Pakistan’s 1LINK expects transaction volumes across its payment infrastructure to surpass 12 billion in 2026, with the overall value of transactions projected to approach Rs90 trillion. The estimate reflects continued growth in digital payments across financial and non-financial transactions, value-added services and Fraud Risk Management Services as consumers, businesses and financial institutions increasingly use electronic channels for everyday payments and banking activities.
The payment network processed more than 10 billion transactions with a combined value of Rs75.4 trillion during 2025. According to the company, transaction volume increased by nearly 20% during the year, while the value of transactions rose by 19.3%. The latest projection indicates that the expansion recorded in 2025 is continuing through 2026, with digital payment infrastructure handling a growing share of financial activity across Pakistan.
Syed Suleman Hasan, Chief Corporate Affairs and Company Secretary at 1LINK, said the company was on track to process payment transactions equivalent to approximately 75% of Pakistan’s gross domestic product. The scale of transactions highlights the increasing role of payment networks in facilitating transfers, bill payments, purchases and other financial services through interconnected banking and digital payment channels.
Data for the first nine months of 2026 shows significant activity across several 1LINK payment rails. From January to September, 1IBFT processed approximately 998.9 million transactions with a combined value of Rs43.7 trillion. The 1IBFT service provides an electronic funds transfer channel through which customers can move money between participating financial institutions, making it an important component of Pakistan’s digital payment infrastructure.
During the same period, 1BILL facilitated around 170.6 million transactions valued at Rs12.3 trillion. The company’s ATM Switching network also handled approximately 285.4 million transactions worth Rs3.2 trillion between January and September 2026. Together, these figures demonstrate the range of payment channels operating through 1LINK and the scale at which electronic transactions are being processed across the financial system.
Pakistan’s domestic payment scheme PayPak has also expanded its presence in the country’s card market. The scheme has issued approximately 16.8 million cards, representing nearly 28% of all debit cards currently in circulation. PayPak forms part of the country’s domestic payment infrastructure and provides consumers with another electronic payment option for transactions connected to participating financial institutions.
Hasan said the expansion of digital payments is reducing dependence on cash while making it easier for consumers to transfer funds, pay bills, make purchases and access banking services. He noted that 1LINK, which is marking its 22nd anniversary, also supports government payment and collection initiatives and works with banks, fintech companies, regulators and other participants across Pakistan’s financial ecosystem.
The company expects smartphone penetration, wider adoption of digital banking and greater acceptance of electronic payments among consumers and merchants to remain important drivers of transaction growth. As more people use mobile and digital channels for financial activity, payment networks are handling increasingly large volumes of transactions across multiple services.
Hasan said technology has changed how people interact with financial services and that 1LINK’s focus as it marks 22 years of operations remains on enabling innovation, promoting interoperability and providing payment infrastructure that can support the changing requirements of consumers, businesses and the wider national economy. The company’s projected 2026 transaction volume reflects the expanding role of digital payment systems in Pakistan’s financial landscape.
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