The State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) has introduced a comprehensive digital framework aimed at simplifying the bank account opening process for both individuals and businesses. In a significant move towards fostering financial inclusion and driving digitization across Pakistan’s banking ecosystem, the central bank has consolidated and streamlined onboarding procedures, advising all banks and regulated entities (REs) to adopt uniform practices and enable digital interfaces for account opening.
The newly launched customer onboarding framework is designed to make account opening faster, easier, and more transparent. It rationalizes documentary requirements, standardizes procedures across financial institutions, and enables end-to-end digital customer onboarding through mobile apps, websites, or other customer touch points. The goal is to remove complexity and bring convenience to the general public, freelancers, overseas Pakistanis, and small business owners alike.
According to the new guidelines, the turnaround time for opening a new bank account must not exceed two working days. Additionally, applicants should have the ability to track the progress of their application, increasing transparency and boosting customer confidence in the banking process. This aligns with SBP’s continued efforts to expand access to financial services and ensure customer-friendly procedures.
This framework builds on SBP’s past initiatives such as branchless banking, Asaan accounts, digital onboarding protocols, and specialized account categories for specific segments like freelancers and recipients of home remittances. The latest measures consolidate these efforts into a modern, unified system that allows the opening of all types of accounts through digital means.
In addition to streamlining onboarding, SBP has directed regulated entities to enhance digital payment acceptance capabilities for merchants. Whether engaged in in-store retail or online commerce, merchants are now expected to be equipped with at least one digital payment solution. These may include Raast QR codes, Point-of-Sale (POS) terminals, or e-commerce checkout options integrated with Raast.
Recognizing the diversity within the merchant ecosystem, SBP has also instructed banks to categorize merchants as micro, small, or registered. This segmentation aims to encourage the adoption of low-cost digital payment solutions among small-scale and informal businesses, which form a significant portion of the economy but remain underbanked.
Through these interventions, SBP seeks to reduce Pakistan’s reliance on cash transactions, bring unbanked individuals and businesses into the formal economy, and establish a more robust digital financial infrastructure. Importantly, the framework introduces regulatory safeguards consistent with global standards, ensuring security and reliability for all stakeholders.
This landmark initiative is expected to accelerate the digital transformation of Pakistan’s financial sector, fostering greater transparency, financial inclusion, and innovation in the rapidly evolving fintech and banking landscape.