KARACHI: ABHI Microfinance Bank Limited 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, according to a statement.
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 (SBP) regulations, which extend banking reach beyond branches and smartphones.
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.
Mariam Pervaiz, CCO of 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 of 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 networks with practical financial solutions and services for our workforce and the wider ecosystem.”
