Moaaz Manzoor

 Easypaisa’s top digital executive said Pakistan’s fintech race is entering a new phase, driven by artificial intelligence (AI), expanded lending, and services designed for millions still outside the formal banking system.

 Speaking with WealthPK, Farhan Hassan, Chief Digital Officer of Pakistan’s first digital retail bank, outlined a technology-focused strategy to push financial inclusion beyond urban centres and into underserved communities nationwide.

“As Pakistan’s first digital retail bank, Easypaisa is democratising financial services like digital payments, nano-lending, wealth management, and Mini App platform services for the public, leading to financial inclusion,” Hassan said. “With instant, easy onboarding, it brings financial access to underserved and unbanked segments. The focus remains on meeting the evolving needs of youth, women, freelancers, and MSMEs, with a particular emphasis on unbanked and underbanked communities.”

Hassan said Easypaisa is developing an AI-driven organisation to strengthen both customer experience and security. “We are focused on predictive analytics, user empowerment, seamless experiences, and robust fraud controls,” he explained. “Our digital lending will expand access to capital for underserved segments. The bank also plans to launch innovations in wealth management, international payments, and support for SMEs and merchants in the digital economy.”

Pakistan’s fintech adoption has accelerated in recent years. According to the State Bank of Pakistan’s latest Quarterly Payment Systems Review, digital retail transactions in Q3 FY25 reached 2.4 billion in volume and PKR 164 trillion in value, making up the majority of retail transactions in the country.

Industry studies — including a Karandaaz Pakistan report titled Transforming Pakistan’s Payment Landscape — suggest that wider adoption of digital payments could significantly contribute to GDP growth, increase formal financial participation, and generate new employment opportunities. Easypaisa’s initiatives, as detailed by Hassan, aim to advance these goals by integrating AI, expanding lending to underserved markets, and diversifying service offerings to meet evolving customer needs.

Credit: INP-WealthPk