Millions of Pakistanis using digital bank accounts and e-wallets could face service interruptions from October 25, as the State Bank of Pakistan’s (SBP) new biometric verification regulations come into force.
The new rules, introduced through BPRD Circular No. 1 of 2025 on July 25, require all SBP-regulated entities—including banks, development finance institutions (DFIs), microfinance banks (MFBs), digital banks, and electronic money institutions (EMIs)—to streamline their account opening and customer onboarding processes.
Under the updated framework, biometric verification is now mandatory as the primary method of identification for all individual and entity accounts, both local and foreign currency, including Roshan Digital Accounts. Previously, financial institutions were allowed a 60-day grace period to complete biometric verification before accounts were debit-blocked.
Industry sources warn that the policy shift could temporarily lock out a large number of users who have yet to complete the process, disrupting access to their accounts and digital wallets. Concerns have also been raised over the potential impact on customers managing foreign currency accounts, who may face restrictions on sending or receiving remittances.
The central bank granted institutions three months to implement the new requirements, part of a broader effort to strengthen anti–money laundering (AML) and counter–terrorism financing (CFT) protocols. The updated ‘Consolidated Customer Onboarding Framework’ now extends to both in-branch and remote onboarding, standardizing due diligence requirements across all SBP-regulated entities.
Under the previous 2022 guidelines, verification through NADRA’s Verisys system was sufficient at account opening, with biometric verification required within two months. The revised 2025 framework, however, mandates biometric verification at the very outset—before the account or wallet can be activated—for all holders of CNIC, NICOP, POC, ARC, or POR cards.
