Millions of Pakistani’s may lose access to their digital bank accounts and mobile wallets from October 25, 2025, as the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) begins enforcing new rules that require biometric verification for all account holders.
The SBP issued these updated regulations in July 2025 under BPRD Circular No. 1, making biometric verification the main method of customer identification. These rules apply to all banks, digital banks, microfinance banks, development finance institutions (DFIs), and electronic money institutions.
This change aims to improve the security of account openings, prevent money laundering, and stop terrorism financing.
Earlier, account holders had 60 days to complete biometric verification before their debit transactions were blocked. Now, under the new policy, anyone who has not completed their verification by October 25 could instantly lose access to their accounts — meaning they won’t be able to send or receive money.
Experts believe that this rule could affect millions of users, including those with foreign currency and Roshan Digital Accounts.
The SBP’s new ‘Consolidated Customer Onboarding Framework’ applies to both in-branch and remote account openings, for individuals and companies, and covers both local and foreign currency accounts. It ensures a single standard for customer checks, no matter how the account was opened.
Financial institutions were given three months to meet the new standards. The SBP has not announced any extension, so users who haven’t completed their biometric verification yet are strongly advised to do so immediately to avoid losing access to their accounts.