Google Pay, the global digital payments platform, will officially launch in Pakistan in mid-March 2025.
According to sources, the platform, confirmed by Google in November 2024, will be facilitated through partnerships with Visa, Mastercard and major local banks.
This digital service will allow Pakistani users to link their bank-issued debit and credit cards to Google Pay through the Google Wallet app, allowing them to benefit from contactless digital payments.
While the initial goal of Google’s app launch will be to enable 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 payments 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 contactless mobile payments.
Previously, according to the leaked developer release notes, although 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 next global event. launch 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.
Facilitates contactless payments at compatible point-of-sale terminals, making transactions faster and more convenient. In addition to payments, Google Wallet serves as a hub for managing various digital credentials.
