Mobile money limits in Madagascar: MVola and Orange Money
The limit to remember in Madagascar is 20,000,000 Ar per transfer operation, on both MVola and Orange Money. Other caps apply by channel (for example card top-up via approcarte) and by your account tier (KYC). Here is how they fit together, and how to split a send that exceeds the limit.
| Limit | Amount |
|---|---|
| Per operation (MVola and Orange Money) | 20,000,000 Ar |
| Monthly card send (approcarte) | shown on the portal |
The per-operation cap: 20 million ariary
The per-operation transfer cap is 20,000,000 Ar, on MVola as on Orange Money (operator schedules). It is a per-transaction cap: to send more, you must make several operations. Note that splitting multiplies the fees, since each send carries its own fee band — work out the total cost before breaking up a large amount.
The monthly card-top-up cap (approcarte)
The official approcarte.orange.mg portal, which lets you top up the Orange Money wallet by bank card, applies a maximum monthly send cap. The exact figure is shown on the portal itself; we do not publish an unconfirmed number. Before a large card top-up (useful for the diaspora), check the current month's limit directly on approcarte.orange.mg.
Your account tier (KYC) sets your ceiling
Effective limits also depend on your account's verification tier. A basic account, opened with minimal information, has lower caps than a fully verified account with registered ID. To raise your limit, complete your verification (KYC) at an Orange Money or MVola agent with a valid ID — it is free and unlocks the higher limits.
Splitting a large send: the move and its trap
To exceed the per-operation cap, the only route is to split into several sends. But each send carries its own fee band, so breaking up costs more than sending in one go where possible. The reverse trick — sending just under a band edge to pay less — is detailed on the Orange and MVola fee pages, not here, to avoid duplicating the tables.
Finally, a compliance note: unusual patterns — many splits in quick succession, or amounts consistently near the caps — can trigger a review by the operator. That is a normal anti-money-laundering measure; keep your supporting documents if you regularly move large amounts.