---
title: Send a payout
description: Send money from your disbursement account to a MoMo wallet. Needs the payout permission.
api: POST /payouts
---

Checks the project's limits and the recipient's wallet, looks up the owner's name, then creates a `pending` payout. See [Send payouts](/docs/guides/payouts).

Retrying with the same `external_reference` returns the original payout and never pays twice.

- **`external_reference`** · body · `string` · required

  Your unique reference for this payout, within the project.

- **`provider`** · body · `string` · required · default `momo`

  Provider to pay through. Must be enabled for the project, with its disbursement account connected.

- **`amount`** · body · `number` · required

  Amount in major units. Greater than 0, and within the project's payout limits.

- **`currency`** · body · `string` · required · default `SZL`

  ISO 4217 code of your provider environment.

- **`phone_number`** · body · `string` · required

  The recipient's MoMo number.

- **`description`** · body · `string`

  Shown in both parties' transaction history. Up to 160 characters.

- **`method`** · body · `string`

  `transfer` or `deposit`. Defaults to the method configured for your account.

- **`metadata`** · body · `object`

  Your own data.

## Response

A [transaction](/docs/concepts/transactions#the-transaction-object) with `type: payout`, `status: pending` and, when MTN returned it, `party_name`.

```json 200
{
  "success": true,
  "message": "payout initiated",
  "data": {
    "external_reference": "commission-2026-10-sipho",
    "type": "payout",
    "direction": "out",
    "provider_id": "momo",
    "provider_ref": "0c9b4f1e-2d3a-4b5c-8d7e-1f2a3b4c5d6e",
    "amount": 250,
    "currency": "SZL",
    "status": "pending",
    "payee_phone": "26878123456",
    "party_name": "Sipho Dlamini",
    "description": "October commission",
    "metadata": {},
    "created_at": 1760774400,
    "updated_at": 1760774400
  }
}
```

```json 400
{ "success": false, "message": "amount exceeds this project's maximum payout of 200.00", "data": null }
```

Other `400` messages: `payout exceeds this project's daily payout limit of …`, `phone_number is not registered for mobile money, or the account is not active`, and `the momo disbursement account is not connected, so payouts and refunds are unavailable`.