Visa, the global digital payments company, has announced that it will strengthen its role in facilitating digital payments in Pakistan and increasing financial inclusion.
Visa Senior Vice President North Africa, Levant and Pakistan Leila Sarhan, while speaking to Express, said that the number of businesses accepting digital payments in Pakistan will increase tenfold in three years.
Visa Pakistan’s investment in building digital payment infrastructure will make digital payments cheaper and more manageable.
The technology to turn the phone into a payment device will be promoted, going beyond big cities and traditional businesses to include small shopkeepers.
He said that Visa has completed its thirty years of service in Pakistan, leaving a deep mark on Pakistan’s digital payments landscape. Visa has introduced Pakistan’s first student debit card that will play a significant role in meeting the financial needs of university students and promoting financial inclusion and digital transactions in Pakistan.
He said that Pakistan’s Generation Z population wants solutions that are digitally first and provide benefits, rewards and offers tailored to their lifestyle needs. The Meezan Visa Student Debit Card will be provided free of charge to Meezan Asaan Student Account holders.
He said that it is an account that provides a comprehensive platform to manage finances while meeting the unique needs of students, ensuring both accessibility and value. Eligible university students aged 18 to 24 will have access to safe, convenient and rewarding financial services.
Leila Sarhan said that this initiative is directly aligned with Pakistan’s Vision 2025, which aims to promote financial inclusion and digital payments adoption among the youth. It not only helps in increasing the country’s financial inclusion rate but also harnesses the economic potential of Pakistan’s large youth population.
Regarding Visa’s future goals in Pakistan, she said that Visa is committed to increasing the number of businesses accepting digital payments in Pakistan tenfold in three years.
She said that we are investing in building the digital payment infrastructure in the country so that digital payments become less costly and more manageable.
The strategy includes technology that turns the phone into a payment device and accepts various payment methods, including QR and card top, we plan to go beyond big cities and traditional businesses to include small shopkeepers as well.
