National Savings

What National Savings does

National Savings, formally the Central Directorate of National Savings (CDNS), is an Attached Department of the Ministry of Finance, Government of Pakistan, established under the Government Savings Bank Act of 1873. Headquartered in Islamabad and operating across 12 Regional Directorates with 376 National Savings Centers, it describes itself as Pakistan's largest public-sector financial institution, managing a portfolio of over Rs. 3.4 trillion and serving more than 4 million customers. The organization runs the National Savings Schemes on behalf of the government, functioning primarily as a savings-mobilization channel that finances the federal budgetary deficit while extending a social-security net to vulnerable segments.

The product suite spans four pillars: conventional National Savings Certificates (Defence, Behbood, Regular Income, Special, Short Term), savings accounts (Savings, Pensioners Benefit, Special Savings, Shuhada Family Welfare), prize bonds across six denominations including Premium Prize Bonds of Rs. 25,000 and Rs. 40,000, and the Sharia-compliant Rafa National Savings window offering Sarwa Islamic Savings Account (SISA) and Sarwa Islamic Term Account (SITA) under a Wakala-bil-Istismar structure with Shariah board oversight. Specialized instruments target widows, senior citizens aged 60+, disabled persons, government pensioners, and families of Shuhadas (martyrs), with corresponding exemptions from withholding tax and Zakat.

The technology layer rests on integrations with State Bank of Pakistan's RAAST instant payment system, NIFT, CDC Pakistan for digital scripless issuance, 1Link/UnionPay for a debit card accepted at 12,000+ ATMs and 50,000+ POS terminals, and a 2025-launched National Savings Digital mobile application and internet banking portal. Distribution combines the 376-branch direct network with commercial bank and SBP-BSC resellers for prize bonds and selected certificates. Revenue mechanics rest on intermediation spread between the profit rates paid to certificate holders (10.00%–12.96% across products as of July 2026) and the deployment of mobilized funds by the Ministry of Finance; FY 2024-25 gross receipts totaled Rs. 1,477,073 Million (PKR ~1.48 trillion) with net receipts of Rs. 259,069 Million.

Name

National Savings

Legal name

Central Directorate of National Savings

Website

https://savings.gov.pk

Company type

Private

Founded year

1873

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

National Savings (Central Directorate of National Savings) is a government of Pakistan ministry-attached department operating government-backed savings certificates, accounts, prize bonds, and Sharia-compliant products for over 4 million retail savers through 376 branches and a digital platform.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Retail Savings and Investment

NAICS

Savings Institutions and Other Depository Credit Intermediation (52218), Finance and Insurance (52)

SIC

Savings Institutions, Not Federally Chartered (6036)

akta.pro primary industry

Savings Banks (Public/State-Owned) (FSABAKAK)

akta.pro secondary industries

Islamic Deposit & Account Products (Current/Savings/Investment Accounts) (FSABAGAI), Shariah Governance, Compliance & Advisory (Shariah Boards, Audit, Fatwa) (FSABAGAJ), Government Bonds & Agencies (Sovereigns, Supras, Munis) (FSAAAHAA)

Keywords

• Government savings schemes
• Retail savings certificates
• Prize bonds
• Islamic savings products
• Pensioner benefit accounts

Headquarters

HQ city

Islamabad

HQ country

Pakistan

HQ region

Asia

Offices13 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Profit/Interest Income from Savings Products: CDNS generates returns through profit rates paid to investors on various savings certificates (Defence Savings Certificates, Behbood Savings Certificates, Regular Income Certificates, Special Savings Certificates, Short Term Savings Certificates) and accounts (Savings Account, Special Savings Account, Pensioners Benefit Account, Shuhada Family Welfare Account). These are government-backed instruments offering periodic profit payments.
2. Prize Bond Cash Prizes: Prize bonds (Rs.100, Rs.200, Rs.750, Rs.1500 denominations and Premium Prize Bonds Rs.25,000 and Rs.40,000) offer periodic cash prize opportunities to investors. Draws are conducted quarterly or as per schedule.
3. Digital Products: Digital versions of certificates and savings accounts offered through the mobile app and internet banking platform with profit rate of 5.84% and quarterly prize draws.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

National Savings operates as a government-attached savings institution that issues and manages government-backed savings certificates, savings accounts, prize bonds, and Sharia-compliant (Islamic) investment products for Pakistani citizens and overseas Pakistanis. Its offerings span fixed-term certificates (Defence, Behbood, Regular Income, Special, Short Term), welfare and pension accounts (Pensioners Benefit, Shuhada Family Welfare), and a regulated lottery-style savings instrument (Prize Bonds in Rs. 100 to Rs. 40,000 denominations), distributed through 376 branches, partner commercial banks, SBP-BSC offices, and digital channels.

Product overview

National Savings Pakistan (Central Directorate of National Savings) is Pakistan's largest financial institution with a portfolio of over Rs. 3.4 trillion serving over 4 million valued customers through 376 branches administered by 12 Regional Directorates. Founded under the Government Savings Bank Act 1873, it is one of the country's oldest institutions with over 140 years of legacy. The company offers a comprehensive suite of savings and investment products including: National Savings Certificates (Defence Savings Certificates, Behbood Savings Certificates, Regular Income Certificates, Special Savings Certificates, Short Term Savings Certificates); National Savings Accounts (Savings Account, Pensioners Benefit Account, Special Savings Account, Shuhada Family Welfare Account); Rafa National Savings Islamic products (Sarwa Islamic Savings Account, Sarwa Islamic Term Account in 1/3/5-year tenures); Prize Bonds in multiple denominations (Rs. 100, 200, 750, 1,500, Premium Rs. 25,000, Premium Rs. 40,000); and Digital Products (Digital Special Savings Certificates, Digital Regular Income Certificates, Digital Short Term Savings Certificates, Digital Sarwa Islamic Term Account). All conventional products feature government guarantee, while Islamic products operate under Shariah board governance using Wakala-bil-Istismar structure.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Rafa National Savings (RNS): Dedicated Islamic window offering Sharia-compliant savings solutions including Sarwa Islamic Savings Account (SISA) and Sarwa Islamic Term Account (SITA). Works under the guidance of a Shariah board.
• Premium Prize Bonds
• National Savings Digital

Quantifiable outcome

• Rs.3.4+ trillion in assets under management
• +3 more outcomes

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration5 records

Feature6 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and supporting.

• State Bank of Pakistan (SBP)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSBP works with CDNS for issuance and management of prize bonds. SBP-BSC offices serve as distribution points for prize bonds across Pakistan. SBP also involved in Raast payment system integration for CDNS profit payments and encashment.
• Central Depository Company (CDC) PakistancoreTechnology or IntegrationPartnership for digital scripless issuance of National Savings Certificates (Special Savings Certificates, Defence Savings Certificates, Regular Income Certificates) through CDC's book-entry system, enabling centralized portfolio management and streamlined transfer, redemption, and pledging processes.
• Commercial BanksmajorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorAuthorized commercial bank branches across Pakistan distribute prize bonds and Premium Prize Bonds. Banks also handle prize bond encashment and serve as points of sale for National Savings products.
• Ministry of Finance, Government of PakistancoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMinistry of Finance is the issuer of all National Savings products. Investment arrangements under Islamic products (SISA, SITA) are managed by MoF as agent under Wakala-bil-Istismar structure.
• 1Link NetworksupportingTechnology or Integration1Link ATM network enables CDNS UnionPay Debit Card holders to withdraw cash from over 12,000 ATMs nationwide.
• UnionPay InternationalsupportingTechnology or IntegrationPartnership for UnionPay debit card issuance enabling nationwide acceptance at ATMs and POS terminals (over 50,000 locations).

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves10 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• MCB Bank: Major Pakistani commercial bank with strong retail deposit franchise offering savings accounts and term deposits that compete head-to-head with National Savings certificates.
• Meezan Bank: Pakistan's leading Islamic bank, comparable to Rafa National Savings' Sharia-compliant product line (SISA, SITA) and the most direct competitor in the Islamic retail deposit segment.
• United Bank Limited: One of Pakistan's largest private banks with a broad retail deposit product suite including savings accounts and certificates, serving a similar mass-market customer base.
• Habib Bank Limited: Pakistan's largest private-sector bank with extensive branch network and retail deposit products that directly compete with National Savings certificates for household savings.
• Bank Al Habib: Mid-to-large Pakistani commercial bank with a strong retail deposit franchise offering competitive savings products to similar general-public and senior-citizen segments.
• Bank Alfalah: Privately-owned Pakistani commercial bank with full retail deposit offerings including savings accounts and term deposits, competing directly with National Savings for retail savings.
• National Savings Bank (Sri Lanka): Sri Lankan state-owned savings bank offering government-guaranteed savings products and prize bonds, structurally nearly identical to National Savings Pakistan in mandate and product design.
• National Bank of Pakistan: Pakistan's largest state-owned commercial bank, similarly government-controlled and serving retail depositors with comparable savings and certificate products. Most direct local peer given shared state ownership and similar retail customer base.

Broad incumbents

• Standard Chartered Pakistan: International bank with Pakistani operations offering savings and time deposits to retail and priority banking segments, competing for higher-income savers that National Savings also targets.
• India Post Payments Bank: Indian government-backed postal payments bank offering savings accounts and government-backed small savings schemes through post office branches—the closest international analog to National Savings' institutional model.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/savingsgovpk
• YouTubeyoutube.com/@nationalsavingsofficial
• Facebookfacebook.com/nationalsavingsofficial
• Instagraminstagram.com/nationalsavingsofficial
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/cdns

Compliance9 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about National Savings