telebirr is a mobile-money service used in Ethiopia, where registered users hold and receive funds in Ethiopian birr (ETB). If telebirr is offered as a payout method for your transfer in Coinepay, you can send money from abroad to a recipient’s registered wallet. Before you begin, ask the recipient to confirm their wallet details exactly as registered; a mistake can be difficult to correct after payment.
What you need before sending
Ask the recipient for their telebirr-registered mobile number and full name exactly as registered with telebirr. If the Coinepay transfer form offers an account ID field instead of a phone-number field, ask the recipient to confirm the identifier the form requests. Follow the format and instructions displayed in the app rather than guessing how to enter the number.
Confirm that the recipient has an active telebirr wallet associated with those details. This matters because receiving money in a wallet is different from receiving a cash-collection voucher. Ethio telecom describes vouchers for certain transfers to people who are not registered for telebirr, but you should not assume an international wallet payout will turn into a voucher. If the recipient does not have a registered wallet, check which other payout methods Coinepay offers for Ethiopia before sending.
You will also need access to your Coinepay account. Transfers are subject to identity verification, sanctions screening and local regulations. Coinepay may request documents about the purpose of a transfer or the source of funds. Use your real identity and accurate recipient information, and make sure the intended recipient can receive the payment under applicable requirements.
How to send to a telebirr wallet with Coinepay
- Start a transfer. Sign in to the Coinepay mobile app or self-service dashboard and begin a new Global Remittance transfer. If you are new to Coinepay, register and complete any identity-verification steps requested before sending.
- Choose the destination. Select Ethiopia as the destination and enter the amount you want to send or the amount the recipient should receive, according to the options shown. The recipient’s telebirr wallet receives funds in ETB; check the displayed recipient amount rather than assuming it matches the amount you pay in your sending currency.
- Select the payout method. Choose the mobile-wallet option and select telebirr if it appears. Coinepay also supports bank deposits and cash pickup, but those are different ways to receive money. Do not select one of them if your goal is a credit to the recipient’s telebirr wallet. If telebirr is not listed, contact Coinepay support or choose an available method the recipient can use.
- Enter and check the recipient details. Supply the registered phone number or account ID requested by the form, along with the recipient’s full name exactly as registered. Compare each character with details supplied directly by the recipient. If the form displays a recipient name for confirmation, stop if it does not match.
- Review before confirming. Check the destination, payout method, recipient details and ETB amount. Coinepay shows the exchange rate and fees before you confirm. Read the estimated arrival time shown for this transfer as well; it depends on the destination country and payout method. If anything looks wrong, go back and correct it rather than confirming to see what happens.
- Confirm and track. Submit the transfer only after the details are correct. Keep the transfer reference and follow its status in the Coinepay app or dashboard. Do not send a second transfer merely because the first has not yet reached its final status.
How the recipient sees the money arrive
Once the wallet payout is completed, the recipient should check their telebirr balance and transaction history in the telebirr app. Ethio telecom also describes SMS notifications for completed transfers to registered telebirr users. An SMS can help the recipient identify a credit, but they should verify it against their wallet activity rather than relying on a forwarded message or screenshot.
Sending into Ethiopia from abroad is not the same as using telebirr’s domestic Send Money function. Within telebirr, a user can send money through the app or by dialing *127#, then confirm with their PIN. Those are instructions for a telebirr user initiating a transfer, not steps an overseas sender needs to perform in Coinepay. The recipient should never share their telebirr PIN or one-time passcode with you or anyone claiming it is needed to release an incoming payment.
Recipient verification and wallet limits
A telebirr wallet’s verification level can affect how much it is permitted to hold and transact. Ethiopian payment rules distinguish lower-verification Level 1 accounts from Level 2 accounts, with different balance and transaction ceilings. Even if the amount you intend to send is otherwise permitted, the recipient’s current wallet balance or transactions that day may leave too little room for another credit. Requirements and applicable limits can change, so the recipient should check their account status and current telebirr guidance before you confirm a transfer.
If the recipient has not completed the verification required for the wallet or its intended use, ask them to resolve that directly through telebirr’s official channels. Do not try a different person’s wallet, change the recipient’s name to force a match, or divide a payment to get around a limit or review. If a wallet cannot receive the payment, check whether a bank deposit or cash-pickup option shown in Coinepay is suitable for the actual recipient.
Troubleshooting a telebirr transfer
Wrong phone number or account ID
If you notice an error before confirmation, edit the details. If you have already confirmed, check the transfer status and contact Coinepay support promptly with the transfer reference and the details you entered. Do not assume a completed transfer can be recalled. Ethio telecom’s guidance for its own transfers also treats completed payments as generally final, with reversal possible only in certain circumstances. Avoid contacting an unintended recipient yourself to request sensitive account information.
Name mismatch
Ask the intended recipient to check the spelling and order of their name as recorded with telebirr. A nickname, shortened name or someone else’s account details may cause the payout to fail or require review. Correct the record through the appropriate service rather than entering a different name to bypass the mismatch.
Wallet limit reached or wallet not verified
Ask the recipient to check their telebirr balance, account status and current limits. They may need to complete an applicable verification step with telebirr before receiving a wallet payment. If Coinepay reports that the payout cannot proceed, follow the status and support instructions for that transfer; do not assume the funds were credited.
Transfer pending or under compliance review
Follow the status in Coinepay. If additional information is requested, submit genuine documents through the instructed channel, such as information about the payment’s purpose or source of funds. Transfers are subject to identity checks, sanctions screening and local regulations. If the status is unclear, give Coinepay support the transfer reference. For a wallet credit that Coinepay marks complete but the recipient cannot locate, ask the recipient to check their telebirr transaction history and contact telebirr support at 127 with the relevant transaction details. Neither party should share a PIN or one-time passcode.
Coinepay transfers can arrive in as little as 10 minutes, but the actual delivery time depends on the payout method and destination country. Use the estimate shown in the app before confirmation and the transfer status afterward as your guides.
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FAQ
What details do I need to send money to a telebirr wallet?
Get the recipient’s telebirr-registered phone number and full name exactly as registered. If the Coinepay form requests an account ID, confirm that identifier with the recipient and follow the form’s instructions.
What currency does a telebirr recipient receive?
telebirr is used in Ethiopia, and a wallet credit is received in Ethiopian birr (ETB). Review the recipient amount, exchange rate and fees in Coinepay before confirming.
Can I send to someone who has not registered for telebirr?
Do not assume a telebirr wallet payout will credit an unregistered person or become a cash voucher. Choose a payout method available in Coinepay that the intended recipient can use.
What should I do if I entered the wrong telebirr number?
Correct it before confirming if possible. Otherwise, check the transfer status and contact Coinepay support promptly with your transfer reference; a completed payment may not be reversible.
Why can’t the recipient receive the wallet payment?
The registered details may not match, the wallet may need verification, or its balance or transaction limits may prevent a credit. Check the transfer status and ask the recipient to review their telebirr account.
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