# Raast in Pakistan: how to send money with a Raast ID, limits and charges

URL: https://which.pk/money/guides/raast/
Author: Hassam Imtiaz
Updated: 15 Oct 2026

## Summary

Raast is the State Bank of Pakistan's instant payment system. SBP rules bar banks from charging customers for Raast transfers, money must reach the receiver within 20 seconds, and payments can't be reversed. Your Raast ID is your mobile number, linked to one account; you need it only to receive money. Each bank sets its own limit, but SBP's floor is Rs 200,000 per transaction, and MCB states Rs 500,000 a day. Raast also pays shops by QR code, free for the customer, and works only inside Pakistan.

## Key facts

- Cost to send: Free, under SBP rules
- Raast ID: Your mobile number, 1 account
- Limit: Set by bank; SBP floor Rs 200,000 per transaction
- Speed: Within 20 seconds, 24/7

Raast is the State Bank of Pakistan's instant payment system, and it is **free**: SBP bars banks from charging customers for Raast transfers. You send from your bank or wallet app to the receiver's **Raast ID**, which is their mobile number, or to their IBAN. The money must reach them within **20 seconds**, day or night. You only need your own Raast ID to receive money, not to send it.

**Raast in January to March 2026:** 742.1 million transactions, Rs 23.3 trillion (Profit by Pakistan Today, citing SBP's Quarterly Report on Payment Systems (27 June 2026). We couldn't open SBP's own press release to check.)

## What is Raast?

Raast is Pakistan's national instant payment system for small everyday payments between people, businesses and government. As of August 2026, SBP says it is run by **Raast Payments Pakistan (Private) Limited**, a company wholly owned by SBP. An older SBP page said SBP ran it directly; we follow the newer page.

It started in stages:

| Phase | Launched | What it does |
|---|---|---|
| Bulk payments | 11 Jan 2021 | First phase of Raast |
| Person to person (P2P) | 3 Feb 2022 (SBP circular) | You send money to anyone's Raast ID or IBAN |
| Person to merchant (P2M) | 5 Dec 2023 | You pay shops by QR code, Raast ID, IBAN or request to pay |

Banks, microfinance banks, government bodies and licensed fintechs (electronic money institutions and payment service providers) can join. SBP's partner list, as of June 2025, includes HBL, UBL, MCB, Allied, Meezan, Bank Alfalah, Faysal, Askari, Bank Al Habib, Habib Metro, Bank of Punjab, Standard Chartered, Dubai Islamic, JS Bank, BankIslami, Telenor Microfinance Bank (easypaisa), Mobilink Microfinance Bank (JazzCash) and HBL Konnect. National Bank of Pakistan and Silk Bank were listed as receive-only at the time.

## What are the Raast charges?

There are none for you. SBP's February 2022 circular says banks "shall not levy any charges" on Raast and that all Raast transactions are free for end customers. SBP's FAQ repeats that there are no charges on Raast transactions. HBL, MCB and easypaisa each say the same on their own Raast pages.

**easypaisa's fee table is not a Raast fee:** easypaisa's Raast page lists fees from Rs 35 to Rs 500 under "sending money to another bank account". That table appears to cover ordinary interbank transfers, not Raast. The same page says sending to a Raast ID has no transaction fee.

Banks also can't set a minimum amount, and they can't cap how many Raast payments you make unless there is a real fraud or cyber-security concern.

## How do I create a Raast ID?

Your Raast ID is the mobile number registered with your bank. SBP allows **one Raast ID per person, linked to one account**, however many accounts or phone numbers you have. HBL says only a mobile number can be a Raast ID, and that foreign currency and corporate accounts can't use Raast.

1. **Open your bank or wallet app** and log in. In HBL Mobile the menu is "RAAST ID Management"; in MCB Live it is "Manage Raast ID".
2. **Pick the account** you want money to land in. MCB shows your accounts with their IBANs.
3. **Confirm the mobile number** to link, then tap create (HBL: "Create ID").
4. **Enter the OTP** sent to your phone. MCB uses a 6-digit OTP.

You can also register at a branch. MCB asks for a registration form, biometric verification and an OTP. easypaisa users can activate a Raast ID in the app to receive money into their easypaisa account.

To move your Raast ID to another account, de-link it and link it again. You do this through the bank where you registered it. In HBL Mobile the same menu de-links and re-links, but to delete an HBL Raast ID you call HBL's helpline on 021-111-111-425 (HBL Konnect: 021-111-425-111).

## How do I send money with a Raast ID?

You don't need a Raast ID to send. You need the receiver's Raast ID (their mobile number) or their IBAN.

In HBL Mobile, go to Send Money, then Raast, choose Raast ID or IBAN, check the recipient's account title, then enter the amount and OTP. You can also add the recipient by scanning a QR code. In easypaisa, tap "Raast", enter the Raast ID, pick a purpose of payment, enter the amount and tap "Send now".

Raast works 24/7. Both you and the receiver should get a confirmation by SMS, email or in-app notice that names the other person.

**Raast payments can't be reversed:** SBP's rules make every Raast transaction final and irrevocable. Before you confirm, check the account title your app shows for the Raast ID or IBAN you typed.

## Can I send to a Raast ID and have it reach an account number?

Yes. A Raast ID is linked to one account chosen by its owner, so the money lands in that bank account, wallet or branchless banking account. Apps such as HBL Mobile show the account title before you pay, so you can confirm you have the right person. If you have their IBAN instead, you can send to that.

## What is the Raast limit per day?

Each bank sets its own limit, and SBP tells customers to ask their bank. SBP's 2022 circular sets a floor: a bank's upper limit can't be less than **Rs 200,000 per transaction**, unless SBP sets a lower limit for your type of account, such as a branchless banking account.

| Provider | Raast limit stated | As of |
|---|---|---|
| SBP rule | At least Rs 200,000 per transaction | Feb 2022 circular |
| MCB | Rs 500,000 a day | Page updated 15 Oct 2026 |
| HBL | Rs 200,000 a day (English FAQ); Rs 500,000 a day (Urdu FAQ, same page) | Oct 2026 |
| easypaisa | Daily, monthly and yearly limits, higher after you upgrade or verify your account | Oct 2026 |

HBL's own page gives two different figures, so check the limit in the HBL app before a large payment. We couldn't confirm Raast limits for Meezan, UBL, Bank Alfalah or JazzCash: their pages blocked us or didn't show a Raast figure. Check your own app before a large transfer.

## How does Raast QR code payment work for shops?

Since 5 December 2023, shops can take Raast payments by **QR code**, Raast ID, IBAN or **request to pay**. By 1 March 2024, every bank, microfinance bank and electronic money institution had to let you scan Raast QR codes, approve requests to pay, and ask for refunds.

A request to pay is a payment request the shop sends to you. "Now" requests expire quickly; "Later" requests stay open longer.

- **For you as a customer:** no fee. SBP's circular bars banks from charging you for Raast merchant payments, and bars the merchant from adding a fee to your purchase.
- **For a merchant:** the merchant's provider may charge "a reasonable fee". SBP's September 2025 subsidy circular lets providers charge merchants up to **0.25%** of the transaction value, on top of the subsidy.

The federal government set aside **Rs 3.5 billion** to subsidise Raast QR payments made from 1 September 2025 to 30 June 2026. The subsidy was 0.5% of each payment or Rs 100, whichever is lower, shared equally between the merchant's and the customer's financial institutions. We couldn't find an SBP circular extending it past 30 June 2026.

Merchant payments are growing. Profit reported that Raast P2M payments rose to 55.9 million in January to March 2026, from 36.3 million the quarter before, while person-to-person transfers rose 10% to 664 million.

## Why is my Raast ID not working?

Things to check, from SBP and bank pages:

- **The receiver hasn't registered a Raast ID**, or deleted it. HBL says a payment to a deleted Raast ID is rejected. Ask for their IBAN instead.
- **Your account type isn't eligible.** HBL says foreign currency and corporate accounts can't use Raast.
- **The amount is above your bank's limit**, or your account type has a lower SBP limit.
- **Your bank is receive-only.** In SBP's June 2025 list, National Bank of Pakistan and Silk Bank were marked as receive-only.

For a failed or missing payment, SBP says to complain to your own bank's helpline.

## Can I receive money from abroad through Raast?

No. SBP's FAQ says Raast is for local transfers within Pakistan, and HBL says home remittances can't be received through Raast. SBP's 2026 Raast page links to a cross-border payments section, but we didn't read it, so we can't say what it covers. For money from abroad, see [freelancer payment methods in Pakistan](/business/guides/freelancer-payment-methods-pakistan/) and [using Wise in Pakistan](/money/guides/wise-in-pakistan/).

More guides: [easypaisa vs JazzCash](/money/guides/easypaisa-vs-jazzcash/), [NayaPay vs SadaPay](/money/guides/nayapay-vs-sadapay/), [digital banks in Pakistan](/money/guides/digital-banks-pakistan/), [Banking & Payments](/money/banking/).

## Questions people ask

### Are there any Raast charges?

No. SBP's 2022 circular bars banks from charging customers for Raast, and its 2023 circular bars any customer fee for paying a merchant by Raast QR or request to pay. A merchant's bank may charge the merchant, not you.

### How do I create a Raast ID?

In your bank or wallet app, or at a branch, open the Raast ID option, pick the account to link and confirm with the OTP. Your registered mobile number becomes your Raast ID. You can have only one Raast ID, linked to one account at a time.

### What is the Raast limit per day?

Each bank sets its own. SBP says it can't be less than Rs 200,000 per transaction unless your account type has a lower SBP limit, and MCB states Rs 500,000 a day as of October 2026. Check your app before a large transfer.

### Do I need a Raast ID to send money?

No. You can send to someone's Raast ID or IBAN without registering one yourself. You need a Raast ID only to receive money on your mobile number.

### Can I receive money from abroad on my Raast ID?

No. SBP's FAQ says Raast is for local transfers within Pakistan, and HBL says home remittances can't be received through Raast.

## Sources

- [DI&SD Circular No. 1 of 2022: Raast Person-to-Person (P2P) Payment Service](https://www.sbp.org.pk/disd/2022/C1.htm), State Bank of Pakistan (accessed 15 Oct 2026)
- [Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) About Raast](https://www.sbp.org.pk/dfs/Raast-FAQS.html), State Bank of Pakistan (accessed 15 Oct 2026)
- [Raast P2P](https://www.sbp.org.pk/dfs/Raast-P2P.html), State Bank of Pakistan (accessed 15 Oct 2026)
- [PSP&OD Circular No. 04 of 2023: Launch of Raast Person to Merchant (P2M) Service](https://www.sbp.org.pk/psd/2023/C4.htm), State Bank of Pakistan (accessed 15 Oct 2026)
- [PSP&OD Circular No. 03 of 2025: Allocation of Subsidy for Raast P2M QR Payments](https://www.sbp.org.pk/psd/2025/C3.htm), State Bank of Pakistan (accessed 15 Oct 2026)
- [Raast: Pakistan's Instant Payment System](https://www.sbp.org.pk/our-subsidiaries/raast), State Bank of Pakistan (accessed 15 Oct 2026)
- [RAAST: Pakistan's First Instant Payment System](https://www.hbl.com/personal/digital-banking/raast), HBL (accessed 15 Oct 2026)
- [Raast: Pakistan's Instant Payment System](https://www.mcb.com.pk/personal/digital-banking/raast), MCB Bank (accessed 15 Oct 2026)
- [Raast Transfer](https://easypaisa.com.pk/?p=11631), easypaisa (accessed 15 Oct 2026)
- [Pakistan's cashless shift accelerates as digital channels handle 92% of retail payments](https://profit.pakistantoday.com.pk/2026/06/27/cashless-shift-accelerates-as-digital-channels-handle-92percent-of-pakistans-retail-payments-in-q1-of-fy26), Profit by Pakistan Today (accessed 15 Oct 2026)