UnumPay Partners with Aik by BankIslami to Enable Raast QR Payments for Shopify Stores in Pakistan

Raast, meaning “direct” in Urdu, is Pakistan's first national instant payment system, developed and operated by the State Bank of Pakistan. It was launched in January 2021 with the goal of modernising Pakistan's payment infrastructure and accelerating the country's shift toward a digital economy.

At its core, Raast enables real-time, end-to-end digital payments between individuals, businesses, and government entities, at zero cost to the end user. Unlike traditional bank transfers that can take hours or days, Raast transactions settle in seconds directly into the recipient's bank account.

Raast operates through two primary modes:

• Person-to-Person (P2P): Individuals send and receive money instantly using a Raast ID, typically a mobile number linked to a bank account. No IBAN or account number needed.
• Person-to-Merchant (P2M): Customers pay businesses instantly by scanning a QR code. Funds settle directly into the merchant's bank account in real time.

The P2M mode is what matters most for Shopify merchants. It removes the need for customers to enter card details, top up a wallet, or go through a multi-step checkout. The buyer scans a QR code from any Raast-enabled banking app, confirms the amount, and the payment is done.

Raast is interoperable across all participating financial institutions in Pakistan. This means a customer using HBL's mobile app can pay a merchant registered through a completely different bank, the system connects them through the central Raast infrastructure managed by the State Bank of Pakistan.

For a broader look at payment gateways available for Pakistani Shopify merchants, see our complete guide.

For merchants, Raast P2M works through QR codes, either static or dynamic:

• Static QR: A fixed QR code displayed by the merchant. The customer scans it and enters the payment amount manually. Suitable for physical setups or simple payment links.
• Dynamic QR: A unique QR code generated for each transaction with the amount pre-filled. The customer scans and confirms, no manual entry required. This is the format most relevant for e-commerce and Shopify checkout flows.

The payment flow for a customer is straightforward:

1. Customer reaches the payment step on a Shopify checkout
2. A dynamic Raast QR code is displayed
3. Customer opens their Raast-enabled banking app and scans the QR code
4. Payment amount is pre-filled, customer confirms with their banking PIN
5. Payment is processed and settled into the merchant's bank account instantly
6. Order is confirmed on both the customer's screen and the merchant's Shopify dashboard

There is no card detail entry, no wallet balance required, and no redirection to a third-party page. The checkout experience is fast, familiar to any mobile banking user, and does not require the customer to have a JazzCash or Easypaisa account, just a Raast-enabled bank account.

Funds settle directly into the merchant's IBAN, making reconciliation straightforward. Each transaction generates a unique reference that can be matched against Shopify orders.

aik by BankIslami is Pakistan's first digital Islamic banking platform, a mobile-first banking app built on Shariah-compliant principles. Launched by BankIslami, one of Pakistan's established Islamic banks, aik offers digital account opening, instant money transfers, bill payments, and Raast services including P2P transfers and Raast ID management.

In January 2026, aik launched aikPay, Pakistan's first Shariah-compliant Raast-enabled QR Payment Gateway. Built on the State Bank of Pakistan's Raast infrastructure, aikPay enables real-time online payments through dynamic QR codes, allowing customers to pay instantly from their bank accounts and merchants to receive payments securely through a smooth checkout experience.

The launch was supported by the State Bank of Pakistan, with SBP's Director of Digital Innovations and Settlement in attendance, reflecting the national significance of bringing Raast P2M capabilities to online merchants at scale.

aikPay is significant for two reasons:

• It is the first Shariah-compliant Raast QR gateway, making it accessible to merchants and customers who specifically seek Riba-free banking options
• It brings Raast P2M to online e-commerce checkouts in a form that is compatible with third-party platform integrations, including Shopify

UnumPay has partnered with aik by BankIslami to bring Raast QR payments to Pakistani Shopify merchants through a single, managed integration.

This partnership means that Pakistani Shopify merchants using UnumPay can now activate Raast QR payments, powered by aikPay, as a payment option at their checkout. Customers pay by scanning a dynamic QR code with any Raast-enabled banking app. No card details. No wallet. Just a direct bank-to-merchant transfer, settled instantly.

For merchants, this integration works exactly like any other payment provider on UnumPay:

1. Open an account with aik by BankIslami
2. Add your aikPay credentials in the UnumPay dashboard
3. Raast QR payments go live on your Shopify checkout alongside your other active payment methods

All transaction data, including Raast QR payments, is visible in UnumPay's unified dashboard alongside settlements from other connected providers. No separate portal needed for reconciliation.

This makes UnumPay one of the first Shopify-compatible platforms to offer Raast P2M QR checkout integration for Pakistani merchants, marking a meaningful step forward for local payment infrastructure on Shopify.

Raast is not just another payment option. It represents a structural shift in how digital payments work in Pakistan, and for Shopify merchants, that shift has direct implications.

• Broader buyer reach: Raast is interoperable across all Raast-enabled banks in Pakistan. Any customer with a mobile banking app connected to the Raast network can pay via QR, without needing a specific wallet or card. This opens checkout to a segment of buyers who have a bank account but do not actively use JazzCash, Easypaisa, or a debit card for online purchases.
• Simpler checkout experience: Dynamic QR checkout removes the most friction-heavy steps in the payment process, entering card details, remembering a wallet PIN, or navigating a hosted checkout page. Scan, confirm, done. For mobile shoppers in particular, this is one of the fastest checkout experiences available.
• Direct bank settlement: Raast payments settle directly into the merchant's IBAN in real time. There is no intermediary holding funds, no wallet balance to withdraw, and no multi-day settlement cycle. For merchants managing cash flow, this is a meaningful operational advantage over some traditional payment methods.
• Alignment with Pakistan's digital economy direction: Raast is backed by the State Bank of Pakistan and is central to the government's broader push toward a cashless digital economy. The infrastructure is growing, the number of participating banks is expanding, and adoption among Pakistani mobile banking users is accelerating. Merchants who integrate Raast now are positioning their stores ahead of this adoption curve.

To accept Raast QR payments on your Shopify store through UnumPay:

1. Install UnumPay from the Shopify App Store, free to install, no monthly subscription
2. Open an account with aik by BankIslami through the aik app, available on iOS and Android
3. Add your aikPay credentials in the UnumPay dashboard
4. Go live, Raast QR payments appear as a checkout option alongside your other active payment methods

UnumPay also covers the full range of Pakistani payment providers, giving merchants a complete local payment setup from one integration:

• Mobile wallets: JazzCash, Easypaisa
• Bank gateways with hosted checkout: HBL, HBL Hosted Checkout, MCB, Bank Alfalah MPGS, Meezan Bank, BOP, Allied Bank
• Payment Service Providers: AbhiPay, Assan Pay, Swich, Neem, DirectPay
• Other payment options: Google Pay, QR Payments / RAAST
• International gateways: Stripe, Checkout.com, Authorize.net, and more

See all supported payment gateways, Review UnumPay pricing, Install UnumPay free from the Shopify App Store

Raast represents a genuinely new layer of payment infrastructure for Pakistani e-commerce, one that is fast, bank-native, and growing in adoption. For Shopify merchants in Pakistan, the UnumPay and aik by BankIslami partnership makes Raast QR payments accessible without a separate integration or technical setup.

As Pakistan's digital payment ecosystem continues to evolve, merchants who offer Raast alongside wallets, cards, and bank gateways are building a more complete and future-ready checkout for Pakistani buyers.

• See all supported payment gateways
• Install UnumPay free from the Shopify App Store
• Learn more about UnumPay