5th XBorder Excellence Awards: Payoneer honours top exporters, SMB Innovators

KARACHI: Payoneer, the global financial technology company driving cross-border business growth, hosted the 5th edition of its XBorder Excellence Awards in Karachi.

Supported by JazzCash and Faysal Bank as official sponsors, the event brought together more than 100 attendees to celebrate Pakistan’s top-performing exporters, digital entrepreneurs, creators, and small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) contributing to the country’s expanding presence in the global economy.

The awards showcased the diversity of Pakistan’s export ecosystem, with participants ranging from software developers and gaming studios to e-Commerce and direct-to-consumer (D2C) brands, business-to-business (B2B) service-export companies, digital marketing agencies, and members of the freelance community.

The ceremony recognized outstanding achievers across key categories representing Pakistan’s growing strength in digital exports. Guava Slice Games was awarded for excellence in gaming exports, while KSM Media Hut was recognized for its achievements in digital marketing services. LAAM received accolades for leadership in D2C innovation, and Wanological Solutions was honoured for accomplishments in software and technology services. Freelancers Zaid Tariq and Shazia Shah were celebrated for their exceptional contributions, while EyeSmarty was recognized as the eCommerce Seller of the Year and Hopetex as the Prime CSP Partner.

The event also highlighted emerging trends shaping Pakistan’s export landscape. Speakers emphasized the increasing importance of checkout processes as a driver of growth, noting that efficient checkout systems are closely tied to conversion rates and buyer trust. They stressed that export-ready SMBs are now “thinking global from day one,” with entity setup and cross-border payment readiness being essential for scaling operations. Experts also highlighted that sustainable growth requires stronger collaboration between fintech companies, banks, and businesses across payments, compliance, and strategic partnerships.

The awards featured dynamic sessions, including a panel discussion titled “Reinventing Checkout for Pakistan,” where Asfandyar Farrukh of the Chainstore Association of Pakistan, M. Salik Gadit of JazzCash, and Arsal Ali of LAAM shared insights into the evolving commerce landscape and opportunities for local businesses. Keynotes by M. Harris Saeed Khan of JazzCash and Ahmed Rauf Essa of Telemart further explored how digital payments are enabling a new generation of entrepreneurs and the emerging opportunities for SMEs in global markets.

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