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Pakistan is finally stepping out of the regional shadows. Long eclipsed by India’s dominance, Pakistan has emerged as a “rising star” in the world of financial technology. A recent report by Forbes confirms that investor confidence is back, and regulatory frameworks are finally meeting market demands.
As of late November 2025, the country’s ecosystem comprises 450 fintechs. Together, these companies have raised an impressive $391 million in venture capital.
Forbes Mentions A Strong Recovery
The journey has been a rollercoaster. The sector initially surged from $10.4 million in 2019 to $150 million by 2022. However, global macroeconomic conditions caused a sharp decline in 2023, with funding plunging to just $12.5 million.
Fortunately, the tide has turned. Funding roughly doubled to $26.3 million in 2024. The momentum continued into this year, with startups raising $52.5 million in just the first half of 2025. Forbes notes that this revival positions Pakistan as a top emerging digital finance market.
This year’s momentum is defined by record-breaking collaborations. The largest deal in the sector was a $52 million Pre-Series A round for Haball, a supply-chain fintech. Notably, Meezan Bank led the charge by providing $47 million of that funding. Forbes highlighted this as a significant tie-up between a traditional lender and a digital upstart.
Regulators are also stepping up. The state-backed “Pakistan Startup Fund” is now offering equity-free grants to encourage investment. Furthermore, digital banking is expanding. Five entities, including Easypaisa and Mashreq Bank, are set to launch pilot operations by early 2025. Collectively, these efforts aim to boost adult financial inclusion from 64% in 2023 to 75% by 2028.
A Global Leader in Crypto
Beyond traditional fintech, Pakistan is making waves in digital assets. The country ranked third on Chainalysis’s Top Crypto Adoption 2025 index, trailing only India and the United States.
Unlike neighbours Bangladesh and Nepal, which declared cryptocurrencies illegal, Pakistan has taken a more progressive stance. The government is currently shifting from a “hands-off” approach to developing a formal virtual asset framework.
Validating this progress, Bilal Bin Saqib, Chairman of the Pakistan Virtual Asset Regulatory Authority (PVARA), has joined the World Economic Forum’s Steering Committee. He will now assist in global rule-making for cryptocurrencies, cementing Pakistan’s place in the future of digital finance.
