Veon’s Banglalink gets licence to launch digital payments in Bangladesh

Details: John Tanner; Category: Mobile Finance; 13 August 2026; 769 views

Veon-owned telco Banglalink said on Wednesday it has received a payment service provider (PSP) licence from Bangladesh’s central bank, clearing the way for its entry into the country's digital payments market.

Banglalink will launch its digital payment services sometime next month under the brand Mukto Pay, which it said will be designed to provide customers with simple, secure and accessible digital payment solutions.

Mukto Pay will leverage Veon's experience in digital services to facilitate a range of digital transactions, including money transfers, merchant and e-commerce payments, utility and government bill payments, salary and other disbursements, as well as other approved payment services.

“By combining Banglalink's nationwide reach and deep understanding of local customers with Veon's global digital expertise, we aim to make digital payments simpler, more accessible and more relevant to people's everyday lives,” said Banglalink CEO Johan Buse in a statement. “This licence marks the next step in that ambition, contributing to a more inclusive, cashless and digitally empowered Bangladesh, making a better life for all.”

Veon group CEO Kaan Terzioglu added that Mukto Pay is the latest example of how its operators are moving beyond connectivity to build the digital and financial infrastructure their markets need.

“Bangladesh has enormous potential, and by giving individuals, micro-merchants and small businesses who remain unbanked or underserved a simple way into the formal financial system, Banglalink is helping more people participate in the country's growth,” he said.

Meanwhile, Veon has already applied for a digital bank licence to play in Bangladesh’s digital banking sector.

Terzioglu also said the licence marks progress in its proposed public-private partnership with the Bangladesh government to attract US$1 billion in foreign direct investment (FDI) to the country.

Under the proposed "Invest in Bangladesh NOW" framework – first announced in June – Veon committed to investing US$250 million in Bangladesh over the coming years to anchor the framework. Veon said it would focus that investment on digital financial services, as well as advanced connectivity, next generation digital infrastructure and AI.