Project XBY

Southern Asia · GDP rank #33

Pakistan

PK · PKR @ 0.0036/USD

Tab 08

Pulse

The preceding ~90 days of macro, regulation, product, funding and milestone events. Each item is primary-sourced; no trade-press echo.

  1. 3 weeks agomilestone

    Raast cumulative transaction value crosses Rs50 trillion

    SBP's Financial Stability Review for 2025, summarised by ProPakistani on 5 May, put cumulative Raast value just shy of Rs50T with the user base at ~48m. Person-to-person flows accounted for most of the volume, but the merchant subsidy is beginning to register.

    • #raast
    • #sbp
    • #milestone

    Source: ProPakistani / SBP

  2. 4 weeks agoregulation

    SBP hikes policy rate 100bp to 11.5% — first hike since June 2023

    The Monetary Policy Committee surprised consensus with a 100bp hike to 11.5%, citing March CPI of 7.3% — the highest since August 2024 — and Mid-East-driven energy pressure. The decision interrupts a year-long easing cycle and complicates the IMF EFF baseline.

    • #sbp
    • #macro
    • #rates

    Source: Day News

  3. 2 months agomilestone

    SBP and 1LINK confirm Raast Q2 FY26 volume — 645m transactions

    Q2 FY26 Payment Systems Review shows Raast processing 645.7m transactions worth Rs18.5T in the quarter (P2P alone Rs15.7T, +13% QoQ). Q3 figures are expected in late June.

    • #raast
    • #data
    • #sbp

    Source: State Bank of Pakistan (SBP)

  4. 3 months agomilestone

    BISP completes Raast-rail migration of all stipend disbursements

    The Benazir Income Support Programme moved its last paper-cheque stipend cohorts onto Raast in early March, removing more than 1 million off-line beneficiaries from over-the-counter pickup. Pakistan Military Accounts Department and CDNS are next on the SBP rail-migration calendar.

    • #bisp
    • #raast
    • #g2p

    Source: Business Recorder

  5. 3 months agoregulation

    SBP holds policy rate at 10.5% in first 2026 MPC meeting

    The MPC held the policy rate at 10.5% on 26 February, citing inflation tracking inside the 5-7% target band at that point. The decision was the final hold before the April hike turned the cycle.

    • #sbp
    • #macro
    • #rates

    Source: Business Recorder

  6. 3 months agodata

    Pakistan digital transactions reach 92% of retail volume — SBP

    SBP-aggregated data summarised by ClearingPost shows digital channels accounting for 92% of all retail payment transactions, up sharply on the 2023 baseline. Raast, 1LINK, branchless-banking wallets and card volumes are all contributing.

    • #sbp
    • #digital
    • #milestone

    Source: ClearingPost