Nairobi — Uber has stopped accepting Visa card payments in Kenya, citing rising global payment processing costs.

The ride-hailing firm said it routinely reviews payment options across markets to manage costs while minimising disruption to users.

"We regularly review our payment methods on a market-by-market basis to ensure we're keeping costs reasonable while balancing any potential impact on consumer experience," an Uber spokesperson said, adding that the decision followed such a review.

The change affects only Visa cardholders. Payments via Mastercard, American Express, M-Pesa and cash remain available on the platform.

Visa currently dominates Kenya's card payments market, supported by a wider cardholder base and a larger ATM network than competitors. However, card usage continues to face stiff competition from mobile money, particularly M-Pesa, which remains the preferred payment option for most Kenyans due to its widespread adoption and limited card penetration.