By Ross Moyo
A picture that tells the whole story, in the official InnBucks artwork, a young Zimbabwean family — father, mother and small son — sits on a couch in a warm living room, a bowl of popcorn between them, eyes locked on a TV screen just out of frame. They are smiling. They are not queuing. They are not worrying about whether the DStv will cut off mid-match. That is the promise.
For months, InnBucks customers have been asking one question: “When can I pay my DStv through InnBucks?” The wait is over.
DStv bill payments are now live on InnBucks, putting one of Zimbabwe’s most familiar household bills right at customers’ fingertips.
And the timing could not be better. With the English Premier League season in full swing and the UEFA Champions League heating up, keeping DStv active is about far more than settling a monthly bill. For millions of Zimbabwean households, it is about never missing the big game, the next episode of a favourite show, breaking news as it happens and so much more. Now, when the subscription falls due, customers can simply open InnBucks and get it sorted.
The Data Behind the Move
InnBucks is no longer just a fast-food wallet.
InnBucks MicroBank Limited is a registered Deposit Taking Microfinance Bank, licensed by the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe under the Microfinance Act [Chapter 24:29] and a member of the Deposit Protection Scheme — as stated in small print at the bottom of the artwork.
From a loyalty app for Simbisa Brands in 2022, it now has over 3 million registered users as of May 2025 and 300+ branches around the country, leveraging 500+ Simbisa outlets and now TM Pick n Pay tills nationwide as banking hubs.
Its ecosystem already includes: Econet and NetOne airtime, TelOne and Liquid Intelligent Technologies bills, ZESA tokens, ZINWA water bills, council rates, funeral cover with Nyaradzo and Doves, school fees via ZB Bank, cash-in/out, Bank Change, Wallet on POS, and Swipe & Tap via InnBucks Debit Card.
DStv is the next logical biller.
Why DStv Needs This Convenience
DStv is at a pivotal moment in Zimbabwe:
In 2019-2020, MultiChoice lost 92,000 subscribers in Zimbabwe — 41% of its base — due to hyperinflation and power cuts, falling to ∼98,000 active subscribers.
Africa’s pay-TV is growing — 43 million subscribers in 2023 to a projected 55 million by 2029 — but DStv is under pressure from Netflix, Showmax, YouTube and piracy.
Now owned by French giant Canal+, MultiChoice is resetting. From 5 November 2026, Zimbabwe gets five new packages: Starter US$9 (down from Access US$16), Select US$20, Sports US$30, Movies & Series US$32, and Ultimate US$60 (down from Premium US$75).
Crucially, the new structure unbundles sport. The Sports package at US$30 carries 17 sports channels and EVERY Premier League and Champions League match, plus cricket previously reserved for Premium. The old system forced a football fan to pay US$75 for Premium. Now US$30 is enough.
Starter at US$9 even includes SuperSport KICKOFF with selected EPL and UCL matches, plus Wethu+.
As the tagline says: “Keep the Entertainment On. Pay DStv with InnBucks.”
How to Pay
The artwork shows the simplicity: DIAL _569# or download the app — GET IT ON Google Play and Download on the App Store.
Three taps: Open InnBucks > Billers > DStv > Enter smartcard number > Pay.
No ZESA queue, no agent with extra fee, no driving to Joina City. The bank is in the till.
InnBucks CEO Baldwin Guchu has called this strategy “fulfilling a long-held dream centered on accessibility.” Turning every TM Pick n Pay and Chicken Inn till into a neighbourhood bank means a mother in Highfield can pay DStv while buying bread.
The platform began by making it easier to move money. Today, it is where people go to get things done with their money. Every new biller gives customers another reason to rely on a platform they already know and trust.
DStv is a milestone, not the destination. As the yellow corner of the poster says: “Get Inn” — get inside the ecosystem where everyday life happens.











Comments