Pakistan's mobile payments industry is entering a new phase after Easypaisa expanded into three new cities, executives and investors told WritePures this week.
Government officials welcomed the development. A spokesperson for the Higher Education Commission said the initiative "aligns with the national digital agenda" and promised faster approvals for similar projects.
The move comes as regulators tighten oversight. the Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan issued new guidelines in April requiring companies to store customer data locally and to report security incidents within 72 hours.
The bigger picture
Still, questions remain about long-term sustainability. Margins in the agritech business are thin, and customer acquisition costs have risen sharply since 2022.
"This is not just a Karachi story or a Lahore story. It is a Pakistan story."
Nadia Hussain, venture partner at TPL Trakker
Not everyone is convinced. Critics point to a shortage of skilled engineers, unreliable power supply and a tax regime that changes almost every budget cycle as reasons for caution.
A closer look at the numbers
The numbers tell part of the story. Freelancers in Pakistan brought in $250 million in Q1 2026, and the country remains one of the largest suppliers of online talent in the world.
Key points
- Partnership with UET Lahore to train local engineers
- Rollout begins in Hyderabad and Peshawar before expanding nationwide
- Competitors including Dastgyr are expected to respond within months
- Pricing to remain unchanged until at least May
Industry observers say the timing is significant. Pakistan's e-commerce sector grew 30% last year, according to NADRA, even as venture funding across South Asia slowed sharply.
Universities are responding too. NUST has added new courses in fintech, and enrolment in computer science programmes rose 8% this year.
Reporting by the WritePures newsroom. Have a tip? Contact our editors.
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