What is a payment gateway in Pakistan?
A payment gateway is the service that lets a website or app accept online payments. It passes the customer's card, Raast or bank payment securely to the banks for approval and settles the money into the merchant's bank account. In Pakistan, online payments run over three main rails: payment cards, Raast instant payments (including QR codes) and 1LINK bill payment through any bank's app, website or ATM.
- Offer more than cards. Many Pakistani customers prefer to pay from their bank app by Raast QR or 1LINK. A checkout that accepts all three rails converts more customers.
- Stripe does not support Pakistan-registered businesses, so Pakistani shops use local gateways, aggregators and bank services.
- Getting started is mostly paperwork: company documents, a business bank account and a website that shows your policies.
- Check where the money goes. Funds should settle directly into your own business account, not sit with a third party.
How do online payments work in Pakistan?
When a customer pays on your website, the payment travels over one of three rails. Each rail suits a different kind of customer, so the best checkouts offer all of them.
| Payment cards | Raast | 1LINK bill payment | |
|---|---|---|---|
| How the customer pays | Enters a Visa, Mastercard or UnionPay card on the checkout | Scans a QR code or approves a request in their bank or wallet app | Pays a bill or consumer number from any bank's app, internet banking or ATM |
| Who it suits | Card holders, including international customers | Anyone with a Pakistani bank or wallet account | Customers who pay bills through their bank, and invoices with due dates |
| Speed for the customer | Instant approval | Instant, account to account | Instant confirmation; funds clear daily |
| Run by | Card schemes and acquiring banks | State Bank of Pakistan | 1LINK, a licensed payment system operator |
What are the main payment gateway options in Pakistan?
Pakistani businesses usually choose from four kinds of provider:
- Bank gateways. Many banks offer their own online card acceptance to business customers who hold an account with them.
- Licensed payment service providers. Companies licensed to process card and digital payments for merchants across many banks.
- Mobile wallets. Wallet providers such as JazzCash and Easypaisa let their own users pay online.
- Payment aggregators. Platforms that combine several rails, such as cards, Raast QR, 1LINK and POS terminals, behind one checkout and one integration, so the merchant does not need a separate agreement for each.
The right choice depends on which rails your customers use, how quickly you need the money, and how much integration work you can take on. A single aggregator is usually the fastest way to accept every rail at once.
What is Raast, and can an online shop accept Raast payments?
Raast is Pakistan's instant payment system, built and run by the State Bank of Pakistan. Its person-to-merchant service (Raast P2M) lets customers pay a business instantly from their bank or wallet app, by scanning a static or dynamic QR code or approving a payment request. The State Bank launched Raast P2M in 2023 and told banks not to charge customers for these payments.
For an online shop, Raast QR means a customer without a card can still pay in seconds from the banking app they already use. Because the payment moves account to account, it avoids card processing.
How much does a payment gateway cost in Pakistan?
Providers price differently, so compare the full cost rather than one headline rate. Ask every provider about:
- Setup or onboarding fee: a one-time charge to open the merchant account.
- Transaction fees: a percentage of each payment, a flat fee per payment, or a mix, often different for cards, Raast and bank payments.
- Monthly or annual charges: some providers charge a fixed subscription whatever your volume.
- Settlement terms: how many days until the money reaches your account, and into whose account it goes.
- Refund and chargeback handling: what a disputed card payment costs you.
How to get a payment gateway in Pakistan, step by step
- Register your business. Most providers onboard registered companies, so have your company incorporation certificate ready.
- Open a business bank account. Ask your bank for an account maintenance certificate; settlements are paid into this account.
- Prepare your website. Show your products with prices, contact details, and refund, privacy and delivery policies. Providers review the site before approval.
- Collect owner documents. CNIC copies of all shareholders or directors and a recent utility bill for the business address.
- Apply and choose your rails. Submit the documents and choose which payment methods to accept: cards, Raast QR, 1LINK or all three.
- Integrate the checkout. Use a hosted checkout page, an embedded (iframe) checkout or the provider's API, then run test payments.
- Go live. Switch to live mode, place a small real order, and confirm the money reaches your bank account.
Hosted checkout, iframe or API: which integration suits your website?
| Integration | How it works | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Hosted checkout page | The customer is sent to the provider's secure payment page and returned to your site afterwards. | Fastest setup and least development work. Card data never touches your servers. |
| Embedded (iframe) checkout | The provider's payment form appears inside your own checkout page. | Shops that want customers to stay on their site, with card data still handled by the provider. |
| API | Your system creates payments and receives confirmations directly. | Custom websites, apps and marketplaces with their own developers. |
Shopify and WooCommerce stores can use a hosted or embedded checkout through a plugin where the provider offers one, or connect through the API with a developer's help.
How to choose a payment gateway in Pakistan: a checklist
- Rails: does it accept cards, Raast QR and bank payments, or only one of them?
- International cards: can customers abroad pay you?
- Settlement: does the money go directly into your own account, and how fast?
- Security: is card data handled on PCI-DSS certified infrastructure?
- Integration: hosted page, iframe and API options to match your website.
- Reconciliation: real-time payment alerts and daily reports across all rails in one place.
- Total cost: setup, transaction and monthly fees together, not one rate.
Accepting cards, Raast QR and 1LINK on one checkout with SmartPay
SmartPay, built by Teknoloje, is a payment aggregator that gives online shops and institutions one checkout and one integration for Pakistan's payment rails:
- Payment cards: Visa, Mastercard and UnionPay, including cards issued outside Pakistan.
- Raast QR: instant account-to-account payments from any Raast-enabled bank or wallet app.
- 1LINK bill payment: customers pay from any scheduled bank in Pakistan through 1LINK.
- POS terminals: for shops that also collect payments in person, in the same reconciliation view.
Online shops can use SmartPay's hosted checkout page, an embedded iframe checkout or the API. SmartPay is hosted on PCI-DSS certified servers, and payments settle directly into the merchant's own collection account through its settlement banks (Faysal Bank, Meezan Bank and JS Bank), so SmartPay never holds your money. More than 80 merchants process over PKR 14 billion ($50M+) a year through SmartPay. For the background, read the multi-rail payment revolution in Pakistan.
Sign up by 31 December 2026 and pay no setup fee.
Talk to the SmartPay team →Frequently asked questions
Which is the best payment gateway in Pakistan?
The best payment gateway in Pakistan is the one that accepts the ways your customers prefer to pay, settles directly into your own account and fits your website. For most online shops that means accepting payment cards, Raast QR and 1LINK bank payments through one checkout, with clear setup and transaction fees.
Does Stripe work in Pakistan?
No. As of October 2026, Pakistan is not on Stripe's list of supported countries, so a business registered in Pakistan cannot open a Stripe account. Pakistani businesses use local gateways, aggregators and banks instead.
Can a Pakistani online shop accept international cards?
Yes. Pakistani payment providers that support international card acceptance let customers abroad pay with Visa, Mastercard and other cards. SmartPay accepts international cards on its checkout.
What documents do I need for a payment gateway in Pakistan?
Online shops typically need a company incorporation certificate, a bank account maintenance certificate, a recent utility bill and CNIC copies of all shareholders or directors, along with a website that shows products, prices, contact details and refund and privacy policies.
Is Raast free for merchants?
The State Bank of Pakistan told banks not to charge customers for Raast person-to-merchant payments. Charges to merchants depend on the bank or payment provider, so ask your provider for its Raast pricing.