Tech Desk 
Sep 28, 2025
An undated image of the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) building. — Facebook
The State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) has stated that the reports circulated on social media about a "two-hour delay" in digital fund transfers are false.
According to SBP, all digital fund transfers are processed in real time, and beneficiaries will almost immediately receive funds to their accounts.
The two-hour cooling-off period applies only to branchless banking wallets/accounts and only with regard to the use of the funds, not to the receiving of the funds.
Although funds are immediately credited to the branchless banking wallets, withdrawals of cash, online purchase transactions, or top-ups to a mobile phone can only occur after two hours.
SBP noted that the requirement of a two-hour cooling-off period was instituted in April 2023; funds deposited into a branchless banking account are subject to customer due diligence easier than traditional banks, and therefore the two-hour cooling period has been put into place to safeguard against misuse and fraudulent transactions.
“The two-hour cooling period gives customers enough time to report any fraudulent transfers to their banks,” SBP stated, adding that the policy has been effective and has proven to be “a robust check against fraudulent transactions” over the past two and a half years.
