🇺🇸 USD to 🇰🇪 KES Exchange Rate
Convert US Dollar to Kenyan Shilling using the live indicative interbank rate and the converter below. Covers the cost of sending to Kenya via the major mobile money apps.
Updated 2026-06-03
Currency converter
USD → KES conversion table
| USD | KES |
|---|---|
| 1 | 129.49 |
| 5 | 647.45 |
| 10 | 1,294.90 |
| 20 | 2,589.80 |
| 50 | 6,474.50 |
| 100 | 12,949.00 |
| 200 | 25,898.00 |
| 500 | 64,745.00 |
| 1,000 | 129,490.00 |
| 2,000 | 258,980.00 |
| 5,000 | 647,450.00 |
| 10,000 | 1,294,900.00 |
Table computed at the indicative rate of 1 USD = 129.49 KES. Real operator-side values include a 1%-4% spread.
About the US Dollar
The US Dollar (USD, $) is the world's primary reserve currency and the de facto reference rate for most African remittance pricing. It is issued by the Federal Reserve System and subdivided into 100 cents. For African corridors, the USD plays two distinct roles: as the on-the-wire settlement currency that originating remittance providers use to hedge between markets, and as the unit of account that diaspora senders most often think in. When operators quote a USD-to-local-currency rate, the difference between that rate and the interbank mid-market — the spread — is where most of the corridor's cost is hidden, often dwarfing the visible send fee. For receivers in countries with thin USD interbank markets such as Sierra Leone or Mozambique, the published rate can lag the interbank reference by several percentage points.
About the Kenyan Shilling
The Kenyan Shilling (KES, KSh) is the official currency of Kenya, issued by the Central Bank of Kenya. Subdivided into 100 cents, the Shilling is one of East Africa's most-traded currencies and the de facto settlement unit for many cross-border flows in the EAC region. Kenya's outsized digital-payments ecosystem — anchored by Safaricom's M-Pesa, which clears a transaction volume equivalent to a substantial share of Kenyan GDP each year — means the KES is among the most active African currencies for mobile-money rails. The Central Bank of Kenya runs a managed-float regime with periodic interventions to smooth volatility, and the Shilling has generally tracked broader sub-Saharan currency trends against the USD. For inbound USD remittances to M-Pesa, formal-channel rates typically sit within 1%-2% of the interbank reference.
How to send US Dollar to Kenya
For transfers from United States to Kenya, the competitive options in 2026 are mobile-first remitters (Sendwave, LemFi, TapTap Send, Lemonade Finance), aggregators (Wise, WorldRemit, Remitly) and direct operator rails (MTN MoMo, Orange Money, M-Pesa Global). All-in cost depends on amount, receiving wallet and day. Compare options side by side on our Kenya inbound corridor page.
See the Kenya inbound corridor comparison →Related pairs
FAQ
What is the USD/KES exchange rate today?
How much is 100 USD in KES?
What's the best way to send US Dollar to Kenya?
Is the Kenyan Shilling a stable currency?
Why is the rate I see on my mobile money operator different?
Rates shown on this page are indicative interbank reference rates updated daily. Operator send rates typically include a 1%-4% spread above this reference, which covers FX hedging cost, settlement risk and commercial margin. For exact send rates via M-Pesa, MTN MoMo, Sendwave, LemFi, WorldRemit, Wise or TapTap Send to Kenya, see the inbound corridor comparison.