Pakistan (Muhammad Yasir)
Today marks a monumental day for freelancers across Pakistan. SadaPay, the fintech that launched a business account (SadaBiz) tailored for freelancers earlier this year, announces that SadaBiz users will now be able to receive payments via Apple Pay.
The announcement came as part of SadaPay’s first ever SadaSummit held last Friday at COLABS. The event was attended by IT industry veterans, thought leaders in the freelancing ecosystem and early adopters of SadaBiz. In addition to the Apple Pay announcement, the agenda featured panel talks and fireside chats full of optimism for the future of Pakistan as a global freelancing hub.
Apple Pay’s user base, at 550 million, has surpassed PayPal’s 450 million. Not just that, but the payment volume via Apple Pay is four times greater than PayPal’s, and is growing at an exponential rate. The reach is massive, with over 2 billion iPhones globally equipped with Apple Pay. SadaPay recognized this potential and its importance for the Pakistani market and its freelancers to have a popular and trusted payment rail available for their clients to easily make payments.
SadaPay also announced that SadaBiz will accept payments via Google Pay, which is on a similar trajectory in terms of user adoption globally. SadaPay has stepped in to address the gap left by international payment companies, which have long ignored the Pakistani market. Taken together, SadaPay has connected Pakistani freelancers with 700 million plus devices worldwide having Apple Pay and Google Pay access.
Another major reveal from the event was their brand-new initiative – SadaSchool.
According to their CEO, Brandon Timinsky, this is a service to the Pakistani youth brimming with talent. The free platform consists of Masterclasses that take you from beginner to expert as a freelancer and a Discord community built for peer support and mentorship. They’ve built a network of experts and thought leaders in the space who host regular workshops to share their learnings on graphic design, copywriting, programming, and other high-income skills. With SadaSchool, SadaPay’s goal is to enable Pakistan’s digital generation to make a significant mark on the global gig economy.
Why is this a big deal for Pakistan?
Pakistan, despite its burgeoning tech talent and a surge of freelancers, has faced challenges getting paid from its overseas clients. With PayPal’s absence, the pathway for freelancers and businesses to get paid internationally has been rough. But Apple Pay’s arrival changes the landscape.
A freelancer in Lahore working with a client in New York now won’t have to juggle between third-party platforms and losing a chunk of money to commissions and fees. SadaBiz will let you generate a straightforward payment link and send it to your client via WhatsApp or email. The client will just have to click the link, choose Apple Pay as the method and verify the payment in seconds.
“Our vision is clear: the future of work for Pakistani youth lies in freelancing,” says Brandon Timinsky, our CEO at SadaPay. “The integration of Apple Pay is a monumental stride in realizing this vision. This initiative not only unlocks employment prospects for our skilled youth but also plays a crucial role in remitting valuable foreign exchange into Pakistan.”
