ISLAMABAD: Pakistan is seeking to attract Chinese fintech investment as it accelerates a broader push to expand digital finance, improve access to credit for small businesses and modernize its largely cash-based economy, the information ministry said on Thursday.

The move was underscored during a meeting in Islamabad between Federal Minister for the Board of Investment Qaiser Ahmed Sheikh and a delegation from Fintopia China, a financial technology firm exploring potential entry into Pakistan’s digital finance market. The outreach comes as the government places increasing emphasis on technology-led growth and foreign investment, particularly in financial services, amid efforts to boost financial inclusion and support small and medium-sized enterprises. Pakistan has in recent years expanded branchless banking, digital wallets and mobile payment systems, while also rolling out regulatory reforms aimed at improving the ease of doing business.

Fintopia is a China-based financial technology group that operates digital lending and consumer finance platforms across several emerging markets, according to company information. China hosts one of the world’s largest fintech ecosystems, driven by mass adoption of mobile payments, digital credit and data-driven financial services, while Pakistan’s fintech sector, though far smaller, has grown rapidly as smartphone use rises and demand for digital financial services expands.

“The delegation expressed keen interest in initiating its digital financing venture in Pakistan and in exploring structured collaboration with relevant public and private sector stakeholders,” the information ministry said, quoting minister Sheikh.

The meeting between Sheikh and the Fintopia China delegation took place in Islamabad and followed the company’s participation in a Pakistan-China business-to-business investment conference held in Beijing in September during Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s visit to China, according to the ministry.

During the talks, Pakistani officials highlighted the country’s market potential, noting that Pakistan is the world’s fifth most populous nation and presents growing opportunities for digital financial services, particularly for small businesses and youth-led enterprises. The delegation was briefed on government reforms, including the Business Facilitation Center and the Asaan Karobar Act, aimed at reducing regulatory hurdles for investors.

Officials also outlined investment incentives available in Pakistan’s special economic zones and reiterated government support for foreign companies seeking to launch pilot projects or long-term digital financing operations in the country, the ministry said.

Pakistan has repeatedly described technology and digital finance as central to its long-term economic strategy, as it seeks to widen the tax base, formalize the economy and improve access to credit for underserved segments of the population.