Mobile-first digital nano-lending platform, Daira marked its first anniversary of operations in Pakistan with a renewed commitment to advancing financial inclusion and access to finance for the country’s unbanked and underbanked populations.
Daira was launched by Pakistan fintech company Finleap, a part of global financial technology leader FinVolution Group (NYSE: FINV) that connects millions of consumers and micro- and small-sized enterprises with over 130 financial institutions worldwide. The platform benefits from global best practices and financial models to enable Pakistan’s financially excluded segments.
After securing a license and whitelisting from the Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan (SECP), Daira disbursed its first loan in October 2024. To mark this occasion, the company hosted a media roundtable at its headquarters in Islamabad and briefed journalists on its business model, operational performance, financial technology infrastructure and its vision for the future in Pakistan.
Daira addresses a long-standing gap in the financial ecosystem by serving individuals and small businesses that lack sufficient credit history or collateral to access traditional banking services. Its core customer base includes daily wage earners, small vendors, informal workers, and first-time borrowers who are typically excluded from formal credit channels.
In just one year, Daira has achieved remarkable market traction and trust, surpassing one million registered users and disbursing over PKR 1 billion in cumulative loans to more than 200,000 customers. The company has also acquired a Buy Now, Pay Later license in July, enabling it to expand into consumer financing.
Daira attributes its success to its customer-centric approach, full compliance with Pakistan’s regulatory framework, a robust technology backbone that enables seamless transactions, and strategic partnerships with local digital financial service providers that facilitate swift loan disbursements.
“Over the past year, we have built trust by prioritizing customers’ wellbeing,” said Sheikh Omer Nasim, CEO of Daira. “We are proud to have empowered more than 200,000 individuals and small businesses through timely access to finance when it mattered most. This is just the beginning. We will continue to invest, innovate, and expand our services to reach even more unbanked communities across Pakistan.”
While talking to TechJuice, Nasim emphasized that Daira’s availability and reach are significantly higher than many competing apps, adding that the platform is performing far better than several Chinese-origin digital lenders in terms of transparency, regulatory compliance, and customer satisfaction.
Nasim said, Pakistan is one of the fastest-growing digital economies in APAC, with strong demand for inclusive credit solutions. Daira has redefined the nano-lending experience through transparency, technology and responsible practices.
“In addition to growing our lending portfolio”, he said, “we are now expanding into Buy Now, Pay Later (BNPL) solutions, for which we have secured a license from the SECP.”
Nasim stated that to fully exploit Pakistan’s inclusive credit solutions potential, Daira will undertake structured efforts to enhance financial literacy among the target segments and continue investing in compliance, governance, and secure technology infrastructure.
“We plan to invest in strengthening financial literacy, as well as enhancing compliance, governance and secure technology infrastructure to fully unlock Pakistan’s financial inclusion potential,” Omer said, “Our vision is to make digital finance accessible, responsible, and empowering for everyone in Pakistan,” he added.
While digital lending has previously faced challenges in the country, Daira’s model demonstrates that transparency, accountability and full adherence to regulatory standards can effectively address pain points and build long-term customer trust.