Ask any receptionist and she will tell you: more clients now reach for their phone instead of their purse at the front desk. Some want to scan a code, some ask for your account number, and some send money from the car and show you a screenshot. If your salon still handles all of this informally, it is a good time to set it up properly.

This guide explains what Raast is, why it is in the news this month, how a salon can start accepting Raast QR payments, and how to keep every payment matched to the right bill.

Why Raast is in the news right now

Raast is the State Bank of Pakistan's instant payment system. Its person to merchant service, often called Raast P2M, was launched by SBP in December 2023 so that businesses could accept payments through QR codes, a Raast alias, an IBAN or a request to pay.

Adoption has picked up sharply this year:

  • SBP's quarterly payment systems review for January to March 2026 reported that Raast P2M transactions rose to 55.9 million, from 36.3 million in the previous quarter. Dawn, reporting on the same review, said more than 2.6 million merchants had been onboarded or registered with aliases by the end of that quarter, and that payments through QR merchants grew 41 percent from the previous quarter to 87.3 million.
  • SBP's annual payment systems review for FY26, released on 6 October 2026, said digital channels accounted for 92 percent of retail payment transactions, up from 88 percent in FY25.
  • At a payments summit covered by APP on 13 October 2026, the CEO of JazzCash said the number of Raast QR enabled merchants on its network had reached 1.9 million, up from fewer than one million at the start of the year. He named salons alongside corner shops and home based businesses as the kind of small businesses QR payments have helped bring into digital payments, because there is no card machine to buy.

For a salon owner, the takeaway is simple. Your clients increasingly expect to pay this way, and the setup is lighter than most people think.

How Raast QR works at a salon front desk

Raast works across banks and wallets. A client can pay your QR from any Raast enabled bank app or wallet, even if your account is with a different provider. Under SBP's P2M circular, providers must let merchants accept payments in several ways. These are the ones most useful to a salon:

  • Static QR. One printed code for the counter. The client scans it and types the amount. It is quick to set up, but you have to match each payment to a bill afterwards.
  • Dynamic QR. A code made for one bill, with the amount already filled in. The client scans and confirms, so nothing is mistyped.
  • Request to Pay. You send a payment request to the client's bank app, and she approves it. SBP's circular describes "Now" requests with a shorter expiry and "Later" requests with a longer one. This is handy when the client is not standing in front of you.
  • Raast ID or IBAN. The client sends money directly to your business account details.

SBP's circular also says customers must not be charged a fee for paying merchants through Raast, and that providers must send merchants a payment confirmation or rejection immediately.

Step 1: Open a business account with a Raast merchant provider

You need a business account with a bank or wallet that SBP allows to onboard merchants. SBP calls these Raast Merchant Service Providers. As described in Pakistan Era's 7 October 2026 guide, JazzCash Business and Bank Alfalah's Alfa Business app both let individuals and small businesses register in their app with CNIC verification and business details, and the provider then issues your QR code. Final approval depends on the provider's checks.

Before you choose, ask your own bank which QR it issues and how onboarding works for a salon. Keep salon takings in a business account rather than a staff member's personal wallet, so your records stay clean.

Step 2: Ask two questions about cost and settlement

What will it cost me? SBP's circular allows providers to charge merchants a reasonable fee, while encouraging them to waive it. Pakistan Era reported on 7 October 2026 that Bank Alfalah's page lists its merchant rate as currently 0 percent, and that JazzCash says applicable fees are shown in its app. Fees can change, so ask your provider for its current rate in writing.

When will the money reach my account? SBP lets providers credit merchants in real time or on timelines agreed with the merchant. Pakistan Era found that JazzCash says money is credited in real time, while Bank Alfalah's page mentions both instant settlement and settlement on the next working day. Ask whether weekends and public holidays are included, because a salon's busiest days are often weekends.

Step 3: Train the front desk on one simple rule

The most important habit is this: confirm the payment in your own app, not on the client's screen. Screenshots can be old, edited or for a different amount. SBP's circular requires providers to give merchants an immediate confirmation, so wait for it before you close the bill.

A short routine for your receptionists:

  1. Tell the client the total and show the QR, or send a request to pay for the exact amount.
  2. The client checks that your salon's name appears and confirms.
  3. Wait for the confirmation in the salon's app.
  4. Close the bill in your POS and note that it was paid by Raast.

Which.pk notes that SBP's rules make Raast transactions final, so if a client pays the wrong amount, handle it through your provider's refund option rather than asking her to send money back and forth. SBP's circular requires providers to let customers request refunds and merchants accept or reject them.

Step 4: Use Request to Pay for booking advances

In wedding season, many salons ask for an advance on bridal and party bookings. Request to Pay fits this well. Instead of sharing your account number on WhatsApp and waiting for a screenshot, you send a request with your salon's name and the amount, and the client approves it in her own bank app.

Set a clear advance policy, write it on your booking confirmation, and record every advance against the client's booking so nobody at the front desk has to remember it on the big day.

Step 5: Keep payments and bills in one place

Raast tells you that money arrived. It does not tell you which stylist did the service, which package was sold or what the client usually books. That is the job of your salon software.

SalonFlow includes an integrated point of sale on every plan, with customer profiles and services and products management, so each sale is saved against the client who paid. On the Premium and Luxury plans you also get a reporting dashboard and expense management, which makes it easier to compare your end of day sales with what actually landed in your account. Appointment scheduling is also part of Premium and Luxury, so a booking and its advance can sit together.

SalonFlow also gives you the option to post your billing directly to PRA and SRB, which keeps your invoices in order as more of your takings move to digital payments.

A quick Raast setup checklist for salons

  • A business account with a Raast merchant provider, not a personal wallet
  • The current merchant fee and settlement timing, confirmed in writing
  • A QR displayed at reception, with the salon's name clearly visible
  • Front desk staff trained to confirm payments in the salon's own app
  • A written advance policy for bridal and party bookings
  • Every payment closed in your POS against the right client and bill
  • A daily check that sales match what reached the account

Want to see how billing, client profiles and reports work together? Book a free SalonFlow demo and our team will walk you through it, online or with a free onsite visit.

Frequently asked questions

What is Raast QR?

Raast QR is a payment code linked to the State Bank of Pakistan's Raast instant payment system. A client scans it with any Raast enabled bank app or wallet and pays straight into the merchant's account. SBP launched this person to merchant service in December 2023.

Can a small salon accept Raast QR payments without a card machine?

Yes. A salon needs a business account with a bank or wallet that is a Raast merchant provider. The provider issues a static or dynamic QR code that can be printed or shown on a screen, so no card terminal is needed.

Do clients pay a fee for paying a salon by Raast?

No. SBP's P2M circular says regulated entities must not charge their customers any fee for paying merchants through Raast. The salon's provider may charge the salon a reasonable fee, so ask your provider for its current rate.

How quickly does Raast money reach the salon's account?

It depends on the provider. SBP allows funds to be credited in real time or on timelines agreed with the merchant. Some providers say they credit in real time and others mention next working day settlement, so confirm this, including for weekends and holidays.

Can a salon take a booking advance through Raast?

Yes. Raast's Request to Pay lets a salon send a payment request to the client's bank app, which she approves. SBP's circular describes "Now" requests with a shorter expiry and "Later" requests with a longer one.

Can a Raast payment be reversed?

Which.pk reports that SBP rules make Raast transactions final once made. SBP's circular requires providers to offer a refund request option for customers and to let merchants accept or reject those requests, so refunds go through the provider rather than a fresh transfer.

Sources

SALONFLOW JOURNAL

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