(Digital Itla) Norwegian telecom company Telenor is evaluating the possibility of selling its controlling stake in Pakistan's Easypaisa bank. This was reported by Bloomberg on Friday, citing sources familiar with the matter.
According to the report, a potential sale would mark Telenor's complete exit from Pakistan. Last year, Telenor concluded the process of selling Telenor Pakistan to the PTCL Group for PKR 108 billion, equivalent to approximately $385 million. However, the digital financial services provider, Easypaisa, was not part of that agreement. During the quarter ending March 31, 2026, Easypaisa reported a Profit After Tax (PAT) of PKR 1.49 billion and Earnings Per Share (EPS) of PKR 2.47, while its Profit Before Tax (PBT) stood at PKR 3.66 billion—representing a 4.4-fold increase compared to the PKR 840 million recorded in the same period last year. According to Bloomberg, the Norwegian company is working with Citigroup to sell its 55% stake. According to one source, the value of this stake could amount to several hundred million dollars. Sources state that Telenor intends to seek initial bids from potential buyers within the next few months. However, deliberations are ongoing, and no final decision has been reached yet. The report adds that the remaining shares of Easypaisa are held by the Ant Group Company. Speaking to Bloomberg, Kristoffer Vaughan Bjoernsen, an analyst at DNB Carnegie, noted that "the financial community will view Telenor's move to simplify and limit its Asian portfolio in a positive light."
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