He was talking to a delegation comprising Douglas Feagin, President of Ant International and Senior Vice President of Ant Group; Irfan Wahab Khan, Chairman of Easypaisa Digital Bank; and Jahanzeb Khan, President and Chief Executive Officer of Easypaisa Digital Bank, according to a press release. The meeting focused on accelerating Pakistan’s transition towards a cashless and digitally enabled economy, with emphasis on financial inclusion, stronger digital payments and wider access to formal financial services for small businesses.
Aurangzeb highlighted the role digital banks and fintech platforms could play in inclusive credit and targeted lending for under-served segments, including small farmers. He said agriculture lending needed to reach a broader base of smallholders and that scalable digital platforms could improve outreach and sustainability in initiatives aimed at expanding access to finance. He also emphasised diversifying the investor base for domestic public debt and reducing friction costs by facilitating retail participation through digital platforms, enabling citizens to invest in government securities through accessible channels.
Feagin reaffirmed Ant International and Ant Group’s commitment to supporting Pakistan’s digital economy agenda by bringing operational know-how gained across Asia to help expand cashless payment adoption and digital financial services. He said licensing of Easypaisa as a digital bank offered an opportunity to accelerate capability building, deepen outreach and advance the shift towards digital transactions, while acknowledging that cash remained prevalent and efforts were required to expand adoption.
Irfan Wahab Khan said Easypaisa was transitioning from payments to broader financial services, with a focus on financial inclusion, customer education and the development of savings and wealth management offerings. It was noted that expanding distribution of regulated investment products required sustained awareness-building among retail customers, and that digital platforms could provide an effective channel for such education.
The discussion also covered enhancements in cross-border and wallet-based payment capabilities, leveraging international networks to improve convenience and further reduce transaction frictions for users. Aurangzeb said it was important to bring virtual asset activity into a regulated framework to address risk management, compliance considerations and consumer protection, while enabling innovation in emerging financial technologies.
The meeting also discussed tokenisation and the potential for regulated, technology-enabled channels to support secure and accessible financial products, including government securities and broader capital market development.
Aurangzeb briefed the delegation on progress achieved on macroeconomic stabilisation, including advancements on structural reforms and external validation milestones. He emphasised Pakistan’s intention to leverage its strategic economic relationships to unlock further investment and build a foundation for long-term, sustainable growth.
Feagin said expanding digital payments and digital finance could support stronger documentation of economic activity and contribute to tax base expansion, based on observed outcomes in multiple markets. He reiterated Easypaisa’s and Ant International’s commitment to scaling QR-code merchant acceptance and driving consumer adoption through practical use cases, while highlighting operational considerations linked to biometric-based customer onboarding, compliance requirements, and the cost of authentication and verification processes.
The discussion reflected a shared understanding that regulations should strengthen the integrity of the financial system while supporting inclusion and usability, including through risk-based approaches that encourage adoption at entry-level transaction tiers.
The meeting concluded with both sides expressing confidence in continued engagement on priority initiatives, including merchant digitisation, customer education and broader access to regulated savings and investment products, and supporting national objectives for payments modernisation and financial inclusion.
Aurangzeb encouraged submission of specific proposals for coordination with relevant stakeholders to advance priorities under the government’s digitisation agenda.