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1Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches2Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errors3Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteThe State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) announced the second cohort of its Regulatory Sandbox on October 2, 2026. Proposals are invited in artificial intelligence, payment innovation, technology-enabled inward remittances and an open “NextGen Financial Services” category. The application deadline reported from SBP’s statement is November 30, 2026. Applications are described as email submissions, but applicants should confirm the current address and required materials in SBP’s official application documents before sending anything.
What SBP’s second sandbox cohort covers
The themes below are the categories reported by the Associated Press of Pakistan (APP) from an SBP statement. SBP’s October 2 listing records the announcement date; applicants should check the underlying release for the authoritative definitions and eligibility boundaries.
| Reported theme | What it signals |
|---|---|
| AI in Financial Services | Proposed uses of artificial intelligence in financial products, operations or services, subject to SBP’s assessment and safeguards. |
| Innovations in Payments | New payment products, services, processes or business models that address a regulatory or market problem. |
| Technology-enabled Inward Remittances | Technology intended to improve how money enters Pakistan through formal remittance channels. |
| NextGen Financial Services (open theme) | An open category for other significant financial-service innovation that does not fit the named themes. |
APP reported that only proposals falling within the specified themes will be considered. A proposal mentioning AI, payments or remittances therefore does not automatically qualify; the applicant must show a credible fit with a listed theme and with the sandbox’s purpose.
Deadline and how to apply
The reported deadline is November 30, 2026. The APP account says submissions are accepted by email, but the precise email address was not established in the accessible material. Use SBP’s current official release, guidelines and application forms to verify the address, file format, eligibility rules and any time-zone or cut-off requirement.
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- Confirm the current notice. Start with SBP’s October 2, 2026 announcement listing and the latest Regulatory Sandbox materials.
- Map the proposal to one theme. State the exact problem, users, product or business model and why it belongs in that category.
- Identify the regulatory uncertainty. Explain which rule, licensing question or supervisory constraint the controlled test is designed to clarify.
- Prepare the testing plan and controls. Set out the test population, duration, transaction or exposure limits, monitoring, complaints process, data protection and exit plan required by SBP’s materials.
- Submit through the verified channel. Send the complete package to the email address and in the format specified in the current official instructions before November 30.
SBP has not published second-cohort scoring weights or detailed testing limits in the material available for this announcement. Do not assume that the first cohort’s conditions, duration or relief will apply to a new application.
What a regulatory sandbox allows—and what it does not
SBP describes a sandbox as a supervised environment in which an innovative product, service or business model can be tested under a specific plan. Its Innovation programme page describes controlled testing with regulatory guidance and safeguards before a service goes fully to market. The Regulatory Sandbox Guidelines define it as “a live testing environment for innovative products, services or business models, pursuant to a specific testing plan, which usually includes some degree of regulatory lenience combined with certain safeguards.”
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That framework is not blanket permission to operate commercially. Any regulatory flexibility, customer limits, reporting duties, consumer protections and permitted activities depend on SBP’s approval conditions. A participant must remain within the approved test and should not present sandbox acceptance as a licence, endorsement or permanent exemption.
How applicants should assess readiness
Theme and problem fit
- Define the financial service being changed and the customer or institution that will use it.
- Connect the proposal to one of the four reported themes rather than treating the open theme as a general invitation for any technology.
- Explain why ordinary authorization or existing rules do not adequately answer the specific issue.
Risk controls
- Set measurable safeguards for consumers, including disclosures, consent, complaints handling and reimbursement or remediation procedures.
- Address fraud, cybersecurity, privacy, model risk and operational resilience, especially for AI and payment proposals.
- Show how the test will protect financial stability and how activities will be stopped if limits or risk thresholds are breached.
Operational evidence
- Identify the legal entity, responsible managers, technical providers and any regulated-bank or payment-partner relationships.
- Provide evidence that the team can monitor transactions, incidents and customer outcomes throughout the test.
- Define success measures, reporting frequency and an orderly exit or transition if the test ends.
What happened in SBP’s first cohort
SBP’s January 6, 2026 release named six shortlisted applicants for the first cohort: Neem Exponential Financial Services Private Ltd, Digi Khata (SMC-Private) Limited, Swich Retail Private Limited, The Bank of Punjab, Barq Fintech (Pvt) Ltd, and Taptap Send UK Limited with United Bank Limited. The themes were technology-enabled inward remittances, open banking and remote merchant onboarding.
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SBP said those participants would test solutions in a controlled live environment for up to six months, subject to conditions set at approval. APP’s October 2 report says the first cohort concluded in June 2026 and that four solutions were demonstrated in open banking and technology-enabled inward remittances. That completion account is attributed to APP’s report of an SBP statement; it should not be treated as a new second-cohort rule or as evidence that every applicant will receive the same testing period.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Do not confuse this cohort with the Raast Technical Sandbox
SBP’s Innovation Hub page describes the Raast Technical Sandbox as still in the design phase. It is intended to give ecosystem participants a dedicated technical environment to integrate with Raast and explore payment features. It is separate from the Regulatory Sandbox cohort, and the page does not establish that it is open for applications or operational testing.
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Official sources and verification points
SBP’s Annual Payment Systems Review FY25 page lists “Regulatory Sandbox-Second Cohort” dated October 2, 2026. The APP report carried by UrduPoint, “SBP Launches Second Cohort Of Regulatory Sandbox”, supplies the reported themes and deadline. Before applying, verify the original SBP release, the current application address, required documents, eligibility tests, testing limits and any regulatory relief in the latest official materials.
The Bottom Line
SBP’s second Regulatory Sandbox cohort gives innovators a route to propose controlled tests in AI, payments, inward remittances or other next-generation financial services. The reported deadline is November 30, 2026, but the email address and cohort-specific conditions must be confirmed in SBP’s current application instructions. Acceptance would authorize only the approved test—not unrestricted commercial launch.
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