Daily Times

Google Pay, the global digital payment platform, is set to officially launch in Pakistan by mid-March 2025.

According to sources, the platform, which was confirmed by Google in November 2024, will be facilitated through partnerships with Visa, Mastercard, and leading local banks.

This digital service will allow Pakistani users to link their bank-issued debit and credit cards to Google Pay via the Google Wallet app, enabling them to benefit from contactless digital payments.

While the initial focus of the Google app launch will be on enabling basic contactless payments, features such as loyalty cards and public transport passes will not be available in the first phase.

Sources have confirmed that preparations for the launch are ongoing, with four to six major banks working with Visa and Mastercard to meet the technical requirements.

The State Bank of Pakistan has stated that the country’s payment infrastructure is well-positioned to support the service, with 133,000 point-of-sale (POS) terminals, 99% of which are already fully prepared to support mobile contactless payments.

Previously, according to leaked developer release notes, while Google had not made an official announcement, these notes indicated that Pakistan, along with countries such as Egypt, Venezuela, Bermuda, Cambodia, and El Salvador, was included in the list for the upcoming global rollout of Google Wallet. What is Google Wallet? Google Wallet, formerly known as Google Pay, is a digital wallet that allows users to store payment cards, loyalty cards, boarding passes, tickets, and other digital passes on their Android devices.

It facilitates contactless payments at compatible point-of-sale terminals, making transactions quicker and more convenient. Besides payments, Google Wallet serves as a hub for managing various digital credentials.