Does PayPal Work In Ethiopia? (All You Need to Know)

PayPal is a multinational financial company that operates in almost every country and region in the world.

If you live or work in Ethiopia, or would like to live or work there, and you want to use PayPal, you may be wondering if you can use PayPal in Ethiopia and how they operate? I did the research and here is what I found!

Does PayPal Work in Ethiopia In [currentyear]?

Thankfully, PayPal does operate in Ethiopia, but the functions available are limited in [currentyear]. Through the original PayPal platform, you can send money and make payments, but cannot receive money. However, you can receive money in Ethiopia through Xoom, which is a PayPal service that allows you to transfer money internationally.

If you currently live or work in Ethiopia, and want to know how to create a PayPal account, what functions are available, how to use Xoom, and more, then keep reading!

How Do I Open a PayPal Account in Ethiopia?

Fortunately, you can open a PayPal account in Ethiopia. However, PayPal will only allow its customers who live in Ethiopia to send payments.

As well, PayPal doesn’t support receiving Payments in Ethiopia yet.

To open a PayPal account in Ethiopia, keep reading:

1. Go to PayPal.com or the PayPal app, and select the “sign up” option
2. Next, choose the type of account you wish to create (personal or Business)
3. Once you have selected your account type, click “next”
4. You will then be asked for your phone number
5. Next, you will fill out a form with your name, email address, and you will create a password
6. When you are finished with the form, click “continue”
7. Next, you will have to fill out a second form. On this form, you’ll need to include your nationality and street address
8. After you are finished with the second form click “continue”

After you have clicked “continue,” your PayPal account will be created. Now you need to go to your email and find PayPal’s email to you to confirm your email address.

Note that because you cannot receive money in Ethiopia through PayPal, there is no use for a business account. However, you may create one if you would like.

How Do I Send Money and Payments in Ethiopia Using PayPal?

If you would like to send money, or pay for items or services through your PayPal account, you need to link your bank account or credit/debit cards to your PayPal account.

If you would like to link your bank account, consult the following steps:

1. Make sure you are logged in to your PayPal account.
2. Next, go to the “wallet” tab and click “Link a bank account.”
3. After that, you will need to select your bank account. If you don’t see your bank account listed, there will be a link that says “Don’t see your bank?” at the bottom of the screen. Click this, and the prompts will help find your bank.
4. If you have an eligible bank, log in using your bank ID and password, or if not, enter your bank account information manually.
5. Lastly, click “Agree and Link.”

If you have an eligible bank and were able to instantly link your account, then PayPal will also instantly confirm your bank account.

Unfortunately, if you don’t have an eligible bank, and had to enter your account information manually, you will also have to confirm your account manually by following these instructions.

Furthermore, to link a credit or debit card to your PayPal account, do the following:

1. Log in to your account.
2. Go to the “wallet” tab.
3. Afterward, click “Link card.”
4. Next, select your card type and enter the needed information.
5. Last, click “save.”

Furthermore, when you have finished linking your credit or debit card, there may be a “confirm credit card” link in the card details.

If you see this link, you will need to confirm your card before you can use it with PayPal. Here are the directions for how to “confirm your card.”

However, if there is no link, you will be able to use your card immediately.

Once your bank or debit or credit cards are linked to your PayPal account, you can begin sending money and paying for items.

To send money from Ethiopia using PayPal do the following:

1. Log in to your PayPal account
2. Once logged in, click “send & request,” and then select one of 3 options:
   • “Pay for goods and services.”
   • “send to friends and family in the US.”
   • “send to friends and family internationally.”
3. After selecting your option, enter the email address or phone number of the person you’re sending money to.
4. Next, enter the amount you want to send and click “Continue.”
5. Finally, review the information, and then click “send money now”.

To make a payment online, use the following method:

1. Log in to your PayPal account.
2. Once you are logged in to your account, click “send a request.”
3. Select the type of payment you want to use.
4. Next, enter the recipient’s email address and the amount of the payment.
5. After, choose the payment type and click “Continue.”
6. Review the details of the transfer. If for any reason you need to change your funding source, you can do so by clicking “change” under “payment method.”
7. Once everything has been reviewed and is correct, click “send money,” and your payment will be finished.

What Is the Best Way to Send Money to Ethiopia?

Fortunately, there is a way to send money to Ethiopia, not through PayPal, but through a PayPal service.

Xoom is a PayPal service that allows you to transfer money internationally, or in the same state as, and very quickly. To begin using Xoom, do the following:

1. Create an account through the Xoom app or Xoom.com, and log in with your PayPal login information.
2. Next, select the country and city you want to send money to, how much you want to send, and who will receive the money.
3. After you have entered all the information, check the details and confirm your transfer.

Additionally, you can send money through Xoom for cash pickup:

1. First, log in to your Xoom account, either on the app or Xoom.com
2. Next, enter the amount you want to transfer.
3. Then, provide the person’s name, address, and phone number that you are sending money to.
4. Once you have provided the person’s information, you then need to select a convenient location for pickup.
5. Finally, review the details and confirm your transfer.

In Ethiopia, for cash pickup, you can send to Awash Bank, Atlantic International, Dashen Bank, and more. For a full list of cash pickup locations, click here.

To find out more, you can also read our posts on whether or not PayPal will work in Thailand, if PayPal will work in Ukraine, and if you can cancel a PayPal payment.

Conclusion

PayPal is currently allowing customers who live in Ethiopia to use PayPal to send money and make payments. Unfortunately, PayPal does not yet support receiving payments in Ethiopia, however, through Xoom, you can send payments to Ethiopia.