KARACHI: ABHI Microfinance Bank Limited (“ABHI Bank”) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Pathfinder Group to establish a strategic collaboration centered on agent interoperability, enabling wider access to formal financial services for underserved and frontline segments across Pakistan.
The partnership places Agent Interoperability at the core of the arrangement, allowing ABHI Bank to integrate with VRG’s interoperable agent platform. Through this collaboration, ABHI Bank customers will be able to access permissible banking and financial services via VRG’s agent interoperable network, in line with State Bank of Pakistan regulations extending banking reach beyond branches and smartphones.
ABHI has evolved from a fintech platform into a licensed microfinance bank with a clear focus: making finance accessible at the point where people live and work. This partnership reflects that direction, building shared infrastructure that allows financial services to travel through trusted agent networks and reach workers who remain outside traditional digital channels.
Alongside agent interoperability, ABHI Bank will provide its Earned Wage Access (EWA) services to eligible employees across Pathfinder Group and its portfolio of operating companies spanning security services, facilities management, manpower, and allied businesses. The service will allow employees to access a portion of their earned wages before payday, helping them manage routine expenses without financial stress.
ABHI Bank will also support Pathfinder Group through digital salary processing and bulk salary disbursement services, improving efficiency, transparency, and timeliness of salary payments for operational and frontline staff.
To further strengthen inclusion, the collaboration will leverage interoperable USSD rails, enabling ABHI’s EWA and salary customers, particularly feature-phone users to access basic financial services such as balance inquiries, transaction confirmations, and earned wage access, subject to regulatory and technical approvals.
Speaking on the partnership, Mariam Pervaiz, (CCO) ABHI Microfinance Bank, said: “Agent interoperability is a critical building block for financial inclusion in Pakistan. This collaboration allows us to extend banking access through shared infrastructure, while also delivering earned wage access and salary services to workers who need flexibility, not complexity.”
Muhammad Salman Ali, (CEO) Virtual Remittance Gateway, added: “Our agent Interoperability platform is built on modular, cloud-native middleware technology architecture, providing end-to-end secure transaction processing. Partnering with ABHI Bank enables us to combine Interoperable USSD with Agent Interoperable Network with practical financial solutions and services for our workforce and the wider ecosystem.”
Also present at the ceremony were Chairman Pathfinder Group Mr. Ikram Saigol and Entrepreneur in Residence Abhi Mr. Kabeer Naqvi alongside their teams.
