Pakistan Fintech Network

What Pakistan Fintech Network does

Pakistan Fintech Network (PFN) is a SECP-licensed, private industry association headquartered in Islamabad, founded in March 2021 and formally licensed on April 22, 2021. It operates as a knowledge hub, advocacy body, and convening platform for Pakistan's fintech ecosystem, connecting regulators (SECP, SBP, NADRA, FBR), banks (UBL, Bank Alfalah, JS Bank, Bank of Punjab, Faysal Bank), telco microfinance banks (Easypaisa, JazzCash), payment switch operators (1Link, Euronet), EMIs, insurtechs, agritechs, and fintech startups. PFN is governed by a 14-member Board chaired by Syed Nadeem Hussain, with a five-person operational team led by CEO Fahad Sajid.

PFN delivers its mission through four pillars — Knowledge Management (publications and policy papers), Enabling Environment (regulator and donor liaison), Networking Platform (flagship events and roundtables), and Idea Hub (innovation and educational programming). Its core products are three recurring flagship conference series — the Pakistan Fintech Forum (3 editions), the Pakistan Insurtech Summit (3 editions), and the Annual Agritech Conference (2 editions) — supplemented by working groups (Agritech), advocacy programs (Fintech Support Forum / FintechForward 2.0), publications on topics such as BISP digital divide, Islamic Finance, E-commerce fintech, and cybersecurity, and a tiered membership program spanning payments, lending, insurtech, EMIs, RegTech, and robo-advisory verticals.

PFN's revenue model combines annual membership dues (structured by member-company revenue brackets: under PKR 10M, PKR 10–100M, above PKR 100M), event sponsorship packages (Title, Platinum, Gold, Silver, Bronze, plus functional categories such as Digital Transformation and Financial Inclusion), and development grants — most notably a grant commitment from Karandaaz Pakistan in September 2022. Distribution is primarily domestic (Karachi and Islamabad), with regional reach via a strategic partnership with the MENA Fintech Association signed in May 2021, plus academic and incubation partnerships (University of Lahore, National Incubation Center Teamup).

Name

Pakistan Fintech Network

Legal name

Pakistan Fintech Network

Website

https://pfn.org.pk

Company type

Private

Founded year

2021

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Pakistan Fintech Network (PFN) is a SECP-licensed industry association that convenes Pakistan's banks, telcos, EMIs, fintech startups, and regulators through flagship forums, working groups, publications, and a tiered membership program.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Fintech Industry Association

NAICS

Computer Systems Design and Related Services (54151)

akta.pro primary industry

Financial Education & Coaching (Digital Programs, Tools) (FSAGADAH)

Keywords

• Fintech industry association
• Policy advocacy services
• Industry research publications
• Conference event services
• Ecosystem convening services

Headquarters

HQ city

Islamabad

HQ country

Pakistan

HQ region

Asia

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Membership Dues: Annual membership fees from fintech companies and partners across revenue tiers: Less than PKR 10 million, Between PKR 10 to 100 million, Above PKR 100 million. Required for full body members with voting rights.
2. Grants and Program Funding: Grants from development partners (e.g., Karandaaz Pakistan committed a grant for execution and running of PFN's fintech development program in 2022).
3. Event Sponsorships: Tiered sponsorship packages for flagship events (Pakistan Fintech Forum, Pakistan Insurtech Summit, Agritech Conference) — Title, Platinum, Gold, Silver, Bronze, Strategic, Digital Transformation, Financial Inclusion, Media partners.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Pakistan Fintech Network (PFN) is a SECP-licensed industry association that convenes Pakistan's fintech ecosystem through a tiered membership program, three flagship annual conferences (Pakistan Fintech Forum, Pakistan Insurtech Summit, Annual Agritech Conference), the Fintech Support Forum advocacy platform, sector working groups (notably Agritech), policy and research publications, and webinars. The association acts as a unified industry voice for regulatory dialogue with SECP, SBP, NADRA, and FBR, while providing networking, knowledge dissemination, and capacity-building services to banks, EMIs, PSOs, telcos, fintech startups, and enablers.

Product overview

Pakistan Fintech Network (PFN) operates a non-software industry-association platform-plus-programs portfolio rather than a single unified software product. Its core offering is the SECP-licensed association services delivered through four pillars — Knowledge Management, Enabling Environment, Networking Platform, and Idea Hub — that frame all of PFN's downstream programs. On top of that core, PFN runs three flagship annual conferences (the Pakistan Fintech Forum, the Pakistan Insurtech Summit, and the Annual Agritech Conference), the Fintech Support Forum advocacy program (with an active 2nd Round in 2024), sector-specific Working Groups (notably the Agritech Working Group), a PFN Membership Program that onboards fintechs, banks, telcos, and EMIs, an ongoing Publications program producing research papers and articles, and Webinars covering topics such as Women-Centric Product and Channel Design. Together, these programs connect, collaborate with, create for, and catalyze the Pakistani fintech ecosystem in line with PFN's stated mission and vision.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• PFN Membership Program Annual membership onboarding program for Pakistani fintech companies, banks, telcos, EMIs, PSOs, and enablers, providing representation, knowledge access, networking, and advocacy benefits. Membership is structured into revenue-based tiers (less than PKR 10M, PKR 10-100M, above PKR 100M) and categorized by business nature (Payments, Digital Lending, InsurTech, EMI, RegTech, Robo-Advisers, Cryptocurrencies and Blockchain, PSO/PSP, Billing Aggregator, etc.), with full-body voting rights for qualifying members.
• Pakistan Fintech Forum PFN's flagship annual conference bringing together regulators, banks, fintechs, telcos, and investors for keynote speeches, panel discussions, fireside chats, and networking. Editions include the 1st Forum (November 23, 2022, Karachi), the 2nd Forum (February 29, 2024, Karachi), and the 3rd Forum (July 2025, Karachi, themed 'Fintech for All: Tech, AI and Future of Fintech').
• Pakistan Insurtech Summit Annual insurtech-focused summit organized by PFN in collaboration with SECP and the Insurance Association of Pakistan, featuring panels on leadership, embedded insurance, AI-driven personalization in insurance, and prevention. Editions include the 1st Summit (October 2023), 2nd Summit (2024), and 3rd Summit (November 26, 2025, Karachi).
• Annual Agritech Conference Annual agriculture-technology conference convened by PFN to bring together stakeholders across the agricultural value chain, covering crop yield, water scarcity, livestock and dairy, women in agriculture, precision farming, agri-finance, and agri-insurance. Editions include the 1st Conference (2022, 'Agri-tech: Empowering the rural farmers') and the 2nd Conference (2023, 'Revitalizing Agriculture in Pakistan').
• Fintech Support Forum PFN-led advocacy program that provides fintech startups with structured support, guidance, and resources by bringing together regulators, established players, and enablers to address challenges such as licensing, KYC, funding, gender mainstreaming, cybersecurity, consumer trust, and interoperability. The 2nd Round (FintechForward 2.0: Navigating Industry Challenges) was launched to address cash-in/cash-out, capping, NADRA fees, fintech unit economics, FBR barriers, common QR interoperability, and financial viability of fintech players.
• PFN Publications Ongoing research and thought-leadership output comprising policy papers and articles on topics including freelancing as a fintech opportunity, Islamic finance and digital transformation, BISP digital divide, e-commerce fintech blueprint, agritech, fintech security (cybersecurity for fintechs), and key fintech challenges in Pakistan. Authors include Dr. Azima Khan, Maham Fatima, and Pligence.
• PFN Webinars Recurring educational webinar program featuring subject-matter experts on digital technology and fintech topics (e.g., Women-Centric Product and Channel Design, Digital Technology, Fintech Support Forum sessions) used as part of PFN's 'Idea Hub' content and knowledge-sharing mission.
• Agritech Working Group PFN working group focused on the agriculture sector, connecting agritech companies, traditional value chain players, and policy stakeholders to identify challenges in digitizing the agricultural value chain, improve farmer access to technology and finance, and reduce information asymmetry.

Quantifiable outcome

• Licensed by SECP within first year of operations (April 22, 2021)
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers27 records

Segments7 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

19 partnerships are on record, tiered minor, core and flagship.

• University of LahoreminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023PFN signed an MOU with the University of Lahore during a Fintech Training session. The partnership establishes a Fintech Association within the university, enabling PFN to help students materialize ideas and supporting UOL's ambition to become a cashless campus.
• National Incubation Center (Teamup)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 10 June 2021PFN and National Incubation Center (Teamup) signed an MoU on June 10, 2021 to promote the fintech startup ecosystem in Pakistan. The collaboration prioritizes, strategizes, and uplifts the fintech industry for a sustainable fintech environment by linking startups with regulators and industry stakeholders.
• MENA Fintech AssociationcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 26 May 2021PFN signed a strategic partnership with the MENA Fintech Association (a collaboration platform for fintechs covering the Middle East and Africa) on May 26, 2021. The partnership extends PFN's regional reach and supports cross-border knowledge exchange between Pakistani and MENA-region fintech ecosystems.
• Securities & Exchange Commission of Pakistan (SECP)flagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 22 April 2021SECP issued PFN an official license on April 22, 2021. As Pakistan's capital markets and corporate regulator, SECP also oversees the insurance sector; senior SECP officials (e.g., Commissioner Mujtaba Lodhi, Zeeshan Khattak) participate as speakers at PFN's Insurtech Summits and Fintech Forums. The relationship is foundational to PFN's regulatory legitimacy.
• Codebase TechnologyminorGTM or Marketing PartnerGold Partner at Pakistan Fintech Forum III (July 2025, Karachi). Raheel Iqbal (Managing Partner) participated on the AI-Ignited Panel.
• DigiKhataminorGTM or Marketing PartnerGold Partner at Pakistan Fintech Forum III (July 2025). Adnan Aslam (Founder & CEO) participated on the Youth Dividend panel.
• Euronet PakistancoreGTM or Marketing PartnerDigital Transformation Partner at Pakistan Fintech Forum III (July 2025). Kashif Gaya (CEO) sits on the PFN Board of Directors and spoke on the Youth Dividend panel.
• 1LinkcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerStrategic Partner at Pakistan Fintech Forum III (July 2025). Najeeb Agrawalla (CEO) is on the PFN Board; Syed Suleman Hasan (CSO) moderated the Youth Dividend panel.
• SwichminorGTM or Marketing PartnerFinancial Inclusion Partner at Pakistan Fintech Forum III (July 2025). Muhammad Raza (Chief Growth Officer) moderated Panel 1.
• ThalesminorGTM or Marketing PartnerBronze Partner at Pakistan Fintech Forum III (July 2025). Abdul Basit (Regional Business Owner — Europe and CISMEA — Digital Payments) participated on the Youth Dividend panel.
• SafepayminorGTM or Marketing PartnerBronze Partner at Pakistan Fintech Forum III (July 2025). Iman Urooj (COO) spoke on Panel 1 (Banks & Fintechs).
• SimpaisaminorGTM or Marketing PartnerBronze Partner at Pakistan Fintech Forum III (July 2025). Ahsan Hussain (Country Head) spoke on the AI-Ignited Panel.
• MYCOminorGTM or Marketing PartnerBronze Partner at Pakistan Fintech Forum III (July 2025). Umair Masoom Usmani (Founder & MD) spoke on the Youth Dividend panel.
• United Bank Limited (UBL)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerBronze Partner at Pakistan Fintech Forum III (July 2025). Founding Member of PFN; Tughral Amir Turab Ali (EVP/Head of UBL Pay) sits on PFN Board and spoke on Panel 1.
• Bank of Punjab (BOP)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerBronze Partner at Pakistan Fintech Forum III (July 2025). Founding Member of PFN; Faisal Ejaz Khan (CIO) sits on PFN Board and spoke on the AI-Ignited Panel.
• NuktaminorGTM or Marketing PartnerMedia Partner at Pakistan Fintech Forum III (July 2025). Provides earned-media coverage of PFN events.
• Fintech News Outreach & EngagementminorGTM or Marketing PartnerMedia Partner at Pakistan Fintech Forum III (July 2025). Provides earned-media coverage and amplification of PFN events.
• EFU General / EFU Life / Salaam Takaful (Insurtech Summit III sponsors)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerBronze Sponsors at the Pakistan Insurtech Summit III (November 26, 2025, Karachi). Supports PFN's insurtech vertical convening under SECP oversight.
• Teamup (NIC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational Incubation Center Teamup — sister ecosystem entity co-promoting the Pakistani fintech startup landscape via MoU signed June 10, 2021.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• MENA Fintech Association: Regional fintech industry association covering the Middle East and Africa. Directly comparable as a membership-driven, event-led industry body, and notably also a strategic partner of PFN via shared leadership (Nameer Khan chairs both MFTA and serves as PFN Independent Director).
• Karandaaz Pakistan: Pakistan-based development finance institution focused on financial inclusion and fintech ecosystem development. Directly comparable as a grant-funder and ecosystem builder; also PFN's most significant disclosed funding partner (2022 grant).
• Fintech Australia: Australian fintech industry association with member tiers, advocacy, and the annual Intersect conference. Closely mirrors PFN's combination of membership dues, policy work, and flagship event programming.
• Singapore Fintech Association: National fintech industry association providing member services, policy advocacy, and flagship events (Singapore Fintech Festival ecosystem). Directly comparable in mission, structure, and event-led GTM to PFN's Pakistan Fintech Forum model.
• Bahrain FinTech Bay: Bahrain-based fintech ecosystem builder with regulator-backed status (CBB partnership). Comparable as a licensed/regulator-aligned industry hub that runs flagship convening events and working groups across fintech verticals.

Regional players

• Africa Fintech Network: Pan-African umbrella network of national fintech associations. Comparable as an ecosystem convener across emerging markets; relevant context for PFN's aspiration to participate in cross-border knowledge exchange beyond Pakistan.
• Indonesia FinTech Association (AFTECH): Indonesian fintech industry association with regulatory engagement and event programming. Comparable as a Southeast Asian peer in mission and structure, though serving a different geography than PFN.
• India Fintech Foundation (formerly India FinTech Association): Indian fintech industry body focused on policy advocacy and ecosystem building. Comparable in South Asian regional context and similar mandate around payments, lending, insurtech, and digital financial inclusion, though India is a far larger and more mature market than Pakistan.

Others

• Pakistan Software Export Board (PSEB): Government-affiliated body supporting Pakistan's IT and software export industry. Adjacent rather than directly comparable — overlaps with PFN in policy advocacy and ecosystem events, but is broader (IT/ITES) and government-linked rather than member-funded.

Broad incumbents

• NASSCOM (Fintech vertical): India's largest IT/fintech industry body running policy advocacy, research, and large-scale conferences. Comparable as a broader industry association with a fintech-focused vertical, though much larger and older than PFN.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/pfn_org
• Facebookfacebook.com/pakistanfintechnetwork
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/pakistan-fintech-network
• Instagraminstagram.com/pfn_org_pk

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles19 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Pakistan Fintech Network