Pakistan is set to launch a National Digital Payment Index (DPI) to track and assess the country’s progress in digital payment adoption. The DPI will provide a comprehensive framework to measure the effectiveness and penetration of digital payment infrastructure, usage of digital channels, and consumer awareness of digital payment tools.
The DPI will serve as a valuable tool for understanding the extent of digital payment adoption across different sectors, regions, and demographics in Pakistan. It will help identify gaps and opportunities in the current infrastructure, facilitating targeted policy interventions and investments.
The index will be developed under Karandaaz Pakistan, with the collaboration of the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP). It will draw inspiration from existing global indices, such as the Mastercard Digital Payment Index, which measures digital payment adoption in Central and Eastern European countries.
The DPI will include indicators such as account penetration, card penetration, instant payment enablement, QR code payment enablement, contactless POS penetration, and account-based mobile payment enablement. It will also assess consumer awareness, convenience, and general digital payment knowledge.
The Digital Payment Index (DPI) aims to create a robust and reliable measure of digital payment adoption in Pakistan. It will provide actionable insights to support the local payments ecosystem, track the development and adoption of digital payments, and identify gaps and opportunities in the infrastructure. Additionally, the DPI will delve into consumer preferences and pain points, define and standardize key metrics for measuring digital payment performance, and establish a systematic approach for data collection and analysis. Ultimately, the DPI will enable benchmarking of Pakistan’s digital payment progress against other countries.
The DPI will be updated periodically based on data provided by the SBP and Karandaaz Pakistan. The index is expected to play a crucial role in fostering a vibrant digital economy by providing valuable insights to policymakers, regulators, financial institutions, and other stakeholders.
