Following up on the USSD codes we think every South African should know we thought to take it a step further and show you how easy it is to bank using USSD in South Africa and what South African banks are offering us via the USSD Platform

Man holding bank card

Standard Bank USSD codes

Dial: *120*2345#
  • For access to General Banking, Instant-Money, Apply for a Personal Loan Offering or find an AccessPoint locator.
Dial: *130*2345#
  • For access to Quick Prepaid Top-Up service

Additional benefits

  • Create Instant Money Voucher
  • Purchase Prepaid
  • Pay Your Bills
  • Transfer Between Accounts
  • View Account Balances
  • Available 24/7
  • Usable on any cellphone
  • Low network charges
  • No monthly subscription fee
  • Plus, if you initiate 3 transactions a month, you will earn 50 rewards points monthly, provided that you are registered for UCount Rewards

Source : Standard Bank

First National Bank (FNB) USSD codes

Dial *120*321#
  • Check balances on one or all of your accounts
  • Pay your Traffic fine
  • Buy LOTTO
  • Buy PowerBall
  • Send money using the eWallet
  • Get a mini statement
  • Transfer money between your own FNB accounts
  • Pay any account or anyone else
  • Receive real-time confirmation of financial transactions (inContact)
  • Maintain your Cellphone Banking details
Dial *130*321# or *130*277# (eWallet)
  • For Airtime

Additional benefits

  • Get up to 15% back on your airtime or bundles purchases

Source: FNB

Capitec USSD codes

Dial *120*3279#
  • Buy airtime
  • Buy electricity
  • View account balances
  • View last electricity token purchased
  • Do credit facility transfers
  • Pay Capitec Bank clients (with a verified cellphone number)
  • Transfer money between your accounts
  • Register for SMS Update for added security
Dial *130*3279#
  • Free of charge to top up your cellphone

Source: Capitec

ABSA bank USSD codes

Dial: *120*2272#
  • Check your account balances
  • Apply for an Absa Personal Loan
  • Top up your contactless card wallet
  • View and redeem your Absa Rewards
  • Send Money using CashSend
  • Buy PrePaid Electricity
  • Buy PrePaid airtime, data and SMS bundles
  • Get account mini-statements

Additional benefits

  • USSD Banking is easy and quick to use.
  • USSD Banking will work on any handset type, even feature phones. You do not need a smartphone to use USSD Banking.
  • You do not need data services to use USSD banking.
  • No downloads or Apps required.

Source: ABSA

Nedbank USSD codes

Dial *120*001#
  • Purchase airtime
  • Check your bank balance
  • Pay beneficiaries
  • Transfer funds
  • Purchase pre-paid electricity
  • Play lotto
  • Pay tax

Source: Nedbank

Now that you're well acquainted with USSD banking will you use it regularly or do you prefer the Smartphone app? Have you used USSD banking? Tell us about it in the comments section below.