Millions of Pakistanis risk losing access to their digital bank accounts and wallets from tomorrow as a result of new biometric verification regulations introduced by the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) on October 25, 2025.
According to the SBP’s updated rules, which were issued on July 1st of this year under BPRD Circular No 1 For 2025, customer identification will be carried out through biometric verification at all banks, digital banks, microfinance banks and development finance institutions as well as electronic money institutions from now on as a matter of course.
The move is arranged so as to make account opening and onboarding processes easier and faster, strengthen AML/CFT controls.
Previously account holders had up to 60 days to complete biometric verification before encountering a debit stop. Under the new system introduced by the SBP if you have not finished your biometric verification process by 25 October you may start encountering immediate problems including not being able to receive or send funds.
