In a significant move aimed at strengthening financial inclusion and digital microfinance access in Pakistan, the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) has officially granted a nationwide microfinance banking license to Halan Microfinance Bank Limited. The license, effective from June 3, 2025, marks a pivotal milestone in the evolution of Pakistan’s microfinance sector, empowering the newly rebranded bank to extend its operations across the country.
Halan Microfinance Bank is the result of a strategic acquisition by MNT-Halan, Egypt’s leading fintech player renowned for its technology-driven approach to business and consumer lending, digital payments, and e-commerce solutions. MNT-Halan has a notable global footprint and a strong record of serving unbanked and underserved communities through digital platforms.
This move reflects MNT-Halan’s growing commitment to Pakistan’s financial ecosystem, particularly in targeting segments that have traditionally been excluded from formal financial services. The company had earlier pledged an investment of $10 million in 2025 to accelerate its operational footprint within Pakistan. This planned investment underscores Halan’s long-term vision to introduce digitally enabled microfinance products and services tailored for Pakistan’s low-income and rural populations.
The roots of this transition date back to March 2024, when MNT-Halan acquired Advans Pakistan Microfinance Bank Limited, one of the country’s licensed microfinance banks. Following the acquisition, the entity was officially rebranded as Halan Microfinance Bank Limited, reflecting its alignment with the fintech-centric operational philosophy of its parent company.
The granting of a nationwide license now enables Halan to operate beyond its previous geographic and regulatory limits, opening up new opportunities for growth. It also positions the bank to bring innovative digital solutions—such as app-based microloans, mobile wallets, and integrated e-commerce lending platforms—to a much broader population base.
Industry analysts believe this development is set to disrupt traditional microfinance structures in Pakistan. With its backing from an established international fintech leader, Halan is expected to introduce sophisticated financial technologies and data-driven credit models, setting new benchmarks for convenience, scalability, and customer experience in the country’s microfinance space.
Moreover, this expansion aligns with the broader goals of the State Bank of Pakistan’s National Financial Inclusion Strategy, which prioritizes the use of digital financial services to bring more citizens into the formal financial sector. SBP’s regulatory nod is also seen as an endorsement of cross-border fintech integration in Pakistan’s banking landscape, especially where innovation meets inclusion.
As Halan Microfinance Bank begins operations with its nationwide license, its success will be closely watched by stakeholders across the financial, regulatory, and technology sectors. The bank now stands at the intersection of microfinance and fintech, with a mandate to deliver accessible, user-friendly, and Shariah-compliant financial services that cater to the needs of underserved communities across Pakistan.