Pakistan records 13.2b digital payments in FY26 as mobile banking surges
Total retail payment transactions increased 58% to 14.3 billion during the fiscal year.
The SBP’s annual Payment Systems Review, covering the fiscal year ended June 30, 2026, showed that the total value of retail payments reached Rs673 trillion. This represented a 10% increase compared with the previous fiscal year.
Digital Payments Gain Momentum Across Pakistan
Digital payment transactions increased 65% year-on-year, rising from the previous fiscal year’s level to 13.2 billion in FY26. Their share of total retail transactions also increased from 88% to 92%, showing the growing use of electronic payment methods.
Mobile-based payments played the biggest role in this growth, with transactions exceeding 11.1 billion during the year. This marked a 79% increase compared with the previous fiscal year, highlighting the growing use of smartphones for everyday financial activities.
Internet banking also continued to expand, with transactions rising 15% to 300 million. These figures show that more people are using digital channels to transfer money and make payments instead of relying entirely on traditional methods.
More Payment Terminals Installed Across the Country
Pakistan also expanded its digital payment infrastructure to support the rising number of transactions. The number of point-of-sale (POS) terminals reached 337,791 across 295,367 merchant locations.
These terminals processed around 1.5 million card payments daily during FY26, compared with approximately one million per day in the previous fiscal year. The increase indicates that card payments are becoming more common at shops and other businesses.
The expansion of payment terminals gives customers more opportunities to pay electronically at participating businesses. However, the figures alone do not show whether these facilities are equally available in rural and urban areas.
PRISM+ Upgrade Modernises Payment Infrastructure
The SBP also highlighted the launch of PRISM+ in August 2025 as an important step towards modernising Pakistan’s financial system. The upgraded real-time gross settlement system adopted the ISO 20022 messaging standard to improve the handling and exchange of financial payment information.
The upgrade supports the modernisation of the country’s payment infrastructure and helps financial institutions process transactions through an updated system. It also reflects broader efforts to strengthen the technology supporting Pakistan’s financial services.
Online shopping payments also showed a strong preference for account-based transactions. According to the report, account-based payments accounted for 96% of e-commerce payments made through banking channels.
Millions of Users Turn to Banking Applications
Branchless banking applications had 99.1 million users during the reporting period, while mobile banking applications operated by banks recorded 30.4 million users. These figures highlight the growing role of smartphones and digital platforms in providing access to financial services.
The rising number of users suggests that digital banking is becoming an increasingly important part of daily financial activities. However, user figures do not necessarily represent unique individuals, as one person may use more than one banking service.
Pakistan’s digital payment system is expanding rapidly, with mobile transactions leading the growth. The rise in digital payments suggests that people and businesses are increasingly comfortable using electronic methods for everyday transactions.
The expansion of payment terminals and banking applications may make payments more convenient and reduce dependence on cash. However, wider access, reliable internet services, digital awareness and protection against online fraud remain important for making these services useful to more people across Pakistan.
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