Pakistan strips YC-backed Tag of fintech services, orders to pull apps • TechCrunch

Pakistan’s central financial institution on Friday revoked the in-principle and pilot operations acceptance of Tag to run as an electronic income institution in a transfer that poses existential danger to the agency.

Condition Financial institution of Pakistan explained in an purchase that it is revoking Tag’s approval to work as an digital income establishment, the authorization that is essential for entities to offer you progressive, person-friendly and price powerful minimal-price electronic payments instruments these types of as wallets, cards and contactless payments. The central bank has also purchased the startup to near all customers’ wallet accounts and pull its apps from the app merchants with speedy effect.

The central bank’s action is in reaction to Tag violating regulatory necessities and “other concerns” that emerged through the pilot operations of the firm, it explained. The conclusion has been taken to “protect the curiosity of the general public at significant,” it added.

The regulatory action follows a months-prolonged probe into Tag, which delivers banking and money providers this sort of as contactless payment, playing cards and wallets to users in Pakistan.

The startup has been accused of forging documents to the central lender, according to an before investor letter obtained by TechCrunch. The central financial institution requested Tag in August to “immediately” refund all funds of consumers.

Tag is just one of the fastest increasing startups in Pakistan. It was valued at $100 million in its seed financing round in September final 12 months. The startup counts Liberty Town Ventures, Canaan Partners, Y Combinator, Addition and Mantis among the its backers.

The Condition Bank of Pakistan did not promptly react to a ask for for comment via phone and e mail.

Friday’s motion is another blow to the nascent but rapid rising startup ecosystem in Pakistan, which clocked document funding very last year. Airlift, at the time the most valuable startup in the South Asian current market, shut down in July this 12 months soon after it unsuccessful to safe contemporary funding.

Tag’s chief executive couldn’t be right away achieved for comment. The startup will check out interesting the State Bank’s conclusion, a resource with direct awareness of the issue told TechCrunch.