What to Do When Wallet Money Shows In Progress for 2 Hours in Pakistan
Received wallet money you cannot cash out? SBP rules let branchless banking wallets hold a credit for 2 hours. See what it blocks and who is exempt today.
Short answer: The State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) tells banks and microfinance banks to keep a successful credit in a branchless banking wallet "in progress" for 2 hours before the holder can cash it out, shop online with it or buy mobile top-up. Providers can skip the wait only for customers they class as trusted.
You sold a phone and the buyer says "sent". Your wallet app shows the money, but the cash-out button says no. The first reaction is to think the app is broken. It is usually a rule, and the rule has a reason: a fraud victim gets a short window to stop the money before it leaves.
We read the SBP circular and its FAQ on 11 October 2026. This guide explains what the rule says, who it applies to, what you can still do while you wait, and when the wait is a sign of a real problem.
The 2 hour hold is an SBP rule for branchless banking wallets
SBP's digital security circular, BPRD Circular No. 04 of 2023, says that after a successful credit, a branchless banking wallet should allow cash out, online purchases or mobile top-up against the transferred funds only after 2 hours. During that time the funds stay "in progress".
Branchless banking means wallet accounts that are opened and used through a mobile phone and agents, rather than at a branch. The circular is addressed to banks and microfinance banks. The providers may tell you about the wait by SMS or email beforehand.
| Question | Answer in the SBP text |
|---|---|
| How long is the hold? | 2 hours after a successful credit |
| What is blocked in that time? | Cash out, online purchases and mobile top-up |
| What is the status label? | "In progress" |
| Who is exempt? | Trusted customers, as the provider defines them |
| How are you told? | By SMS and other channels such as email, beforehand |
The hold exists to give fraud victims a chance
A fraudster who tricks you into sending money usually wants to cash out in minutes. The 2 hour window lets the victim report, lets the banks raise a dispute, and lets the receiving bank mark a lien on the money before it leaves the wallet.
The SBP FAQ also says what happens if a dispute arises from this hold: the liability sits with the beneficiary bank, meaning the bank that holds the receiving wallet. The full set of dispute clocks applies when you claim a digital fraud refund from your bank or wallet.
What you can still do while the money is in progress
The SBP text names three blocked uses: cash out, online purchases and mobile top-up. It does not describe other uses, and providers may differ. Check your app's status line, read the provider's SMS, and plan to use the money after the 2 hours are up.
- Open the transaction in your app and read its status. "In progress" or "pending" with a time is the hold.
- Do not hand over goods or a service to the buyer until the status is final.
- If you are the sender, tell the receiver the money may take 2 hours to be usable.
- If you are an agent customer, do not ask the agent to cash out a transfer that is still in progress.
- After 2 hours, retry the cash out or purchase and note the time.
Cash out limits and charges are separate from this hold, and the fee list is in the JazzCash and Easypaisa charges for 2026. A transfer sent to the wrong number is a different case, and you can get a wrong transfer back by another route.
When the wait is a warning, not a rule
If the status is still "in progress" well after 2 hours, or the SMS says the credit was reversed, treat it as a problem. Contact the provider with the transaction ID and time. A fake "money received" screenshot is a common trick against sellers, so read your own app, not theirs.
Sellers can learn the signs of a fake screenshot by verifying that a payment really arrived. Never release goods against a screenshot or a text that did not come from your provider's own short code.
Trusted customers can skip the wait
The SBP text lets a provider allow instant cash out for its "trusted" customers. The FAQ says the provider sets the criteria for a trusted account, and that the provider takes on the liability for any fraud on those accounts during the hold period.
The circular does not publish those criteria. We did not find a published trust rule on a provider page, so we cannot tell you what makes an account trusted. If you receive large business payments, ask your provider in writing what applies to you.
Common questions
Why does my JazzCash or Easypaisa balance show money but not let me cash out?
The credit may be in the SBP 2 hour "in progress" window for branchless banking wallets. We have not tested each provider, so read your app's status and SMS.
Is the 2 hour hold the same on every wallet in Pakistan?
The SBP text sets 2 hours as the standard for branchless banking wallets, but it lets providers exempt trusted customers. Providers may also describe it differently in their own apps.
Can the sender cancel a transfer during the 2 hours?
The circular does not give senders a cancel button. It gives banks time to receive a fraud dispute and mark a lien. Report fraud at once.
Does the hold apply to Raast transfers?
The text speaks of a "successful credit" to a branchless banking account and does not name Raast. Ask your provider how it treats incoming Raast credits.
Who loses money if fraud is proven during the hold?
For a dispute that arises from this hold, the SBP framework puts the liability on the beneficiary bank.
What if the funds are still not usable after 2 hours?
Contact your provider with the transaction ID. If it does not resolve it, use the complaint steps in the SBP rules on fraud disputes and the Banking Mohtasib.
How we verified this
What we checked, where we read it, and what we could not confirm.
Last checked on Sunday 11 October 2026. We read the SBP page for BPRD Circular No. 04 of 2023, its Annexure A (operational control B, item x, and the liability framework) and its Annexure B FAQ. We did not test a transfer on any wallet, so we cannot confirm how each provider labels the hold. Providers may apply it differently.
About the author
Technology Journalist & Multimedia Producer
Ahmad Ali is a technology journalist and multimedia producer at Pakistan Era, joining the team in October 2026. He covers consumer technology and digital life for Pakistani readers, combining research with hands-on product testing.
