The State Bank of Pakistan released its Annual Report on Payment Systems for fiscal 2025-26, finding that digital channels continued to drive rapid growth in formal retail payments. Retail payments reached 14.3 billion transactions valued at PKR 673 trillion, up 58% in volume and 10% in value from the previous fiscal year. Digital channels processed 13.2 billion transactions, a 65% increase, and their share of retail payment volume rose to 92% from 88%. Mobile phone based services led the expansion, processing more than 11.1 billion transactions, up 79%, while internet banking portals handled 0.3 billion, up 15%. The point of sale network grew to 337,791 terminals across 295,367 merchant locations and supported nearly 1.5 million card payments a day, compared with 1 million previously. Branchless banking mobile app users reached 99.1 million and banks’ mobile app users reached 30.4 million. The review also highlights the August 2025 introduction of PRISM+, which moved Pakistan’s real time gross settlement system to the ISO 20022 standard across retail and large value payment infrastructure.
State Bank of Pakistan reports digital channels accounted for 92% of retail payments in fiscal 2026
The State Bank of Pakistan reported that digital channels processed 13.2 billion transactions and accounted for 92% of formal retail payment volume in fiscal 2025-26. Total retail payments reached 14.3 billion transactions valued at PKR 673 trillion, while mobile services and expanded merchant infrastructure drove the increase.