Bykea enables digital payments amid user demand
Ride-hailing and delivery service provider Bykea on Wednesday announced that it was enabling digital payments for all rides in an effort to offer customers 'a seamless, secure, and cashless commuting experience'.
In a post on LinkedIn, Bykea's chief operating officer and co-founder Rafiq Malik described the move as a 'significant milestone in Bykea's journey toward modernizing urban mobility in Pakistan'.
With this update, passengers can now pay our Bykea's 'driver partners' via Easypaisa, JazzCash and online bank transfer.
'This shift is more than just a convenience—it's a transformative step toward financial inclusion and safer, more efficient travel,' said Malik.
'For customers who prefer not to carry cash or rely on digital wallets and bank transfers, this feature ensures a hassle-free payment experience while reducing the risks associated with cash handling,' he added.
Malik said the move would not only improve user convenience but also contribute to a broader economic shift toward a cashless ecosystem — 'one that promotes transparency, security, and financial accessibility for all'.
Speaking to Business Recorder, Malik said Bykea initially launched as a cash-first platform, mirroring Pakistan's reliance on cash transactions. However, demand from users pushed the company to embrace digital payments, coupled with ecosystem readiness: 'With Raast's launch and wallet penetration doubling, the timing aligned perfectly.' Raast is an instant payment system, developed by the State Bank of Pakistan.
Malik added that while there was still no option for card payments yet, the company 'may consider integrating cards in the future.'
Speaking about the process, he said 'this shift required one month of tech infrastructure upgrades and now we have the more important uphill task of driver/consumer education'.
'Bykea's move isn't just about payments—it's a gateway for Pakistan's informal economy (e.g., drivers, small merchants) to enter the digital mainstream,' he added.
The announcement comes just days after Pakistani founded ride-hailing giant Careem said it was ending services in Pakistan.
In a comment on his LinkedIn post, Malik said, 'Careem and our colleagues there played a pivotal role in pioneering ride-hailing in Pakistan, and we respect their contributions to the ecosystem'.
'Their presence pushed all of us to innovate and deliver better services for Pakistani consumers.'
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