Habib Metropolitan Bank Taps BPC’s SmartVista to Modernise Payments Infrastructure
By Our Correspondent
Karachi: Habib Metropolitan Bank (HABIBMETRO) has selected BPC’s next-generation SmartVista platform to upgrade its issuing capabilities and strengthen transaction processing, marking a significant step in the bank’s broader push to modernise its digital payments infrastructure.
The move comes as Pakistan’s banking sector accelerates its transition toward advanced financial technologies under the State Bank of Pakistan’s Vision 2028 framework, which aims to promote digitalisation and build a more inclusive and resilient financial ecosystem. Against this backdrop, lenders are under mounting pressure to replace legacy systems with scalable platforms capable of supporting rapid innovation and rising transaction volumes.
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HABIBMETRO, long recognised as a leading player in trade finance, said the adoption of SmartVista would provide a unified and flexible architecture capable of meeting both immediate operational demands and long-term growth ambitions. The platform is expected to standardise payment operations while enabling the bank to roll out new digital services more efficiently.
As part of the transformation programme, the bank will enhance its issuing business by introducing modern card offerings, including both physical debit cards and virtual cards. The system will also enable compliance with the latest certifications and requirements of international payment schemes as well as Pakistan’s domestic PayPak network, strengthening the bank’s readiness across its ATM and point-of-sale infrastructure.
The integration of SmartVista’s enterprise payment bus will allow HABIBMETRO to open its banking infrastructure to a wider range of partners, including fintech firms, bill aggregators and remittance providers. The platform will also introduce tokenisation to secure card-based transactions, reflecting growing global emphasis on data protection and fraud prevention.
Bank executives say the upgrade is designed to improve scalability and processing speeds while ensuring operational consistency across payment channels. HABIBMETRO is already handling more than 3.25 million transactions daily, a figure expected to rise steadily as digital adoption deepens across Pakistan’s retail and corporate segments.
“The introduction of next-generation products and solutions is an important step in HABIBMETRO’s journey to build an agile, customer-focused banking environment,” said Khurram Shahzad Khan, President and Chief Executive Officer of HABIBMETRO. “With SmartVista, we are creating a stronger foundation for growth, compliance and innovation, positioning the bank to deliver digital-first experiences and strengthen our standing in Pakistan’s banking landscape.”
The new system is also expected to enable a wider range of services, including international card ATM acquiring, loyalty programmes and potential integration with global digital wallets such as Google Pay. Faster onboarding of ecosystem partners is likely to support the bank’s ambition to expand its footprint in Pakistan’s rapidly evolving digital payments space.
For customers, the transformation is expected to translate into improved transaction speeds, greater reliability and access to more versatile payment options. HABIBMETRO’s more than 850,000 cardholders will benefit from enhanced card features and smoother day-to-day payment experiences, as well as improved service continuity as transaction volumes grow.
BPC, a global payments technology provider, said the partnership underscores its commitment to supporting financial institutions in emerging markets as they transition to modern, digital-first infrastructures.
“We are proud to support HABIBMETRO on this important transformation programme,” said Furrukh Ali-Baig, Managing Director for Pakistan at BPC. “By combining globally proven solutions with local expertise, this initiative will enable the delivery of more inclusive, personalised and innovative banking services across the country.”
The latest upgrade builds on an existing relationship between the two organisations. HABIBMETRO previously implemented BPC’s Digital Fraud Management System, which was deployed within six months and helped build confidence in the vendor’s technology and execution capabilities.
With the expanded programme now underway, HABIBMETRO is positioning itself to compete more aggressively in Pakistan’s increasingly digital financial sector, where banks and fintechs alike are racing to capture a growing share of electronic payments.
Industry analysts note that investments in scalable payment platforms are becoming critical for banks seeking to remain competitive, particularly as consumer expectations shift toward faster, more secure and seamlessly integrated financial services.
HABIBMETRO’s latest move signals not only its own strategic direction but also the broader trajectory of Pakistan’s banking industry—one that is steadily pivoting toward innovation, interoperability and digital-first growth.