What you need to know

  • Why use PayShap Request?

    PayShap Request makes it easy to request payments securely and instantly. Whether you’re splitting a bill, collecting a payment, or requesting funds from friends, family, or customers — it’s quick, seamless, and all done within your Absa Banking App.

     

    Terms and Conditions (English)
    Terms and Conditions (Afrikaans)

  • Benefits

    Instant payments: Receive money in real time. Once your payment request recipient approves your request, funds will reflect in seconds


    Simple and convenient: Request payments using a cellphone number or account details. No need to share your banking details or account numbers


    Safe and secure: Enjoy peace of mind with bank-grade security via your trusted Absa Banking App
Transparent and controlled: Both payer and recipient can view and confirm all payment details before completion, ensuring accuracy and trust

    Perfect for everyday use: Ideal for splitting bills, requesting repayments, collecting small business payments, or managing group contributions


    Available across banks: Send and receive PayShap Requests to and from customers of other participating banks.

  • What you need to know

    • Requests to other banks: Up to R50 000 per transaction 

    • Absa to Absa using ShapID: Up to R3 000 per transaction

    • Availability: PayShap Request is available via your Absa banking apps

    • Instant settlement: Once the payer approves your request, the payment is processed instantly — no waiting time

    • Secure and trusted: All requests and payments are processed within the bank’s secure digital environment

    • Ease of use: You only need the recipient’s cellphone number or ShapID — no bank details required

    • Control over payments: The payer can review, approve, or decline a request before any money is sent

    • Notifications: Both the requester and the payer receive instant confirmation once the transaction is complete.

  • How to send a request

    1. Log in to your Absa Banking App

    2. Tap Pay

    3. Tap Payment Requests/PayShap Requests

    4. Tap Send a payment request

    5. Select How you want to make a request
     
      • Option 1: Payer's number/ShapID
     
      • Option 2: Payer's account details

    6. Complete all the necessary information
    7. You have successfully sent your PayShap Request!

  • How to approve a request

    1. Log in to your Absa Banking App

    2. Tap Pay

    3. Tap Payment Requests/PayShap Requests

    4. Tap Received requests and review all details

    5. Tap Make payment or Decline the request


Frequently asked questions

  • General information

    What is PayShap Request?
    A PayShap Request is a feature that allows you to request and receive payments from Absa clients and other participating banks.

    • Requests are sent and processed in real-time.

    • Once the payer approves the request, the funds are immediately transferred to your account.

    • To send a request, you’ll need the payer’s bank account details or ShapID.

    • You can send a PayShap request to an Absa or other participating bank clients using the payer’s bank account details or ShapID

    What is the difference between On-Us and Off-Us requests?

    • On-Us:  Requests sent between Absa customers.
    • Off-Us: PayShap Requests sent to customers at other banks.

  • Security and tracking

    Is PayShap Request secure?

    • Yes. PayShap Request is secure.

      It uses secured digital platforms and application systems to protect your personal and payment information.

    Is there a history or audit trail of requests?

    • Yes. You can view all sent and received requests from the last 2 months in the app under ‘PayShap Requests’.

  • Limits and restrictions

    How many PayShap requests can I send per day?

    • You can send an unlimited number of PayShap requests daily.
    • However, you may only send up to 5 requests per day to the same recipient.

    How many PayShap requests can I receive per day?

    • There is no limit to the total number of requests you can receive.
    • You can receive up to 5 requests per day from the same sender.

    What are the transaction limits for PayShap Requests?

    • On-Us Requests  (using account number): Up to R5 million.
    • On-Us Requests (using ShapID) Up to R3,000.00
    • Off-Us Requests (PayShap): Up to R50,000.00, depending on the participating bank’s PayShap Request limit.

     

     

  • Payment rules and scenarios

    Am I obligated to pay a received request?

    • No. You have the choice either to accept or decline the request.
    • Absa-sent requests expire after 45 days.

    Can a recipient partially pay a request?

    • By default, the full requested amount must be paid.
    • However, if the sender has enabled the Amount Modification Indicator (AMI), the recipient will have the option to pay a reduced or partial amount.

    Can I send a PayShap request to someone overseas?

    • No. PayShap Request and PayShap services are only available for domestic transactions within South Africa.

     

     

  • Exceptions and issues

    What happens if I don’t act on a PayShap request?

    • If a PayShap request is not accepted, declined, or cancelled, it will automatically expire on the set expiry date. 

    What happens if the payer has insufficient funds?

    • If the payer’s account does not have sufficient funds at the time of approval, the system will alert them that there are not enough funds in the selected account to complete the payment.

    What should I do if a request I sent isn’t received?

    • First, confirm the payer’s account or ShapID was entered correctly.
    • Check the ‘Sent Requests’ section to ensure it is sent.
    • If it is still unresolved, contact Absa support for assistance.
     
    What happens if the Absa recipient doesn’t have a digital profile?
    • If the Absa recipient is not digitally registered, the request will be rejected, and the sender will be notified of the rejection.

     

     

     

Need more help?

For more information visit our Self servicing tools

Contact us:

Call us on: 0860 151 151

International: +27 (0) 11 335 4019

Email us at: forex@absa.co.za