Pakistan has recorded a major shift toward digital payments, with online channels accounting for 92% of retail payment transactions during fiscal year 2025-26. According to the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP), the development highlights the country’s accelerating move toward digital financial services.
Overall retail payments reached 14.3 billion transactions during the year, representing a 58% increase from the previous fiscal year. Meanwhile, the total value of these transactions rose 10% to approximately Rs. 673 trillion.
Digital Channels Drive Payment Growth
Digital payment channels processed 13.2 billion transactions during FY26, marking a 65% increase compared with the previous year. Consequently, their share of total retail payment volumes increased from 88% in FY25 to 92% in FY26.
Mobile-based payment services remained the main driver of this growth, processing more than 11.1 billion transactions during the year. These services recorded a 79% year-on-year increase as consumers increasingly used mobile banking apps, branchless banking applications, and digital wallets.
Digital Infrastructure Expands Across Pakistan
Pakistan also witnessed substantial growth in its digital payment infrastructure during the period. QR-enabled merchants more than tripled to 3.84 million, while point-of-sale terminals increased 49% to 337,791 by June 2026.
However, digital payments accounted for only around 38% of total retail payment value. Over-the-counter transactions continued to dominate higher-value payments, reaching approximately Rs. 415.7 trillion during FY26.
The SBP said significant potential remains to shift larger transactions involving businesses, government entities, and financial institutions toward digital channels. Therefore, continued investment in payment infrastructure could further strengthen Pakistan’s transition toward a more digital economy.
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