Google Pay to launch in Pakistan by March 2025

Google Pay, the global contactless payment platform, is set to officially launch in Pakistan by mid-March 2025, marking a significant milestone in the country’s expanding digital payment landscape. 

According to sources, the rollout, confirmed by Google in November 2024, will be facilitated through collaborations with Visa, Mastercard, and leading local banks.

The service will allow Pakistani users to link their bank-issued debit and credit cards to Google Pay via the Google Wallet app, enabling seamless contactless payments at compatible terminals. 

While the launch will focus initially on enabling basic contactless payments, the full suite of Google Wallet features, including loyalty cards and public transport passes, will not be available in the first phase.

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Sources confirmed that preparations for the launch 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 see Google Pay’s entry as a boost for Pakistan’s burgeoning digital payments sector, which has witnessed rapid growth in recent years. According to Profit’s analysis of data published by the State Bank of Pakistan, electronic payments now account for 9.3% of the total value of all transactions that take place in the country, a number that has doubled over the past two years. 

The launch of a digital application like Google Wallet, which is compatible with payment cards of any financial institution will accelerate the expansion of digital payments through POS machines and e-commerce websites.