Google Pay, the global digital payment platform, is set to be officially launched 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 allows Pakistani users to link their bank-issued debit and credit cards to Google Pay through the Google Wallet app to take advantage of contactless digital payments.
While the initial focus of the Google app launch will be on enabling basic contactless payments, features like loyalty cards and public transport will not be available in the first phase.
Sources have confirmed that preparations for the launch are underway, 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 POS terminals, 99% of which are already fully prepared to support mobile contactless payments.
Earlier, according to leaked release notes to developers, while Google had not made an official announcement, these notes indicated that Pakistan along with countries like Egypt, Venezuela, Bermuda, Cambodia and El Salvador were 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 debit cards, loyalty cards, boarding passes, tickets and other digital cards on their Android devices.
It facilitates contactless payments on 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.
