With a significant growth eBanking transactions reached Rs 9.3 trillion by the end of March 2017. According to State Bank of Pakistan's (SBP) Payment Systems Review (PSR) for the Jan-March quarter, all channels of eBanking processed 162 million transactions valuing Rs 9.3 trillion which showed a growth of 7.3 percent by volume and 1.1 percent by value, respectively from previous quarter. The volume and value of large value transactions processed through PRISM system stood at 253,795 and Rs 69.8 trillion, respectively. These transactions showed a decrease of 4 percent in volume and an increase of 20 percent in value as compared to the previous quarter.
In the composition of these transactions, the Inter Banks Fund Transfers contributed 74 percent in volume and 58 percent in value, while government securities trade transactions contributed 9 percent in volume and 24 percent in value and the Retails Cheques Clearing Batches 16 percent in volume and 18 percent in value of these transactions, respectively.
During the period under review, 110.8 million transactions of value Rs 35.2 trillion were processed through paper-based instruments. These transactions showed a decline of 5.2 percent in volume and 0.1 percent in value of transactions. Out of the total paper-based transactions 16.6 were processed by the clearing house, ie, NIFT and settled through PRISM system under multilateral net settlement process. With 1.1 percent increase, all channels of eBanking processed transactions of Rs 9.3 trillion during the Jan-March quarter.
ATM is the preferred eBanking channel which acquired largest share of pie in the volume of eBanking transactions. ATM transactions contributed 63 percent in the volume and 12.6 percent in the value of total eBanking transactions during the Jan-March 2017 quarter. In totality, ATMs processed 102 million transactions of worth Rs 1.2 trillion during the quarter under review, which showed a growth of 8.2 percent by volume and 10.7 percent by value as compared to previous quarter. On average one ATM processed 91 transactions per day with average size of per ATMs Transactions Rs 11,553.
Real Time Online Branches (RTOBs) transactions contributed the highest share in value of eBanking Transactions and is used as a preferred channel for Cash deposits, cash withdrawals and fund transfers transactions within same Banks' online Branches. This channel processed 37.5 million transactions of value Rs 7.8 trillion during the quarter, depicting the growth of 5.6 percent in volume and decline of 0.6 percent in value as compared to previous quarter.
POS terminals processed 13.9 million transactions of worth Rs 64.1 billion. The volume and value of POS transactions grew by 4 percent and 3 percent respectively compared to previous quarter. On average each POS processed 3 transactions per day with average size of per Transaction Rs 4,600.
During the quarter under review 0.3 million transactions of worth Rs 2.4 Billion were processed in eCommerce which showed a growth of 28 percent and 18.7 percent in volume and value as compared to previous quarter. Internet Banking processed 6.8 million transactions of worth Rs 255.9 Billion which showed a growth of 11.4 percent by volume and 14 percent by value compared to previous quarter.
Among the total Internet Banking transactions Utilities Bills Payment has the highest share of 36.4 percent in total volume of transactions, followed by 29 percent share of Inter Banks fund transfers and Intra Banks Fund transfer contributed 26.6 percent in total volume of transactions and residuals is contributed by other payments through Internet Banking. Banks are also offering numerous non financial services through Internet Banking including Cheques Books requests, Balance enquiry to Fund transfers, etc.
According to PSR, there are 32 Banks, 11 Microfinance Banks (MFBs), 2 specialized Banks and 8 Development Finance Institutions (DFIs) working in Pakistan. The nationwide network of banks' branches decreased from 14,219 to 14,193 showing a decline of 0.2 percent compared to previous quarter. 26 branches were closed in the current quarter due to near proximity of some branches of Burj Bank and AlBaraka Bank after their merger. Out of the total bank branches some 98 percent (13,899) are real-time online branches, 124 overseas branches and the residues are offline branches. There are 154 payment booths of these branches.
ATM network has grown from 12,352 to 12,515, showing a growth of 1.3 percent compared to the previous quarter. Out of total 12,515 ATMs 10,330 ATMs are On-site ATMs 2,181 are Off-Site ATMs and 4 Mobile ATMs. There are 9 ATMs per 100,000 adults in Pakistan. Internet banking is being offered by 24 banks/MFBs whereas Mobile Phone Banking and Call Centers/IVR Banking are being offered by 18 and 17 Banks/MFBs respectively. Seven banks and one Microfinance Bank (MFB) on boarding eCommerce merchants. There are 496 registered local e-Commerce merchants.