KARACHI: The number of bank accounts in Pakistan increased to 66.13 million by end of March 2022, showing a jump of 6.66 per cent when compared with 62 million bank accounts by end of same month last year, according to data released by the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP).
It is interesting to note that the statistics showed the population grew much faster than increase in bank accounts. The SBP showed estimated population of the country at 227 million by end of March 2022 as compared with 212 million in the same period of the last year, showing a growth of 7.07 per cent.
During past one year the number of total banks in the country is same at 44. However, the number of bank branches grew to 16,788 by end of March 2022 as compared with 16,223 by end of same month last year.
The SBP presented following key highlights of Payment System Review for quarter ended March 30, 2022.
One EMI, M/s China Mobile Pakistan Electronic Commerce Company (CMPECC), was granted commercial license in Q3-FY22.
Number of POS machines reached to 96,975 while the number of payment cards declined slightly to 47.2 million from 48.7 million from the last quarter.
E-banking volume and value grew by 2.6 per cent and 6.5 per cent respectively on Quarter-on-Quarter (QoQ) basis.
The number of internet banking users reached 7.6 million recording QoQ growth of 10.6 per cent. These users conducted 38.3 million transactions amounting to PKR 2,906.9 billion amounting to a quarterly growth of 13.5 per cent by volume and 19.9 per cent by value.
During the same quarter, 38.3 million POS transactions amounting to PKR 189.7 billion were conducted showing quarterly growth of 21.9 per cent by volume and 6.5 per cent by value.
A total of 9.1 million e-commerce transactions amounting to PKR 27.0 billion were conducted digitally showing quarterly growth in value by 1.3 per cent though volume decline by -32.7 per cent.
Number of ATMs increased by 1.1 per cent as compared to previous quarter. Value of ATM transactions amounted to PKR 2,437.0 billion of which 90.5 per cent transactions were related to cash withdrawals and 5.1 per cent related to Inter Bank Funds Transfer (IBFT).
The number of mobile banking users declined by -1.0 per cent reaching to 12.0 million. Over 101.5 million transactions valuing around PKR 3,085.8 billion were conducted via mobile banking channels during the quarter, showing a growth of 8.1 per cent by volume and 5.4 per cent by value.
Branch network of Banks and MFBs has reached to 16,788 branches, which includes 16,643 Real-Time Online Branches (RTOB), 48 manual branches and 97 overseas branches.
Value of total RTGS (PRISM) transactions during the quarter amounted PKR 155.7 trillion of which PKR 106.2 trillion were related to Government Securities.
