless Zimbabwe since 2011, remains the market leader in size and transaction volume, while OneMoney, Telecash and newer services such as InnBucks, Omari and Mukuru compete for the rest.
Gateways bundle the options. Paynow, a local online payment gateway, lists EcoCash, OneMoney, InnBucks, ZimSwitch, Omari, Visa and Mastercard, and lets merchants receive payments in US dollars. ZimSwitch is the option for domestic bank cards.
Two currencies circulate. Foreign currency deposits made up 80.32% of broad money at the end of June 2026 and ZiG deposits 19.51%, so many shoppers pay in US dollars. Banks had 6.79 million debit cards, 188,797 prepaid cards and 711 credit cards in issue in June 2026, and 156,664 point-of-sale terminals.
What rules shape online payments in Zimbabwe?
VAT rose to 15.5% on 1 January 2026, according to EY’s review of the 2026 budget. Under section 13A of the VAT Act, electronic services supplied by an e-commerce operator outside Zimbabwe to a person resident in Zimbabwe are treated as supplied in Zimbabwe.
Banks now withhold tax on foreign digital services. From 1 January 2026, banks collect a digital services withholding tax at the point of payment when customers pay offshore digital platforms for services used in Zimbabwe. First Capital Bank describes it as 15.5% with no minimum amount, and says suppliers already registered for and correctly remitting Zimbabwe VAT on their digital services are exempt. Physical goods bought online stay under customs and VAT.
Electronic transfers carry a transaction tax. The 2026 budget cut the intermediated money transfer tax (IMTT) on ZiG transactions from 2% to 1.5%, according to EY. It applies to electronic money transfers.
Online buyers can cancel within seven days. Section 53 of the Consumer Protection Act [Chapter 14:44] lets a consumer cancel any electronic transaction, without reason or penalty, within seven days of receiving the goods or concluding the agreement. The only charge allowed is the direct cost of returning the goods, and a consumer who has already paid gets a full refund within 14 days of cancelling.
Customer data needs a licence. Under the Cyber and Data Protection Act [Chapter 12:07], the Postal and Telecommunications Regulatory Authority of Zimbabwe is the Data Protection Authority, and anyone who processes data for commercial gain needs its licence. Personal data can go abroad only to a country with adequate protection, and the Authority must be notified of any intended transfer.
How would Omno route payments in Zimbabwe?
A merchant would connect once and set routing rules per method, currency and customer group. In Zimbabwe:
- EcoCash pay-ins would go to a provider with an EcoCash connection, with the order pending until the customer approves on the phone.
- Other wallets, such as OneMoney, InnBucks and Omari, can be offered in the hosted checkout next to EcoCash through providers that hold them.
- Card pay-ins on ZimSwitch, Visa or Mastercard can be routed by BIN and by currency, with cascading to the next provider in the rule if one is unavailable or rejects the request.
- Currency rules would keep USD and ZiG payments on providers that settle in that currency.
Webhooks would carry the final status of each payment, the record a back office should trust before shipping an order, and the routing-decision log would show which provider handled each payment and why.
What should merchants plan for?
Plan for EcoCash first. Mobile channels carry almost nine in ten electronic payments, and EcoCash is the largest wallet.
Plan for two currencies. Price and settle in US dollars and ZiG, and keep each currency on providers that support it.
Plan for taxes at the point of payment. Foreign digital sellers either register for Zimbabwe VAT or see the withholding tax taken from their customers’ payments, and IMTT applies to electronic transfers.
Plan for seven-day cancellations. Refund within 14 days of a cancellation and keep a returns flow ready for online orders.