How do I enable a passphrase on my Payfast account?

How do I enable a passphrase on my Payfast account?

The passphrase is an extra security feature that you can enable on your Payfast Dashboard to make your security signature (sent when a payment is made) more secure.

You may set your passphrase as a combination of up to 32 characters of your choosing.

To enable the passphrase on your account, do the following:

  1. Log in to your Payfast account.
  2. Navigate to Settings > Developer settings.
  3. Enter your Security Passphrase and click Save. Please note: Your passphrase cannot be more than 32 characters.


Once you have set your passphrase: you will need to enter it into your plugin's integration settings along with your Merchant ID and Key. It's important to check if your plugin/integration supports this feature before you set it up.


    • Related Articles

    • Is my PayFast account a bank account?

      No, your PayFast account is not a bank account. It is electronic money stored in an online stored-value account.  Any funds in your account can be moved to your bank account by clicking the Payout button on your dashboard.  If you have a high volume ...
    • How do I edit the auto-enable payment methods feature?

      As new payment methods become available, they will automatically be activated on your merchant account if you are eligible. With this feature, your buyers will be able to pay you with up-to-date payment options. You can toggle this auto-enable ...
    • How do I enable two-factor authentication (2FA)?

      Two-factor authentication is an optional (yet recommended) login security feature that requires both your password and your mobile phone to successfully log in to your PayFast account. ​ To enable two factor authentication for your PayFast account, ...
    • Can I link one PayFast account with more than one website?

      Technically you can use the same PayFast account (that is the same PayFast Merchant ID and Key) on multiple websites. However, using the same PayFast account on multiple websites doesn’t cater for a good buyer experience because the same merchant ...
    • Why is there a withdraw delay on funds in my PayFast account?

      The idea behind PayFast is to speed up ecommerce fulfilment through positive acknowledgment of funds received. There is also a reduction in admin overhead for the seller in terms of not requiring proof of payment, not doing manual reconciliation, ...