The State Bank of Pakistan’s nationwide Go Cashless campaign generated more than Rs. 34 billion in digital transactions during the Eid ul Azha season, highlighting growing public acceptance of digital payment solutions in one of the country’s most cash intensive markets.
The campaign was implemented across 123 cattle markets nationwide, where more than 480,000 transactions were conducted through digital payment channels. The initiative marked a significant expansion from last year, when the program covered 54 cattle markets.
To facilitate the campaign, 22 participating banks established dedicated camps and kiosks inside cattle markets. Banks onboarded cattle sellers, transporters, and related service providers through real time biometric verification and provided QR codes to enable the receipt of digital payments. Mobile banking vans equipped with ATMs, cash counters, and cash deposit machines were also deployed at selected locations to provide on site banking services.
The central bank supported the initiative by deploying teams across cattle markets around the clock to assist banks and address operational issues. It also temporarily increased transaction limits between May 14 and June 5 to facilitate higher value cattle purchases during the Eid season. A nationwide awareness campaign across television, radio, print, and social media platforms was launched to encourage the use of digital payment methods.
According to the SBP, the campaign delivered substantial growth compared with last year. The number of digital transactions increased from approximately 65,000 in 2025 to 481,000 in 2026, while the total transaction value rose from Rs. 4.6 billion to Rs. 34 billion. The initiative also resulted in the opening of around 12,500 new accounts for cattle farmers and related service providers.
The central bank said the strong growth reflects increasing confidence in digital financial services and demonstrates the effectiveness of efforts to digitize traditionally cash based sectors of the economy. The success of the campaign is expected to support broader adoption of secure, efficient, and inclusive digital payment solutions in seasonal and high volume markets across Pakistan.
