Key takeaways
- MTN merchants accept payments for goods and services, while agents handle broader financial transactions.
- MTN merchants operate within businesses, while agents are often smaller, community-based operators.
- MTN agents have defined transaction limits, but merchants have varied transaction limits.
MTN Mobile Money has significantly improved financial transactions, providing convenient and accessible services. In this article, we’ll go over the two key roles in the mobile money ecosystem, their distinct roles and operational scope, and highlight how they support MTN’s operations.
MTN merchant vs agent: Overview
Here’s a comparison table highlighting the key differences between an MTN MoMo agent and a merchant:
| MTN merchant | MTN agent | |
| Primary role | Accept payment for goods only | Assist with withdrawals and deposit cash |
| Commission | Gets no commission | Gets cash-out commission |
| Registration | Cannot register MTN mobile money sim cards | Can register MTN mobile money sim cards |
| Business size | For businesses with multiple transaction points | Often smaller, community-based operators |
| Service scope | Cannot assist with mobile money account management | Can assist with mobile money account management |
| SIM card usage | Cannot use the SIM for calls | Can use SIM for calls |
MTN merchant and agents: Detailed comparison
MTN MoMo (Mobile Money) agents and merchants serve different functions and have unique characteristics. Here’s a detailed comparison of the two roles.
Role and service offerings
MTN merchants are authorised to use MTN’s mobile money services to accept payments, provide goods and services, and facilitate point-of-sale (POS) transactions, where they handle payments directly from customers at purchase. They enable e-commerce and in-store purchases using MTN MoMo but do not assist with cash transactions.
On the other hand, MTN agents offer a broader range of MTN Mobile Money services. They handle cash deposits, withdrawals, registrations, balance inquiries, account management, and transactions.
Operational scope
MTN merchants operate within larger businesses with multiple branches to streamline payment transactions. In contrast, MTN agents are often small, community-based operators that provide convenient, local access to cash transactions and mobile money services within their communities.
Transaction limit
MTN agents have defined transaction limits based on their account tier. Here’s a detailed breakdown:
| Account type | Wallet limit | Daily limit | Monthly limit |
| Tier 1 | 1,000,000 | 200,000 | 700,000 |
| Tier 2 | 10,000,000 | 1,000,000 | 10,000,000 |
| Tier 3 | 30,000,000 | Unlimited | 30,000,000 |
| Tier 4 | Unlimited | Unlimited | Unlimited |
Similarly, MTN merchants have different transaction limits that vary per user. We recommend contacting MTN customer service with your merchant number and business name to learn more about the transaction limits specific to your account.
Registration requirement
To register as an MTN mobile money merchant, you need a business certificate, a letter of application, and a National Identification card. Additional requirements for MTN mobile money agents include a secured shop or kiosk and the necessary identification and business documents.
Revenue and commission
MTN merchants do not earn commissions from transactions. In contrast, MTN agents earn commissions on cash-out transactions and generate revenue when customers use MTN Mobile Money to buy airtime, data, and more.
Here’s the cash-out commission structure for MTN mobile money agents:
| Amount (GHS) | Commission |
| Below 50 | GHS 0.20 |
| 50-2000 | 0.4% |
| Above 2000 | GHS 8 |
Which SIM option should you choose?
Choosing between an MTN merchant and agent SIM card depends on the intended use. If you want to accept payments and process transactions for a business, get the MTN merchant SIM card.
However, if you want to use MTN MoMo as a source of income through the various MTN MoMo services such as cash-ins, cash-outs, and credit top-ups, get the MTN agent SIM card.
FAQs
What is an MTN merchant profile?
MTN merchant profiles are the five tiers of MoMo merchants based on business type and document requirements. The tiers are Nano, Bronze MSIM, Silver, Gold, and Platinum Profiles, in order of increasing business complexity and size.
What is the difference between Momo Pay and a merchant account?
Momo Pay is a mobile money service that allows customers to use funds from their MoMo wallet to make payments directly to merchants using the merchant’s code. Merchant accounts accept payments from mobile money.
Conclusion
To summarise, merchants accept payments for goods and services, while agents facilitate financial transactions like cash-in and cash-outs.
Understanding their unique roles, benefits, and registration requirements should help you make an informed decision. If you have any questions, share them with us in the comment section.
