A roundup of digital wallets and e-payment platforms in Pakistan

Inventory of digital wallets and e-payment platforms in Pakistan: an updated guide for 2023

Pakistan Electronic Payments Market Overview

In recent years, Pakistan's e-payment industry has witnessed a period of rapid growth as smartphone penetration has increased and the government has pushed for financial digitisation. According to the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP), the number of mobile wallet users in the country surpassed the 50 million mark in 2022, an increase of 351 TP3T from the previous year.This rapid growth is attributed to the government's "Digital Pakistan" initiative and the urgent need for contactless payments in the aftermath of the new crown epidemic.

At the policy level, the Raast Instant Payment System introduced by the SBP provides the infrastructure for interconnecting digital wallets. At the same time, the "one person, one account" programme has significantly increased bank account penetration, laying the foundation for the popularity of electronic payments. There are currently dozens of licensed electronic money institutions (EMIs) active in the market, and the competitive landscape is becoming increasingly diversified.

Mainstream digital wallet platforms in detail

JazzCash - a leading brand of the telecom giant

As a product of co-operation between Jazz Telecom (VEON Group) and banks, JazzCash has long held the number one market share position. Its core strengths are:

  • huge user base: Leveraging the parent company's network of 45 million mobile subscribers
  • Extensive agency network: Over 200,000 cash access points nationwide
  • Featured Services: One-stop solution for international remittances, microfinance and bill payments
    The latest figures show its monthly transaction volume has surpassed the 100 million mark.

EasyPaisa - Payment solutions for the Telenor Group

EasyPaisa, created by Norwegian telecoms giant Telenor, is another industry benchmark:

  • Innovative features: First to launch QR code payment and merchant acquiring services
  • Cross-border advantages: In-depth cooperation with international institutions such as Western Union
  • Rural coverage: Special focus on financial services penetration in remote areas

Upaisa - Ufone's differentiated competitor

PTCL's Ufone has launched a smaller but distinctive Upaisa:

  • low cost strategy: Transfer fees below industry average 30%
  • Islamic finance: Provision of Sharia-compliant financial products

The rise of the bank-based e-wallet

In addition to digital wallets owned by telecom operators, a number of commercial banks in Pakistan have launched their own e-payment solutions, which are rapidly capturing the market with strong financial infrastructure and customer trust.

HBL Pay - Habibank's All-in-One App

Habib Bank (HBL), the largest private sector bank in Pakistan, launched the HBL Pay has become one of the most popular bank-based digital wallets in the country:

  • Seamless account integration: Users can directly link to HBL accounts for real-time transfers, bill payments and investments.
  • Merchant Ecology Improvement: Supports code-sweeping payment at over 100,000 partner merchants
  • Convenient international remittances: Interfacing with global payment networks such as Alipay, Western Union, etc.

2023 data shows that it has surpassed 3 million monthly active users.

UBL Omni - United Bank's Financial Inclusion Programme

United Bank (UBL) launched the UBL Omni Focused on serving the unbanked:

  • Simple account opening process: Only a mobile phone number is required to register and use the basic features
  • Dense network of agents: Over 50,000 cash access points covering urban and rural areas nationwide
  • Payroll system : Adopted by a number of companies as a channel for employee remuneration

The platform has seen significant growth in microfinance and insurance distribution.

MCB Lite - MCB Bank's Lightweight Wallet

Muslim Commercial Bank (MCB) is well positioned with this product:
- Minimum KYC requirements
- Specially optimised low-traffic version
- Technical cooperation with Alipay

Innovative attempts by emerging independent payment platforms

In addition to traditional financial institutions, a group of tech startups are also actively tapping into this market.

PayMaxx features:
✓ D2D Collection Solutions
✓ SaaS Model Merchant Back Office
✓ Dynamic exchange rate foreign exchange services

Finja, on the other hand, breaks out by
◉ Embedded e-commerce payments
◉ Supply Chain Finance Toolkit
◉ NFC Near Field Communication Technology Pilot

Notable is the popularity of Tag among the younger crowd: the
♠️ Social fission red packet function
♠️ Gamified Points System
♠️ influencer co-branded card programme

These innovators are tapping into incremental markets through niche scenarios.

Government-led infrastructure development

The launch of the Raast Instant Settlement System is a milestone:

☑️ Cross-Platform Interconnection Hubs
☑️ Capacity to process 3000+ transactions per second
☑️ Upcoming CBDC test interfaces

Also in progress.
◆ Upgrade of biometric authentication
◆ Subsidy scheme for POS terminals in rural areas
◆ Anti-fraud data sharing mechanism established

These initiatives have significantly reduced the overall operating costs of the industry.

Breakthrough in cross-border payments

Notable international co-operation in 2023 includes.

√ Alipay + JazzCash two-way communication
√ Strategic agreement between AlipayHK and UBL
√ Saudi RemitHub Chooses EasyPaisa as Preferred Landing Channel

Cross-border business is expected to maintain a CAGR of over 40% in the next two years.

Recent evolution of regulatory policy

Important recent adjustments to SBP include.

⚠️ E-KYC Standards Relaxed (Effective 2023.7)
⚠️ Transaction fee waiver for small and micro merchants extended to end of 2024
⚠️ New regulations on localised data storage under consultation

Compliance teams need to pay particular attention to the updated rules of the Anti-Money Laundering (AML) regulations.

 Comparison of User Experience and Technical Architecture

We conducted a multi-dimensional assessment of the mainstream platforms.
| Indicator | JazzCash | EasyPaisa | HBL Pay |
|————|———|———-|——–|
| TPS Peak Capability | 1200 | 950 | 1500+ |
| API Response Latency | ~400ms | ~550ms | ~350ms |
| UI Ease of Use Score ★ | ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆ ★★★★ ★★★★ ☆ |

Note:Based on 2023Q3 third-party stress test data