bKash Merchant vs Personal Retail Account for Online Shops
No trade licence? See how a bKash Personal Retail Account differs from a Merchant account, the documents each needs, and how to take bKash on your store.
If you sell on Facebook or WhatsApp, you have probably asked customers to "send money" to your personal bKash number. It works, until you need to match fifty screenshots to fifty orders, or a customer swears they paid and you cannot find it.
bKash has two business accounts built for this: the Personal Retail Account (PRA) and the Merchant Account. They need different documents, and they do different jobs. This guide explains which one fits your shop, what each needs, and how bKash payment fits on your own store's checkout.
We quote only what bKash publishes on its own pages, checked on 20 October 2026. Limits and charges change, so confirm on bKash's site before you apply.
The short answer
- No trade licence yet? bKash's own Online Business page says: "If you don't have a trade license, you may open a bKash Personal Retail Account." (bKash, Online Business)
- Have a trade licence? Apply for a bKash Merchant Account. bKash's merchant form asks for your trade licence expiry date. (bKash, Merchant)
- Want a "Pay with bKash" button on your website? That is the bKash payment gateway (Checkout). Ask bKash which account type they will issue gateway credentials for in your case.
- Keep cash on delivery on either way. Most first-time buyers still want it.
Personal account, Personal Retail Account and Merchant Account
| Personal bKash | Personal Retail Account (PRA) | Merchant Account | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Built for | Individuals | Micro and small retail and f-commerce businesses | Registered businesses |
| Trade licence | No | No | Yes (bKash's form asks for it) |
| How customers pay you | Send Money | QR, bKash Payment Gateway, or typing your PRA number (per bKash) | Merchant QR, counter payment, merchant app (per bKash) |
| Business tools | None | bKash Merchant App, statements | Merchant App, transaction history |
| Can use the same SIM as your personal bKash | Yes | No, needs a new number | Ask bKash |
Sources: bKash PRA page and bKash Merchant page, checked 2026-10-20.
Why not just use your personal bKash?
A personal wallet is meant for personal use. Business money mixed with family transfers makes it hard to see what your shop earned. There is also no business statement, and nothing on your website knows when a payment arrives. A business account, PRA or Merchant, gives you a separate number, a statement and a merchant app.
The Personal Retail Account (PRA)
bKash describes PRA as "a new type of business account by which micro and small businesses operating in retail and f-commerce segment can collect bKash payment easily from bKash customers against goods and services." That includes Facebook sellers.
What you need for a PRA
From bKash's PRA page:
- Your National ID card (NID).
- A mobile number registered against your NID that has never had a bKash account.
- Proof that you own that SIM. bKash says to dial
*16001#, enter the last four digits of your NID, and take a screenshot of the SMS that lists the numbers registered to your NID. - The nominee's NID, if applicable.
bKash also notes that you get "Proof of Profession" from your nearest Mayor, Ward Commissioner or Union Council office.
Rules that catch people out
- You cannot convert your existing personal bKash into a PRA. You need a fresh number.
- You can use the same NID as your personal bKash account.
- If your NID is already linked to a bKash Agent, Merchant or other business account, you cannot open a PRA with it.
- You do not need to visit a customer care centre. Self-registration is at account.bkash.com, and help is on 16247.
PRA limits
bKash publishes these limits for PRA (in taka, checked 2026-10-20):
| Transaction | Per transaction | Daily | Monthly |
|---|---|---|---|
| Payment receive | 30,000 | 30,000 | 500,000 |
| Send money to customers | 10,000 | 10,000 | 100,000 |
| Maximum balance at any time | 500,000 |
So if a single order is above Tk 30,000, or you take more than Tk 30,000 in a day, PRA is not enough. Plan for a Merchant Account as you grow.
bKash's page also lists cash-out and transfer charges and a promotional offer "until further notice". We are not repeating them here because they change. Check the PRA page for today's numbers.
The bKash Merchant Account
A Merchant Account is the standard business account. bKash says it gives you the bKash Merchant App, Merchant QR, counter payment, 24/7 payment collection and transaction history. You apply through the form on the Merchant page, and bKash contacts you.
What you will usually be asked for
bKash's public form asks for your trade licence expiry date. It does not publish a full document list. Guides from Bangladeshi web companies commonly mention a valid trade licence, the owner's NID and photo, a TIN certificate, a bank account and a business address. Treat that as a checklist to prepare, not an official list, and ask your bKash contact what they need now.
One practical tip: use the same business name and spelling on your trade licence, bank account, bKash application and website footer. Mismatches slow approval.
If you need a trade licence first, it is issued by your City Corporation, Municipality or Union Parishad. The Bangladesh Trade Portal lists the documents and fee range.
bKash on your own website: the payment gateway
Taking bKash on a website is a separate product: the bKash payment gateway, also called Checkout. When a customer chooses bKash, your store sends the amount to bKash. The customer enters their wallet number, a one-time code and their PIN on bKash's own secure page, and your store is told the payment went through. No screenshots. (bKash developer docs)
To connect it, bKash issues API credentials (an app key, app secret, username and password), usually sandbox credentials for testing first and live ones after.
Which account can get gateway credentials? bKash's PRA page says customers can pay a PRA "via bKash Payment Gateway". bKash's official WooCommerce plugin, though, says "you need to be a bKash merchant first". If you are on PRA, ask bKash on 16247 whether they will issue gateway credentials for your account before you plan your checkout around it.
No gateway yet? Payment links
bKash also offers a Business Dashboard at business.bkash.com where, according to a Prothom Alo report, merchant and PRA holders can create payment links to send over Messenger, WhatsApp or SMS. It is a useful step between "send money to my number" and a full checkout.
Taking bKash on a StoreOS store
StoreOS has a bKash plugin. Once bKash gives you gateway credentials, you paste them into the plugin settings. You can keep sandbox and live credentials side by side and choose which mode is active, so you can test with fake money first. StoreOS also has an SSLCommerz plugin if you want cards and several wallets through one gateway.
Plans, from storeos.dev/pricing:
- Free (Tk 0): website builder, order dashboard and cash on delivery. Online payment is not included.
- Silver (Tk 499 a month): adds guest checkout and online payment, so the bKash and SSLCommerz plugins can take payments. It also adds Pathao and Steadfast booking, a custom domain and customer SMS OTP.
- Pro (Tk 1,190 a month): the same, with unlimited products.
A sensible order for most sellers:
- Start on Free with cash on delivery while you build the catalog.
- Open a PRA (or a Merchant Account if you have a trade licence).
- Ask bKash for gateway credentials. Use payment links while you wait.
- Move to Silver, add the bKash plugin, test in sandbox, then switch to live.
- Keep COD on alongside bKash.
Before you go live
- Place a test order in sandbox, then one small real order.
- Test a failed and a cancelled payment, and check the order status in your dashboard.
- Each week, match paid orders in your dashboard against your bKash statement.
- Tell customers bKash is optional. Offering bKash and COD together keeps conversion up.
For the wider picture of COD, bKash, SSLCommerz and cards, read payment gateways in Bangladesh for an online store.
FAQ
Can I open a bKash merchant account without a trade licence?
bKash's Online Business page says that without a trade licence you may open a Personal Retail Account instead. The standard Merchant Account form asks for a trade licence.
What documents do I need for a bKash Personal Retail Account?
According to bKash: your NID, a mobile number registered to your NID that has never had a bKash account, proof of SIM ownership (a screenshot from *16001#), and a nominee's NID if applicable. bKash says proof of profession comes from your Mayor, Ward Commissioner or Union Council office.
Can I change my personal bKash into a Personal Retail Account?
No. bKash says a personal account cannot be transferred into a PRA. You need a new number, though you can use the same NID.
What is the PRA receiving limit?
bKash lists Tk 30,000 per transaction and per day, and Tk 500,000 per month, for payments received (checked 20 October 2026).
Can I take bKash on my website with a PRA?
bKash's PRA page says customers can pay a PRA via the bKash Payment Gateway, but gateway credentials are issued by bKash. Ask bKash on 16247 whether your account qualifies before you plan your checkout.
Ready when your bKash account is. Build your catalog on StoreOS for free with cash on delivery, then add bKash checkout on Silver. Create your store.
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