ISLAMABAD – The State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) has released its Annual Payment Systems Review, revealing a rapid increase in digital payments across the country.
According to the SBP, retail payments increased by 58% in volume during the fiscal year 2025-26, while the value of retail payments reached Rs673 trillion.
A total of 14.3 billion retail transactions were processed through formal banking channels during the year, with 13.2 billion carried out through digital channels.
The volume of digital payments increased by 65% year-on-year, taking their share of total retail payments to 92%, compared with 88% in fiscal year 2024-25.
Mobile phone-based payments exceeded 11.1 billion transactions, registering a 79% annual increase in mobile-based digital transactions.
The SBP said 300 million transactions were conducted through internet banking, marking a 15% year-on-year increase.
The number of point-of-sale (POS) terminals across the country rose to 337,791, installed at 295,367 merchant locations.
Around 1.5 million card payments are now being processed through POS terminals every day, compared with approximately 1 million daily card payments recorded during the previous fiscal year.
According to the central bank, account-based payments accounted for 96% of e-commerce payments made through banking channels.
The number of branchless banking mobile app users reached 99.1 million, while the number of customers using banks’ mobile apps rose to 30.4 million.
The SBP noted that smartphone usage for routine banking activities is increasing rapidly, reflecting the growing shift toward digital financial services in Pakistan.
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