Pakistan’s fintech industry is entering a renewed growth phase after years of stagnation, as improving investor sentiment and stronger regulatory support help the sector recover lost ground, Forbes reported.
According to the publication, venture funding for Pakistani fintechs has surged from just $10.4 million in 2019 to $150 million in 2022, marking the country as a rising digital finance market. Although startup funding plunged to $12.5 million in 2023 amid global economic pressures, investment has gradually rebounded — doubling to $26.3 million in 2024 and reaching $52.5 million in the first half of 2025. By late November, Pakistan’s 450 fintech firms had collectively secured $391 million in venture capital.
The report highlighted the $52 million pre-Series A round raised by supply-chain fintech Haball as the sector’s largest deal this year. Meezan Bank contributed $47 million, making it one of the most prominent collaborations between a traditional bank and a digital startup.
Forbes noted that Pakistan’s regulatory environment is becoming more supportive, citing the Pakistan Startup Fund, which provides equity-free grants, and the licensing regime for digital banks. Five entities — including Easypaisa and Mashreq Bank — began pilot operations under the new framework in early 2025. These reforms aim to increase adult financial inclusion from 64% in 2023 to 75% by 2028.
Pakistan has also emerged as the world’s third-largest adopter of cryptocurrency, behind India and the United States, according to Chainalysis’s Top Crypto Adoption 2025 index. Unlike Bangladesh and Nepal, which have banned digital currencies, Pakistan has taken a more open stance and is now working on a virtual asset regulatory framework.
The country recently gained representation in global digital asset governance after Bilal Bin Saqib, chair of the Pakistan Virtual Asset Regulatory Authority, joined the World Economic Forum’s Steering Committee on Digital Asset Regulations.
