Google Pay, the global contactless payment platform, is scheduled to officially launch in Pakistan by mid-March 2025. This development is expected to significantly enhance the country's digital payment landscape.
The rollout, confirmed by Google in November 2024, will be facilitated through collaborations with Visa, Mastercard, and leading local banks. Initially, the service will enable Pakistani users to link their bank-issued debit and credit cards to Google Pay via the Google Wallet app, focusing on seamless contactless payments at compatible terminals. The full suite of Google Wallet features, such as loyalty cards and public transport passes, will not be available in the first phase.
Preparations are well underway, with four to six prominent banks working closely with Visa and Mastercard to meet technical requirements. Pakistan's payment infrastructure is well-positioned to support the service, boasting 133,000 point-of-sale (POS) terminals, 99% of which are already equipped to accept mobile contactless payments, according to the State Bank of Pakistan.
Industry experts view Google Pay's entry as a boost for Pakistan's burgeoning digital payments sector, which has witnessed rapid growth in recent years. Electronic payments now account for 9.3% of the total value of all transactions in the country, a number that has doubled over the past two years.
The launch of a digital application like Google Wallet, compatible with payment cards from any financial institution, is anticipated to accelerate the expansion of digital payments through POS machines and e-commerce platforms in Pakistan.