On 14 July, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif was told that 92% of inbound remittances already travel through a digital channel – and instructed officials to bring the remaining 8% online. 

The instruction came after workers’ remittances reached a record US$41.6 billion in FY2025/26 and held their place as Pakistan's single largest source of external financing. Moving from 92% to 100% may seem like a small final step in a transition that is already largely complete. 

In reality, the remaining 8% will likely be the hardest to reach, as Pakistan must now address the barriers that rapid adoption among already-connected users has allowed it to leave unresolved.

The global average cost of sending US$200 across borders is put at 6.36%, while banks charge close to 15% and digital-only providers operate well below both. Set against inflows of US$41.6 billion, a single percentage point of friction accounts for more than US$400 million a year that never reaches a household in Multan or Mardan.

Pakistan is fortunate to sit at the receiving end of South Asia's most competitive corridors, particularly those running out of the Gulf. Extracting the remainder demands attention to the last mile, meaning the recipient without a smartphone, the district with patchy connectivity, and the sender still trusting a familiar agent behind a counter.

Rails Built Before the Mandate Arrived

The target is within reach because Pakistan has already built much of the infrastructure needed to support it. Between July 2025 and June 2026, the country recorded 11.9 billion digital transactions, while the number of mobile banking app users increased from 95 million to 137 million.

Merchant acceptance grew........

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