Google Pay to officially debut in Pakistan by mid-March 2025
Google Pay, the global contactless payment platform, is set to officially debut in Pakistan by mid-March 2025, marking a pivotal development in the nation’s digital payment ecosystem.
The rollout, confirmed by Google in
November 2024, will be facilitated through partnerships with Visa, Mastercard,
and major local banks. This service will enable Pakistani users to link their
bank-issued debit and credit cards to Google Pay via the Google Wallet app,
allowing for seamless contactless payments at compatible terminals.
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Initially, the launch will focus on
basic contactless payment capabilities, with the full suite of Google Wallet
features—such as loyalty cards and public transport passes—expected in later
phases.
Preparations for the launch are
progressing well, with four to six leading banks collaborating with Visa and
Mastercard to ensure technical readiness. Pakistan’s payment infrastructure is
well-equipped for the service, with 133,000 point-of-sale (POS) terminals, 99%
of which are already capable of accepting mobile contactless payments,
according to the State Bank of Pakistan.
Industry experts anticipate that
Google Pay’s entry will further bolster Pakistan’s rapidly growing digital
payments sector. Recent data from the State Bank of Pakistan indicates that
electronic payments now account for 9.3% of the total value of all transactions
in the country—a figure that has doubled over the past two years.
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The introduction of Google Wallet,
compatible with payment cards from any financial institution, is expected to
accelerate the adoption of digital payments across POS terminals and e-commerce
platforms.
Source: Profit Pakistan