Quick Facts

• Send up to R5,000 per day and R25,000 per month
• Recipient doesn’t need a bank account
• Money available instantly at ATMs or retail stores
• Fees from R9.90 to R19 depending on amount sent

What is Standard Bank Instant Money?

Standard Bank Instant Money is a service that lets you send cash to anyone in South Africa who has a cellphone. The person receiving the money does not need a bank account. This makes it perfect for helping family members, paying workers, or sending emergency money.

When you send the money, the person gets an SMS with a voucher number and a PIN. They can use these to collect cash from any Standard Bank ATM or from retail stores like Pick n Pay, Shoprite, Boxer, and PEP.

Why people use Instant Money: It works 24 hours a day, the money is available immediately, and the recipient doesn’t need to travel to a bank branch.

✅ How to Send Instant Money (Step by Step)

You can send Instant Money in 4 different ways:

Option 1: Using the Standard Bank App

1. Open your Standard Bank app and log in
2. Tap on “Transact” on the home screen
3. Select “Pay” then choose “Instant Money”
4. Select “Send a voucher”
5. Enter the recipient’s cellphone number
6. Type in the amount you want to send (R50 to R5,000)
7. Create a 4-digit PIN or use the auto-generate option
8. Review all details and confirm

The recipient will immediately receive two SMS messages – one with a 10-digit voucher number and another with the 4-digit PIN you created.

Option 2: Using Internet Banking

1. Log into your Standard Bank Internet Banking
2. Go to “Payments and Transfers”
3. Select “Instant Money”
4. Follow the same steps as the app method

Option 3: Using Cellphone Banking

1. Dial *120*2345# on your phone
2. Enter your 5-digit Cellphone Banking PIN
3. Select “Payments and transfers”
4. Choose “Instant Money”
5. Follow the prompts to complete

Option 4: At a Retail Store

You can send money at Pick n Pay, Shoprite, Boxer, or PEP stores:

1. Go to the till at the store
2. Tell them you want to send Instant Money
3. Provide your ID document and cellphone number
4. Say the amount you want to send
5. You’ll receive the voucher and PIN

How to Receive and Collect Instant Money

When someone sends you Instant Money, you will receive an SMS with a 10-digit voucher number. The sender will share the 4-digit PIN with you separately.

Collecting at a Standard Bank ATM:

1. Go to any Standard Bank ATM
2. Press “Enter” or “Proceed” on the main screen
3. Select “Instant Money Services”
4. Enter your cellphone number
5. Enter the 4-digit PIN the sender gave you
6. Choose the voucher you want to withdraw
7. Select the amount to withdraw
8. Take your cash

Collecting at a Retail Store:

You can collect at Pick n Pay, Shoprite, Boxer, PEP, Ackermans, and other participating stores:

1. Go to the till at the store
2. Tell them you want to collect Instant Money
3. Give them the 10-digit voucher number
4. Enter the 4-digit PIN when asked
5. Receive your cash

Important: Vouchers are valid for 30 days. After 30 days, the money returns to the sender’s account automatically.

Costs and Fees (2025 Pricing)

How You Send	Amount	Fee
Banking App, Internet Banking, Cellphone Banking, ATM	R50 – R499	R10
Banking App, Internet Banking, Cellphone Banking, ATM	R500 – R999	R15
Banking App, Internet Banking, Cellphone Banking, ATM	R1,000 – R5,000	R19
At PEP stores	Any amount	R9.90
At other retail stores (Pick n Pay, Shoprite, Boxer)	Any amount	R9.95

Good news: There is no charge for receiving Instant Money. Only the sender pays the fee.

Limits as of 2025: You can send up to R5,000 per transaction, R5,000 per day, and R25,000 per month per cellphone number.

The Instant Money Wallet

The Instant Money Wallet is like a simple bank account on your phone. You don’t need a Standard Bank account to use it. It’s perfect if you want to keep money safe without opening a full bank account.

What You Can Do with the Wallet:

• Store money safely (up to R25,000 per month)
• Receive and send Instant Money vouchers
• Buy prepaid airtime (for free)
• Buy prepaid data (for free)
• Buy prepaid electricity (R1 fee)
• Transfer money to Standard Bank accounts (R1.25 fee)
• Check your transaction history

How to Register for the Wallet:

1. Dial *120*212# on your cellphone
2. Enter your ID number
3. Create a unique 5-digit wallet PIN
4. Confirm your PIN
5. You’re done!

You can also download the Instant Money Wallet app from Google Play, Huawei AppGallery, or the Apple App Store.

🚨 Safety Tips and Scam Prevention

Warning: As of 2025, scams involving Instant Money and similar services are increasing in South Africa. Here’s how to protect yourself.

Common Scams to Avoid:

1. The Fake Bank Call Scam

Someone calls pretending to be from Standard Bank. They say there’s a problem with your account and ask you to send an Instant Money to “secure your funds” or “reverse a fraud.”

Protection: Standard Bank will NEVER ask you to send Instant Money to fix account problems. Hang up and call 0860 123 000 to check.

2. The Job Payment Scam

Someone offers you a “job” where you just need to receive Instant Money into your wallet and send it somewhere else. They promise to pay you for this.

Protection: This is money laundering. You could be arrested. Never let others use your account or wallet to move money.

3. The “Send to Yourself” Scam

Scammers call pretending to be the bank and instruct you to send Instant Money to your own number “for security verification.” But they’ve actually done a SIM swap and control your number.

Protection: Banks never ask you to send money to verify your account. This is always a scam.

Safety Rules to Follow:

• Never share your PIN with anyone except the person collecting the money
• Check the recipient’s cellphone number twice before sending
• Don’t send money to people you don’t know or trust
• If someone claims to be from the bank, hang up and call the official number
• Keep your app and phone updated with security patches
• Use a strong password for your banking app
• Never send Instant Money because someone called and said it’s urgent

If You’ve Been Scammed:

1. Call Standard Bank immediately: 0860 123 000
2. Report it to the police at your nearest station
3. Report the fraud to SABRIC: 0860 557 557
4. Change all your banking passwords and PINs

⚠️ Things That Can Go Wrong

Lost or Forgotten PIN

If the recipient loses the PIN, the sender can reset it through the app or by calling the Instant Money helpline at 0860 466 639.

Wrong Number

If you send money to the wrong number, you must cancel the voucher before anyone collects it. You can cancel through the app, Cellphone Banking (*120*2345#), or by calling the helpline. Important: The sending fee is not refundable, even if you cancel.

Voucher Expires

If no one collects the money within 30 days, it automatically returns to the sender’s account. But you still lose the sending fee.

Alternative Money-Sending Options

If Standard Bank Instant Money doesn’t work for you, here are other similar services available in South Africa as of 2025:

Service	Bank	Key Feature
FNB eWallet	First National Bank	Can buy airtime and electricity directly from wallet
ABSA CashSend	ABSA Bank	Can collect at any ABSA ATM or partner ATMs
Nedbank Send Money	Nedbank	Previously called Send-iMali, similar service
Capitec Send Cash	Capitec Bank	Often has lower fees

All these services work similarly: Send money to a cellphone number, recipient collects at ATMs or stores. Choose based on which bank you have an account with and which stores are closest to the recipient.

Common Questions Answered

Standard Bank Instant Money is a reliable and safe way to send cash to anyone in South Africa. It’s especially useful for helping family members who don’t have bank accounts or for emergency situations.

Best for: Sending money to people without bank accounts, emergency cash needs, paying domestic workers or casual staff, and helping family in rural areas.

Watch out for: Scammers pretending to be from the bank, sending money to wrong numbers, and forgetting to share the PIN with recipients.

Money-saving tip: If possible, send from PEP stores (R9.90 fee) rather than using the app for small amounts (R10 fee). For amounts over R1,000, the fee is the same regardless of how you send.