Two more global cross-border payment firms have stopped cash transfer services to and from Kenya, adding to pressure on the country’s financial sector amid heightened scrutiny over money laundering and illicit financial flows.

U.S.-based Sendwave and UK-based money transfer company Wise have suspended cash transfer services for most Kenyan users since August. Sendwave has attributed the disruption to technical difficulties.

They join crypto firm Kolan, formerly HuruPay, which has frozen its Kenya operations following AML scrutiny, while U.S. payments giant PayPal has suspended services for some Kenyan users.

The moves come as Kenya faces increased scrutiny over illicit financial flows and remains on the Financial Action Task Force’s (FATF) grey list of jurisdictions subject to increased monitoring for weaknesses in measures to combat money laundering and terrorist financing.

For payment companies, that designation typically means more intensive transaction monitoring, customer due diligence and reporting requirements. Those controls can be difficult and costly to maintain across multiple markets, especially for services that depend on fast, low-friction transfers.

That is why the Kenya suspensions matter beyond the individual firms involved: cross-border payment access is part of the infrastructure used by households, freelancers and businesses that rely on remittances or international payments. Any service disruption can force users to switch providers or channels while firms reassess compliance exposure.

The heightened checks require international payment firms to invest heavily in transaction monitoring and other compliance measures, increasing the cost and risk of operating in affected markets.

For some providers, the growing compliance burden can make suspending or exiting services preferable to risking regulatory breaches and potentially heavy penalties.