- What a Raast ID is
- How to create your Raast ID
- The one rule that confuses people
- You don't need a Raast ID to use Raast
- How to send with Raast
- Why it's worth setting up
- Which banks and wallets offer Raast ID
- Raast for online earners
- Common Raast ID problems
- Raast ID vs IBAN: which to share
- A quick safety note
- My advice
- Frequently asked questions
To create a Raast ID, open your bank or wallet app (or internet banking, a branch, or USSD), find the Raast option, confirm your registered mobile number and link it to one account. That mobile number becomes your Raast ID, so people can pay you instantly without your IBAN. The State Bank of Pakistan says there are no charges on Raast services.
Raast is Pakistan's instant payment system, run by the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP). If you sell online, freelance, or get paid by friends and family, a Raast ID is the easiest way to receive: you share your phone number, not a 24-character IBAN. Here's how to set it up and the rules SBP publishes.
What a Raast ID is
A Raast ID is an alias for your account. SBP says creating one lets others send payments to you using only your mobile number, without remembering account numbers or IBANs. It works for bank accounts, wallets and branchless banking accounts, so it covers JazzCash and easypaisa users too.
How to create your Raast ID
- Open your bank's channel: the mobile app, internet banking, a branch counter or USSD.
- Find the Raast or Raast ID option. Banks name it differently, often something like Raast ID Management.
- Authenticate yourself and confirm the mobile number you want to link.
- Choose the account it should link to.
- Your bank confirms your mobile number as your new Raast ID straight away.
The one rule that confuses people
SBP allows only one Raast ID per customer and one account per Raast ID. So if you have a bank account and a JazzCash wallet, your mobile number can point to only one of them. Pick the account you want payments to land in. If you later want it to point somewhere else, you'll need to change or delete it through your bank. Bank pages, like Bank of Punjab's, say to contact your bank's customer support for that.
You don't need a Raast ID to use Raast
This surprises a lot of people. SBP says you can send through Raast without registering a Raast ID at all. You just enter the receiver's IBAN or their Raast ID in your bank's app. The Raast ID is only for making it easier for others to pay you.
How to send with Raast
- Open your bank's channel: app, internet banking, branch or USSD.
- Enter the receiver's IBAN, or their Raast ID (their mobile number), on a Raast-enabled bank.
- Confirm the amount, within the limits your bank sets.
- The payment goes through instantly.
Why it's worth setting up
| Feature | What SBP says |
|---|---|
| Charges | No charges on Raast related services |
| Speed | Instant, into accounts, wallets or branchless banking |
| Minimum | No minimum transaction size |
| Hours | Available round the clock, with 24/7 help from banks |
| Details needed | Just a mobile number, no IBAN |
An SBP circular from 2022 also says banks can't charge customers for Raast person-to-person transfers, and that funds should reach the receiver within 20 seconds of the Raast system's credit advice.
Which banks and wallets offer Raast ID
SBP's partner list includes most big banks, among them HBL, MCB, UBL, Meezan Bank, Allied Bank, Bank Alfalah, Bank Al Habib, Askari, Faysal Bank and the National Bank of Pakistan, plus microfinance banks. For wallets, Telenor Microfinance Bank (easypaisa) and Mobilink Microfinance Bank (JazzCash) are listed with their mobile apps and USSD. Some banks offer only the app, others add internet banking and branch counters.
Raast for online earners
If you're paid by local clients, buyers or a Pakistani agency, put your Raast ID on your invoice instead of your IBAN. It's shorter, harder to mistype and it lands instantly. For payments from abroad, you'll still need a route that brings foreign currency in, like the ones in this look at online earning in Pakistan. If you work with US clients, the W-8BEN form for Pakistan is worth sorting out too.
Common Raast ID problems
| Problem | What to do |
|---|---|
| Number already linked elsewhere | Remove it from the other account through that bank, then register again |
| Can't find the Raast option | Update the app, or ask your bank which channel offers it |
| Payment went to the wrong account | Check which account your Raast ID points to in your bank app |
| Want to change the linked account | Contact your bank's customer support to change or delete the ID |
Raast ID vs IBAN: which to share
| Raast ID | IBAN | |
|---|---|---|
| What it looks like | Your mobile number | A long code starting PK |
| Easy to type | Yes | Easy to get one character wrong |
| Works across banks and wallets | Yes, on Raast-enabled banks | Yes |
| Needs registration | Yes, once, with your bank | No, every account has one |
| Can be moved | Yes, through your bank | No, it's tied to the account |
For most people the answer is both: keep your IBAN for official paperwork and salary, and give your Raast ID to anyone paying you casually, like buyers, family or small clients. Because the Raast ID points to one account only, you also control where those payments land.
A quick safety note
Raast moves funds instantly, which is great for getting paid and risky if you're tricked into paying. Anyone who asks you to send a small Raast payment to verify your account, or to receive a prize, is running a scam. Your bank will never ask you to transfer funds to prove who you are, and you never need to share an OTP to receive a Raast payment.
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My advice
Link your Raast ID to the account you use day to day for spending or saving, because that's where every Raast payment will land. Then share your mobile number as your payment detail. It's free, it's instant and there's no IBAN to get wrong.
Frequently asked questions
Is Raast free?
Yes. The State Bank of Pakistan says there are no charges on Raast related services, and its 2022 circular says banks can't charge customers for Raast person-to-person transfers.
Is a second Raast ID allowed?
No. SBP allows only one Raast ID per customer, and one account per Raast ID.
Do I need a Raast ID to send through Raast?
No. You can send with the receiver's IBAN or Raast ID without registering your own Raast ID.
Can I create a Raast ID in JazzCash or easypaisa?
Yes. SBP lists Mobilink Microfinance Bank (JazzCash) and Telenor Microfinance Bank (easypaisa) as Raast partners through their mobile apps and USSD.
How do I change my Raast ID to another account?
Contact your bank's customer support to change or delete it, then link it to the account you want.
Is there a minimum amount for Raast?
No. SBP says no minimum transaction size is defined. Your bank sets the upper limits.
Does Raast work at night or on Sundays?
Yes. SBP says Raast is available round the clock, with 24/7 helpdesk support offered by banks.
