JazzCash aims to empower 300,000 women-led businesses and freelancers in three years

KARACHI: Pakistan’s leading fintech, JazzCash, aims to empower over 300,000 women-led businesses and women freelancers by the end of 2027, a statement said on Tuesday.

This initiative is part of the company’s commitment to recognising and supporting the significant role women play in driving economic productivity and innovation.

“Currently, more than 100,000 women freelancers and women-led businesses rely on JazzCash for their financial services needs, and we aim to increase this number to 300,000 in the next three years,” said Murtaza Ali, president of JazzCash.

JazzCash currently serves over 44 million customers. With a gender-intentional approach over the past three years, the platform has doubled its female customer base to 30 per cent and aims to increase this figure to 50 per cent in the coming years to foster a more inclusive and balanced economic landscape. Besides this, JazzCash issues 118,000 digital loans daily, out of which 25 per cent are women customers.

Ali emphasised the transformative potential of hassle-free loans provided by JazzCash, noting that these services empower women by enabling them to navigate economic challenges, reduce social risks, and support their small and medium-sized businesses.

“Furthermore, we are committed to supporting women in building economic resilience by fostering higher savings and greater participation in financial activities. Our efforts focus on empowering women to confidently use financial services, with tailored initiatives to encourage active account usage. Additionally, we provide programmes designed to help rural women independently manage their accounts through accessible mobile platforms, ensuring they feel supported every step of the way,” he said.

“We are also committed to nurturing a thriving ecosystem for women in business through JazzCash,” he added.

Recognising the multifaceted role women play in economic development, JazzCash has implemented a range of initiatives that extend beyond financial services. The platform actively collaborates with women-led enterprises, bringing women microenterprises into the merchant network, offering mentorship programmes, and providing resources to help them thrive in a predominantly male-centric business world.

Recently JazzCash also joined hands with the country’s leading social protection initiative -- the Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP) -- in the vital mission of alleviating poverty and raising living standards for women. The fintech platform will channel cash payments totalling Rs78 billion to 1.3 million BISP-registered women beneficiaries across Pakistan by the end of next year. So far, JazzCash has successfully transferred Rs15 billion to beneficiaries in the Hyderabad, Matiari, and Rahim Yar Khan regions.