Akahu is New Zealand’s open finance platform that connects New Zealand banks to trusted services like PaySauce, making it easy to link your bank account. You won’t need to fill in any paper forms, making it really easy to get started. Westpac really liked what they are doing - so much so, they invested $1.4m into them!
Using Akahu
When you connect your bank account through Akahu, they create a secure access token and immediately delete your login credentials. When you approve a pay run in PaySauce, we send the payment instruction to Akahu, who uses this token to initiate the payment from your connected bank account. The token is stored securely and cannot be used to recreate your original credentials.
You don't need to reconnect each time you run a pay - the connection is ongoing and can be managed in your integration settings within PaySauce or at My Akahu.
PaySauce only collects and stores your bank account number. For details about data privacy, see PaySauce's Privacy Policy and Akahu's Privacy Policy.
The same Akahu account can be used to integrate with multiple PaySauce sites when using the same bank account. However, if you need to pay from different bank accounts, you'll need to create a separate Akahu account for each company. Akahu lets you set up multiple accounts, but each one requires a unique email address.
Funds are deducted on the day you close your pay, even if your pay is dated in advance. For example, if you close your pay on Wednesday ready for it to be banked on Friday, funds will be deducted on Wednesday.
Setting up Akahu
If you bank with ANZ, ASB, Westpac or BNZ we recommend you use the direct payment option covered here: Using direct payments. When you use a direct payment integration, there are no transaction limits and funds will be deducted on pay day.
Requirements to use Akahu
You need to bank with ANZ, ASB, Heartland, Kiwibank, Rabobank, TSB, The Co-operative Bank, or Westpac.
You must have your bank’s mobile app installed and be able to access the account you want to connect, as Akahu operates through your bank’s mobile connections.
Your account must be single-signatory.
Your account must have adequate transaction and daily limits for your payroll (Note: mobile transaction limits often differ from online banking limits). If you want to find out more about your transaction and daily limits, you’ll need to contact your bank or review the bank specific information below.
Bank specific information and requirements
ANZ
ANZ
Access: to use Akahu, make sure you have access to the bank account via the ANZ goMoney mobile app
You will need: email address you have access to and the ANZ account credentials
When making payments via Akahu from your ANZ account, there is a single payment limit of $10,000
ASB
ASB
To use Akahu with an ASB account, make sure you have access to the bank account via ASB Mobile Banking app
You will need: email address you have access to and the ASB account credentials
Payments via Akahu from an ASB account have a daily payment limit
Note: ASB has a personal mobile app and a business mobile app. If you would like to connect a business account to Akahu, you'll need to be able to access your business account via the personal mobile app. If you can't see your business account when you open your personal app, please call ASB and ask it to be connected.
BNZ
BNZ
To use a BNZ account with Akahu, make sure you have access to the bank account via the BNZ Mobile app.
You will need: an email address you have access to and the BNZ account credentials including your access number (which can be found in BNZ's mobile app if you tap on "Settings", and then "Your details"), password and Netguard card, or access to one-time codes that will be sent to your registered mobile device and email address
Payments via Akahu from a BNZ account have a single payment limit of $50,000.
Heartland Bank
Heartland Bank
To access Akahu, make sure you have access to the bank account via the Heartland Mobile app.
You will need: email address you have access to and your Heartland account user ID and password.
There is a daily payment limit of $5,000 on outbound payments from Heartland YouChoose accounts.
KiwiBank
KiwiBank
To access Akahu with a Kiwibank account, make sure you have access to the bank account via the Kiwibank Mobile Banking app.
You will need: email address you have access to and your Kiwibank account access number and password. Be ready with response to two of your Keepsafe questions.
Rabobank
Rabobank
To access Akahu, make sure you have set up and access to the Rabobank Business Mobile Banking App (you can read more information from Rabobank here)
The pin you enter must be the 6 digit pin used to unlock the Rabobank mobile app
It can only be used with a Rabobank Agri Services account, not Online Savings account
Rabobank accounts have a daily payment limit of $25,000 enforced (you can request an increase via the secure messaging service in your Internet Banking)
The Co-operative Bank
The Co-operative Bank
To access Akahu, make sure you have access to the bank account via the Co-operative Bank mobile app.
You will need: email address you have access to and your Co-operative Bank account customer number and password.
TSB
TSB
To access Akahu make sure you have access to the bank account via the TSB bank mobile app
You will need: email address you have access to and your TSB account username and password
Westpac
Westpac
To access Akahu with a Westpac account, make sure you have access to the bank account via the Westpac One mobile app
You will need: email address you have access to and your Westpac Customer ID or username and password. Be ready with responses to 1 or 2 Online Guardian questions
Connecting your bank account to Akahu
To connect your bank account to PaySauce using Akahu, follow these steps:
Log into your PaySauce account
Go to Settings > Integrations > Akahu
You will be redirected to Akahu, follow the guidance on screen
Once integrated, you will be redirected back to PaySauce
Go to Accounts > Bank, click the edit pencil on the account you’d like to use and set as default
Code and Reference details can also be added but are optional
Find troubleshooting help here.
Akahu processing times
Processing times through Akahu vary depending on your bank.
When we receive your payment, we'll release the funds according to your banking disbursements report within two hours during business hours (Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm, excluding public holidays).
⚠️ If we receive your payment outside business hours, we'll release it on the next business day.
Below is a table showing how long it typically takes for payments to leave your bank. After that, it may take a few additional hours for the funds to reach our PaySauce account.
Bank | Processing hours (weekdays) | Your bank's estimated processing time |
ANZ | 9am- 10pm | Up to 30 mins. |
ASB | 9.15am - 11.30pm | Up to 60mins. If processed out of hours, it will go through the next business day. |
Heartland | Cut-off time is 7pm | All payments will be made at 7pm each business day. If made after 7pm, it will be processed the following business day at 7pm. |
KiwiBank | 9am - midnight | Up to 60 mins. If processed out of hours, it will go through the next business day. |
Rabobank | Cut-off time is 8.45pm | Payments will be processed at regular time slots throughout each business day with the last being at 8.45pm. If made after 8.45pm, on weekends or public holiday, the payment will be processed the next business day. |
SBS | 9am - 9.30pm | Up to 30 mins. If processed out of hours, it will go through the morning of the next business day. |
TSB | 9.30am - 10.55pm | Up to 60 mins. If processed out of hours, it will go through the next business day. |
The Co-operative Bank | 9am - 10.30pm | Within a couple of hours. |
Westpac | 9am - 10pm | Up to 60 mins. If processed out of hours, it will go through at 9.30am the next business day. |
Akahu error messages
If you receive an error message while processing your pay with Akahu, here are explanations of what each status code message means.
You will find the status code in the pay period info under Events. A pay may process through a number of status’ before finally being declined or successful. If declined, check the ‘What to do’ column on next steps to take to get your pay closed.
Status | Status Code | Message | What to do |
ERROR | INTERNAL_ERROR | Akahu encountered an internal error while processing the payment. | Try and close your pay again. If the problem persists, get in touch with Support. |
| BANK_ERROR | Akahu received an unexpected error response or encountered connectivity issues with the bank while processing the payment. | Try and close your pay again. If the problem persists, get in touch with Support. |
|
| The initiating bank was unable to process the payment. | Your bank may be experiencing problems. Wait a little while then try and close your pay again. |
| UNAVAILABLE | Akahu is unable to process the payment due to maintenance or updates that have impacted our integration with the initiating bank. | Try and close your pay again in 60 minutes. If the problem persists, get in touch with Support. |
DECLINED | INSUFFICIENT_FUNDS | The specified bank account does not have sufficient funds to complete the payment. | Check your account has enough money then try and close your pay again. |
| SINGLE_LIMIT_EXCEEDED | The payment amount exceeds the maximum single-payment limit that is enforced for this account by the bank. See Payment Limitations for a list of known limits for each bank. | Request a limit increase from your bank if possible. Otherwise get in touch with Support to close your pay with another payment method. |
| DAILY_LIMIT_EXCEEDED | The payment would cause the cumulative daily payment limit for this account to be exceeded. See Payment Limitations for a list of known daily limits for each bank. | You may have to wait until the next day to process this payment. Otherwise get in touch with Support to close your pay with another payment method. |
| AKAHU_LIMIT_EXCEEDED | The payment amount exceeds the maximum value allowed by Akahu. Currently this is set at $100,000 for all payments. | You will not be able to use Akahu for this payment. Get in touch with Support to close your pay with another payment method. |
| AUTHENTICATION_FAILED | Akahu was unable to complete the payment because authentication with the user's bank was unsuccessful. | Try and close your pay again. If the problem persists, visit My Akahu to manage your liked accounts - delink your bank account then relink again to Akahu. Try and close your pay again in PaySauce. |
| MFA_UNSUPPORTED | The bank required a multi-factor authorisation method that is not supported by Akahu. | You will not be able to use Akahu for this payment. Get in touch with Support to close your pay with another payment method. |
| MFA_FAILED | The bank required multi-factor authorisation for the payment, which was handled by the Manual Payment Approval process. However, the user was unable to complete the authorisation (e.g. they entered an SMS code incorrectly too many times). | Try and close your pay again. If a second approval is required, ensure you enter the code correctly. If the problem persists, get in touch with Support. |
| MULTISIG_UNSUPPORTED | The payment requires approval from multiple signatories, which is unsupported at this time. | Akahu may not be a suitable payment method for you. Get in touch with Support to change your payment settings to another payment method. |
| AFTER_HOURS | The bank rejected the payment due to their payment system being offline for out-of-hours maintenance. | Check when your bank's systems will be back online then try and close your pay again. |
| INVALID_ACCOUNT | The specified bank account can't be used to initiate payments. | You must connect a different account to continue using Akahu. Log into PaySauce then go to your company Settings > Integrations > Akahu > Click the 'x' to break the current connection then 'Connect to Akahu' again. This article has further detail on connecting. |
CANCELLED | USER_CANCELLED | The payment required approval via the Manual Payment Approval process, but approval was denied by the user. | The secondary approval email from Akahu was declined so this payment was cancelled. Close the pay again or get in touch with Support to close your pay with another payment method. |
| AKAHU_CANCELLED | The payment required approval via the Manual Payment Approval process, but no action was taken within 48 hours so it was cancelled by Akahu. | The secondary approval email from Akahu wasn't completed in time so this payment was cancelled. Close the pay again or get in touch with Support to close your pay with another payment method. |