HABIBMETRO Bank has selected BPC’s SmartVista platform to support its next stage of payments modernisation in Pakistan.
The Karachi-based bank, formally Habib Metropolitan Bank, will use SmartVista to enhance its issuing capabilities, strengthen transaction processing and support new digital payment services.
HABIBMETRO is one of Pakistan’s top trade finance banks and operates more than 560 branches. The bank said the move forms part of a broader digital transformation programme designed to give it a more scalable technology base for payments growth.
The project comes as Pakistan’s banking sector continues to invest in digital financial services under the State Bank of Pakistan’s Vision 2028 agenda, which aims to support a more technologically advanced and inclusive financial system.
Issuing and processing upgrade
Through SmartVista, HABIBMETRO plans to expand its card and digital payment services across a single integrated platform.
The bank expects to use the system to support modern card programmes, including physical debit cards and virtual cards. It will also use the platform to meet certification and scheme requirements across international payment networks and PayPak, Pakistan’s domestic payment scheme.
HABIBMETRO also plans to strengthen acceptance readiness across its ATM and branch point-of-sale network.
The bank said the new platform will support stronger scalability, faster transaction response times, improved compliance and more standardisation across its payments operations. HABIBMETRO is already processing more than 3.25 million transactions a day, with volumes continuing to grow.
Opening banking rails
The project also includes the SmartVista Integration Platform, a payment-specific enterprise bus designed to help the bank connect its banking rails with conventional and non-conventional entities.
HABIBMETRO plans to use the platform to support tokenisation for card-based transactions, as well as faster integration with fintechs, bill aggregators and remittance companies.
The bank also expects the upgrade to support future services including international card ATM acquiring, card-based loyalty programmes and Google Pay.
For HABIBMETRO’s more than 850,000 cardholders, the bank said the upgrade will support more advanced card propositions, internationally branded cards and improved transaction performance as payment volumes increase.
SmartVista in emerging payment markets
The HABIBMETRO project adds to BPC’s recent work across emerging payment markets, where banks and national infrastructure providers are upgrading legacy systems to support faster, interoperable digital payments.
In Ethiopia, EthSwitch, the country’s national payment switch, recently reported that EthioPay-IPS had passed one million transactions in a single day, with total value exceeding ETB 5billion. The platform, powered by BPC’s SmartVista technology, also received The Asian Banker’s Best Financial Inclusion Technology Initiative in Africa for 2026 award.
EthioPay-IPS supports interoperable instant payments across Ethiopia, including account-to-account transfers, wallet-to-wallet transfers, ETHQR, request-to-pay, alias-based payments and recurring payments. The platform also supports real-time transfers, QR payments, e-mandates, bulk and trade payments, and payments for utilities, taxes and government services.
For BPC, both projects point to growing demand for payment infrastructure that can support bank-led transformation as well as national-scale interoperability.
Customer focus
Khurram Shahzad Khan, president and CEO of HABIBMETRO, said its project is part of the bank’s plan to build a more agile and customer-focused banking environment.
“The introduction of next-generation products and solutions is an important step in HABIBMETRO’s journey to build an agile, customer-focused banking environment,” Khan said.
“This project is built on trust, and we are pleased to have selected BPC as our partner for this digitalisation journey. With SmartVista, we are creating a stronger foundation for growth, compliance and innovation, positioning HABIBMETRO to deliver digital-first experiences and further strengthen our ambition to be the bank of choice across Pakistan.”
Furrukh Ali-Baig, managing director, Pakistan, at BPC, explained how the project combines BPC’s global technology with local delivery.
“We are proud to support HABIBMETRO on this important transformation programme,” Ali-Baig said.
“With a perfect blend of globally proven products and totally localised services, HABIBMETRO is in absolute position to achieve their digital payments initiatives swiftly. This is a prominent step in enabling inclusive, personalised and innovative banking services for people across Pakistan.”
The upgrade builds on an existing relationship between HABIBMETRO and BPC. The bank previously went live with BPC’s Digital Fraud Management System in six months, which it said gave it confidence in BPC’s technology, delivery approach and local team.