KARACHI (Kashmir English): More than 25.8m customers of commercial banks have been using mobile banking by the end of the first quarter of the financial year 2025-26.
A few years ago, there was a debate about whether Pakistanis would adopt digital banking and, if so, how quickly — a common phenomenon in any society, as fear of the unknown often prevails before the acceptance of new ideas.
However, after the support from international donor organisations such as the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, the country witnessed a tremendous surge in the use of advanced banking modes, with over 120m customers now using mobile apps for personal and commercial transactions on a daily basis.
According to recent data released by the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP), more than 25.8m customers of commercial banks were using mobile banking by the end of the first quarter of the financial year 2025-26 (July-August 2025).
Customers of branchless banking using mobile apps rose to 87.9m by the end of September 2025. In addition, customers of fintech operators were also on the rise, standing at 6.27m by the end of the same period.
There are 34 commercial banks, 14 branchless banking operators and six fintech operators of Electronic Money Institutions operating in Pakistan, according to the Quarterly Payment System newsletter published by the SBP.
Use of mobile banking
These customers are using mobile banking for the transfer of funds, payment of utility bills, booking of tickets, online shopping, digital loans and credit, mobile top-ups and other services.
Among them, a significant majority are using multiple mobile apps of different banking companies at the same time.
Banks offering the best mobile banking experiences would attract more customers, underscoring the need for continuous upgrades of backend systems, including safety features.
According to a report by the Asian Development Bank (ADB), only 21% of adults in Pakistan have access to a bank or mobile money account, amounting to approximately 91m individual accounts as of 2025. In addition, companies, associations and non-governmental organisations also maintain accounts with banks.
