Pakistan’s high-risk payments market changed overnight as JazzCash and Easypaisa tightened access

Pakistan’s two main mobile wallets, JazzCash and Easypaisa, both saw sharp disruption overnight, and that matters because the issue is no longer just “is the method live?” but “will this specific MID (merchant identification number) survive review and stay active?” For high-risk operators and PSPs, that is the part that usually turns a working setup into a paperweight.

1. JazzCash (JZ) has stopped MID activity and is reportedly re-checking merchants. Market reports say JazzCash has halted MIDs, is doing repeat KYB (know your business) checks on each MID, and has already closed 100+ aggregator accounts after FIA notifications. Separate sources put the number of accounts under closure or internal review at 300+.
2. Easypaisa (EP) has closed API solutions for part of the market. EP QR is still available, but market feedback says payment success can drop to around 30% as traffic increases and competition for the rail rises. In other words, the method may exist on paper while the usable capacity gets squeezed in practice.
3. Processing delays are now visible across multiple payment companies. Public reports point to delays in processing and settlement, and dLocal said it continues to face problems with Easypaisa processing. That usually tells you the issue is not isolated to one integrator’s dashboard.
4. The likely driver is tighter control over the payment chain, not a routine technical outage. In September 2026, FIA investigated schemes linked to illegal online gambling and money flows through mobile wallets, bank accounts, and crypto channels. The current disruption looks like those pressures are now showing up at aggregator and MID level, although the wallets have not given an official explanation.
5. Pakistan still matters for high-risk despite the disruption. According to SBP, digital payments accounted for more than 92% of retail transactions, and the number of retail payments rose by 58% year on year. So nobody serious is walking away from the market; the real question is whether a setup can stay stable when one wallet is cleaning MIDs and the other is limiting API access and getting overloaded on QR.

For high-risk merchants in Pakistan, the immediate operational takeaway is simple: do not depend on one wallet and one aggregator/payment system. If JazzCash starts clearing MIDs at scale while Easypaisa restricts APIs and QR capacity gets crowded, the payment flow can change in a single night.