In a groundbreaking move to advance financial inclusion and digital banking access for youth, Visa has partnered with Meezan Bank Limited to launch Pakistan’s first-ever student-specific debit card. The newly unveiled Meezan Visa Student Debit Card was prominently showcased at the Visa Payments Forum 2025 in Barcelona, drawing global attention to this milestone initiative.
This global-first partnership between Visa and Meezan Bank is designed to bring millions of underbanked and financially excluded students into the formal financial system. The card offers a secure, accessible, and student-friendly payment solution, tailored to the financial habits and needs of Pakistan’s younger generation. The introduction of this product represents a key step in aligning with Pakistan Vision 2025, which emphasizes inclusive growth, digital transformation, and youth empowerment.
The Visa Payments Forum 2025 provided the perfect global stage for unveiling the initiative. Leila Serhan, Visa’s Senior Vice President and Group Country Manager for North Africa, Levant, and Pakistan, shared her insights on the significance of this development. She highlighted how empowering young individuals with modern payment tools not only supports their personal financial growth but also contributes to a more financially resilient and technologically integrated economy.
The Meezan Visa Student Debit Card is more than just a payment tool. It serves as an on-ramp to a world of financial education, responsible money management, and digital literacy for students across the country. With an increasing number of young Pakistanis gaining access to smartphones and digital platforms, the timing of this launch is especially relevant. This initiative aims to leverage that digital reach to promote safe, regulated financial access among students — a demographic that has traditionally been underserved by conventional banking systems.
As Pakistan continues its push toward digitization and fintech adoption, youth-focused banking products are becoming critical to ensuring long-term inclusion and financial stability. The card integrates seamlessly with Meezan Bank’s secure banking ecosystem, offering features such as real-time transaction tracking, online payments, and ATM access, all compliant with Shariah banking principles.
Both Visa and Meezan Bank have reiterated their shared commitment to bridging the financial gap and creating pathways for a more inclusive economy. This partnership serves as a model for how international fintech leaders and local banks can collaborate to address structural gaps in financial access, particularly in emerging markets.
By focusing on students — a demographic often overlooked in financial product design — the Meezan Visa Student Debit Card initiative positions itself as a visionary leap forward. It not only aims to prepare Pakistan’s youth for the future of digital finance but also sends a powerful signal about the country’s readiness to lead in inclusive fintech innovation on a global scale.
As the partnership gains traction, it is expected to set a precedent for similar youth-centric initiatives across other developing markets, reinforcing the role of fintech in shaping the financial futures of young populations.
