Pick an offer.
Choose an offer, an amount, and a payment method. See the terms before you commit.
Buy and sell USDC person to person
Pay a person.
Get digital
dollars.
You pay the seller through a payment app you already use. Pesa checks that payment against the order, then releases USDC from escrow. We never hold your local money.
Payment proof
248.50 USD
Right amount
Right recipient
Payment received
Verified. Ready to release.
Illustrative payment
Worth knowing
up front.
01 — How a trade runs
Neither side
goes first.
The order fixes the amount, the rate and the payment method before either side sends anything.
Your payment Sent directly to the seller
payment evidence
Pesa verifies Against the order terms verified proof
Dollars released From escrow to your wallet
Pay the seller.
The digital dollars lock in escrow. Make your payment directly through the agreed payment app.
Escrow releases.
Pesa checks the payment evidence against the order. A match releases the USDC to the buyer automatically.
02 — Run the numbers
See a trade
before you take it.
Enter an amount to see how an exchange is quoted: what you pay, what lands in your wallet, and which payment method carries it.
Rates here are illustrative. Live offers, rates, and fees come from the sellers you match with in the app.
Quote an exchange
Interactive preview USD
Example rate: 1 USD = 1.00 USDC
You receive
USDC
Enter an amount from 1 to 1,000,000, with up to two decimal places.
Payment method
Bank transfer
Continue in the app Example rates, excluding fees. Real offers appear in the app.
03 — What counts as proof
“I sent it”
isn’t proof.
So we check the
payment itself.
Screenshots can be edited. Messages can say anything. Pesa uses verifiable payment evidence to check that a transfer matches the trade before releasing the digital dollars.
How verification works Claim vs. evidence
From a claim to a verified payment
Payment evidence Illustration Amount matches the order
Recipient matches the seller
Receipt matches the payment
Verified payment, released automatically
Verification checks payment evidence. It does not remove a payment provider’s reversal or account-review rules.
FAQ
Before you
place an order.
What Pesa does, and which risks still sit with you.
01 What is Pesa?
Pesa is a peer-to-peer money product connecting local payments with digital dollars. Buyers pay sellers directly through the agreed payment method. Payment verification connects that transfer to the release of digital dollars held in escrow.
02 What do you mean by digital dollars?
Digital dollars here means USDC, a dollar-denominated stablecoin. It is a digital asset, not a bank deposit. Its value and availability depend on its issuer and the networks and services used to hold or move it.
03 How is a payment verified?
Pesa checks evidence of the payment against the trade, including the amount and recipient. A matching, verified payment allows the escrow to release the digital dollars. A screenshot or a chat message alone is not enough.
04 Who holds the dollars during a trade?
The digital dollars are locked in escrow while the payment is being completed. Release follows the trade’s verification conditions. Timing, expiry, and recovery depend on the order terms shown in the app.
05 Does a proof prevent chargebacks or bank freezes?
No. A proof verifies payment evidence; it does not override a bank or payment provider’s rules. Reversals, account reviews, and other payment risks can still apply.
06 Where can I use Pesa, and what does it cost?
Payment methods, currencies, rates, and fees depend on available offers and launch availability. Review the complete terms in the app before placing an order. The calculator on this page uses example rates and is not a live quote.
07 How do I become a seller?
Start with the For sellers page to learn how an offer works. Selling will be available through the Pesa mobile app, subject to launch availability and the supported payment methods. App download links are coming soon.