Digital payments in Pakistan continued to expand rapidly, with mobile phones emerging as the dominant channel, according to the State Bank of Pakistan’s Quarterly Report on Payment Systems. During the financial year 2024–25, the country processed 2.5 billion digital transactions with a total value exceeding Rs. 55 trillion.
Mobile app–based payments accounted for the bulk of this activity, with around 2.0 billion transactions carried out through apps offered by banks, branchless banking providers, and electronic money institutions. These transactions represented 81 percent of all digital payments and were valued at Rs. 33.7 trillion. Mobile platforms were widely used for person-to-person transfers, bill payments, and merchant transactions across both online and physical retail channels.
Internet banking usage also continued to grow steadily, supported by rising digital adoption. Payment card usage expanded as well, with cards in circulation reaching 61.3 million, of which 90 percent were debit cards and 4 percent credit cards.
The Raast Instant Payment System maintained strong momentum. Person-to-person transactions increased to 535 million, marking a 31 percent rise, with a total value of Rs. 11.3 trillion. Person-to-merchant transactions more than doubled to 4.3 million, valued at Rs. 17.0 billion. Overall, Raast processed 544 million transactions worth Rs. 12.8 trillion during the period.
Card-based payments through point-of-sale terminals and e-commerce platforms averaged 1.5 million transactions per day. Meanwhile, Pakistan’s network of 20,527 ATMs processed 267 million transactions amounting to Rs. 4.5 trillion, with each ATM handling an average of 142 transactions daily.
Physical banking infrastructure continued to play a supporting role in the payment ecosystem. Across the country, 19,852 bank branches and more than 756,000 branchless banking agents provided over-the-counter services such as cash deposits, withdrawals, fund transfers, and bill payments, complementing the rapid shift toward digital channels.
