Driver virtual cards

Drivers on the road need money for fuel, tolls, spares and the unexpected. Instead of cash, the exchange can give each driver a USD prepaid Mastercard issued through Mamlaka, and load it for each trip from the exchange's KES float.

Being released

The money rails described here are built and tested, and are being rolled out. Until a rail is switched on for the exchange, invoices are paid by bank transfer or mobile money and recorded by Finance, as today.

Everything below happens on Fleet → Driver cards, by the trade desk or Finance.

1. Apply for the driver

Enter the driver's first and last name, email, phone and vehicle, and record that the driver agreed, in person, to their identity details going to Mamlaka and the card processor. Without that consent the exchange will not send anything.

2. Add ID photos

Photo	Needed
Front of the ID	Always
Back of the ID	Unless the ID is a passport
A selfie holding the ID	Always

JPG, PNG or PDF, at most 2 MB each. The photos go straight to Mamlaka.

3. Submit KYC

Date of birth, nationality, country, town, address, post code, gender, and the ID's type, number, issue date and expiry. The exchange checks what the card processor would refuse before sending, so it can be fixed at the desk:

• first and last name together at most 32 characters (a middle name goes in the first name);
• real dates;
• town and address in letters, numbers, spaces and hyphens only.

KYC moves from Not submitted to Waiting, then Approved or Rejected with the processor's reason. A rejected application can be corrected and submitted again.

4. Issue a card

Once the driver is Approved, ask for a card with an opening amount of USD 10 to 500. The exchange shows Mamlaka's quote in shillings, including the card fee, before anything is spent. The card is issued after two approvals, appears as Pending, and becomes Active when Mamlaka confirms it.

5. Load it for a trip

For a trip that is in transit, load USD 1 to 500. The quote in shillings is shown first. After two approvals the money goes onto the card, and the load is recorded as the trip's Card load advance.

Freeze and unfreeze

A card can be frozen at once (lost phone, a dispute, the end of a contract) and unfrozen later. The card's live balance is read from Mamlaka.

The float

The tile at the top of Driver cards shows the KES float available for issues and loads. Mamlaka refuses an issue or load the float cannot cover; top the float up with Mamlaka, then approve again.

What the exchange keeps

Only what it needs: the driver's names and contacts, Mamlaka's cardholder id, the KYC decision and the driver's recorded consent. The ID number, date of birth, address and ID photos go to Mamlaka and are not kept by the exchange. The card number and CVV are never shown or stored. Drivers get them from Mamlaka.