Craft Silicon has launched TouristTap, a mobile app that turns any NFC-enabled smartphone into a secure Point-of-Sale (POS) device. This is set to change how international visitors pay for goods and services in Kenya by allowing them to pay directly with their Visa or Mastercard.
Solving a Big Problem in Kenyan Tourism
Kenya’s tourism sector—big safari lodges to small Maasai market stalls and roadside kiosks—has always been cash based, causing friction for international visitors who are used to card and digital transactions.
Kamal Budhabatti, Head of Product Dreams and Designs at Craft Silicon said the app solves the problem of limited card acceptance, especially for smaller, informal businesses. TouristTap turns the merchant’s phone into their own secure card reader, or “PDQ”, so tourists can just tap their card and pay.
How it Works
TouristTap uses Near Field Communication (NFC) technology to turn a smartphone into a contactless POS terminal.
- Payment Options: Tourists can pay with their Visa or Mastercard by tapping the card or their mobile wallet on the merchant’s NFC-enabled smartphone.
- Merchant Options: The app has multiple payout options for merchants including direct payments to mobile money wallets, till numbers, bank accounts and other popular apps.
- Security: Security is key, the app is PCI-DSS compliant and certified by Visa and Mastercard. It also uses PIN-on-Glass technology where the customer enters their PIN directly on the phone screen.
Kenya’s Cashless Economy
The timing couldn’t be better as digital transactions in Kenya are on the rise.
- Digital Trend: According to the Central Bank of Kenya, card payments reached Sh538.5 billion in 2024. A national trend towards cashless transactions is evident.
- Inclusivity: As Kelvin Munga, Head of Merchant Acquiring and Payments at Craft Silicon says, the goal is to serve the entire tourism value chain, so a tourist can pay for everything from a small bracelet at a Maasai market to a high-end hotel stay with the same ease.
TouristTap is now available for download on Google Play and Apple App Store for NFC-enabled smartphones. Currently available in Kenya but will soon be rolled out to other major African tourism hubs, Craft Silicon is set to be a major player in the African payment ecosystem.