What Are ShapIDs and Request to Pay?

Two features set PayShap apart from older bank transfer rails: proxy payments using a ShapID, and Request to Pay. Together they remove the two biggest points of friction in bank transfers — needing the recipient's full account details, and waiting for the payer to remember to pay.

Both features run on PayShap's instant rails, so payments clear in seconds, around the clock, and are final once processed.

What is a ShapID?

A ShapID is a proxy — an easy-to-share identifier that stands in for a bank account. It is typically a cellphone number, registered with your bank and linked to one of your accounts. When someone pays your ShapID, their bank looks up the linked account behind the scenes and delivers the payment there.

Key points about ShapIDs:

• You register a ShapID through your own bank's app or channels.
• A ShapID links to one account at a time; you can move it to a different account or bank if you switch.
• The payer never sees your account number, which reduces the risk of your details being harvested or misused.
• Banks typically display the registered account holder's name to the payer before the payment is confirmed, giving a valuable check that you are paying the right person.

Why are proxy payments useful?

Paying a proxy instead of an account number solves practical problems:

• No account details needed: you can pay someone knowing only their cellphone number.
• Fewer capture errors: a familiar phone number is harder to mistype than an 11-digit account number, and the name check catches most mistakes.
• Privacy: account numbers stay private, which matters for informal traders, landlords and anyone sharing payment details publicly.

Proxy payments do not remove the need for care entirely — PayShap payments are final and irrevocable, so always confirm the displayed name before approving.

What is Request to Pay?

Request to Pay (RTP) was added to PayShap after its March 2023 launch. It reverses the direction of the conversation: instead of waiting for the payer to capture a payment, the payee sends a payment request and the payer simply approves or declines it in their banking app.

A typical Request to Pay flow:

1. The payee (a business or individual) sends a request specifying the amount and a reference, addressed to the payer's ShapID or account.
2. The payer receives the request in their banking app.
3. The payer reviews the details and approves or declines.
4. On approval, an instant PayShap payment is made and both parties get confirmation in seconds.

The payer stays in control throughout — nothing leaves their account without an explicit approval. This is what distinguishes Request to Pay from a debit order, where a standing mandate lets the business pull funds without per-transaction approval.

How can businesses use Request to Pay?

Request to Pay suits situations where a business wants payment now but a card machine or checkout is impractical:

• Requesting payment for an invoice, quote or booking deposit.
• Collecting from customers who prefer bank transfers but forget to pay.
• On-the-spot payments for deliveries, trades and services.
• Replacing "please send proof of payment" with a confirmed, instant credit — removing the POP fraud risk entirely.

Because the payment is confirmed and irrevocable within seconds, a business can release goods or services immediately, which batch EFT never allowed. Kwik offers PayShap as part of its payment toolkit for South African businesses.

Tips

• Register your cellphone number as a ShapID so customers and friends can pay you effortlessly.
• Always check the account holder name displayed before approving a payment or a request.
• Treat unexpected payment requests with suspicion — decline anything you were not expecting.
• Use a clear reference on every request so reconciliation stays simple.

Back to the Bank Transfers, Payouts and PayShap hub.