How to Accept Online Payments in Pakistan: Raast QR, Wallets and Cards Explained

Ten years ago, “accepting online payments” in Pakistan mostly meant asking customers for a bank transfer and waiting for a screenshot. Today a small business can take money through Raast, mobile wallets, debit and credit cards and payment links — often without a card machine or even a website. The choice is wider, but it is also more confusing.

This guide explains each payment method in plain language: how it works for your customer, how and when the money reaches you, what it typically costs, and when it makes sense to use it.

The main ways to get paid online

Raast and Raast QR

Raast is Pakistan’s instant payment system, run by the State Bank of Pakistan. It moves money between bank accounts (and many wallet accounts) in seconds, at any hour, including weekends. Customers can pay to a Raast ID — usually a mobile number linked to an account — or by scanning a Raast QR code in their own banking app.

For a business, Raast QR is the closest thing to digital cash. The customer scans the code at the counter or on an invoice, confirms the amount in their banking app, and the money lands in your account almost immediately. There is no card to swipe and no machine to rent.

• Best for: shops, restaurants, home businesses, school fees, service visits — anywhere the customer has a bank or wallet app on their phone.
• Settlement: instant, straight to the account.
• Watch out for: fake “payment successful” screenshots. Always confirm the credit in your own app or dashboard before handing over goods, not on the customer’s phone.

Mobile wallets

Mobile wallets such as JazzCash and Easypaisa are used by millions of people who may not use internet banking at all. A customer can pay from their wallet balance through the app, by USSD on a basic phone in some cases, or by depositing cash at a retailer. For businesses that sell to a broad public — especially outside big cities — accepting wallets reaches customers that card and bank payments miss.

• Best for: e-commerce, utility-style payments, customers without cards.
• Settlement: depends on the provider and your merchant agreement — often the next working day to your bank account.
• Watch out for: transaction limits on wallet accounts, which can stop larger payments.

Debit and credit cards

Cards are still the default for online shopping on websites and for customers paying from abroad. Card payments go through a payment gateway, which checks the card, asks the bank for approval (often with a one-time password), and later settles the money to you.

• Best for: online stores, subscriptions, overseas customers.
• Settlement: usually a few working days, on the processor’s settlement cycle.
• Cost: a percentage per transaction (the merchant discount rate), which varies with card type and volume.
• Watch out for: chargebacks — a customer can dispute a card payment with their bank, so keep proof of delivery.

Payment links

A payment link is a web address you send by WhatsApp, SMS or email. The customer opens it, sees the amount and what it is for, and pays using whichever method they prefer. Links are ideal if you sell through Instagram, Facebook or WhatsApp and do not have a website, or if you invoice clients for services.

Website checkout

If you run an online store, the gateway can be built into your checkout so customers pay without leaving your site. Most gateways offer plugins for common store platforms and an API for custom sites. This takes the most setup but gives the smoothest experience.

Comparing the options

What a business needs to start

Requirements differ between providers, but you should expect to provide:

• a bank account in the business’s or owner’s name, where settlements will be paid;
• the owner’s CNIC, and for companies the registration documents (for example SECP incorporation) and NTN if you have one;
• a description of what you sell, and your website or social media page if you have one;
• for some categories, additional licences or proof of address.

This “know your customer” check is required by regulation and protects both you and your customers. Keep scanned copies of these documents ready as a single PDF — our guide on turning phone photos of documents into a PDF shows how to do it neatly.

Keeping track of what you receive

The hidden cost of online payments is reconciliation: matching every incoming payment to an order or a customer. When payments come through several channels, this can eat an hour a day. A few habits help:

• Put an order or invoice number in the payment reference, or use one payment link per order.
• Use one dashboard that shows all methods together rather than checking each app separately.
• Record payments against the customer’s ledger the same day, so udhaar balances stay correct. Our guide to moving your khata to an app covers this in more detail.
• Check settlements against the dashboard weekly, so any missing or delayed payout is spotted early.

Staying safe

• Never share OTPs or passwords with anyone, including people claiming to be from your bank or payment provider.
• Confirm before you deliver. Check the credit in your own account, not a screenshot.
• Use separate staff logins so refunds and settings can only be changed by the owner.
• Keep records of deliveries and receipts in case of disputes.

Which method should you choose?

For most small businesses the answer is “more than one”. A sensible starting point is Raast QR for the counter and for invoices (it is instant and has no card machine), plus payment links for customers who want to pay by wallet or card. Add website checkout when online orders justify it.

Asaan Pay brings these together: Raast QR, payment links and card and wallet payments (currently processed through the JazzCash payment gateway) in one dashboard, with settlement in Pakistani Rupees.