# PayPal Expresses Interest in Launching Operations in Bangladesh: Lutfe Siddiqi

> PayPal has expressed interest in entering the Bangladeshi market, though the process will take time due to its multi-stage internal approval procedures, said Lutfe Siddiqi, Special Envoy on International Affairs. Follow…

Published: 2026-01-28 · Desk: Latest · Source: Ittefaq

Multinational financial technology company PayPal has expressed interest in entering the Bangladeshi market, though the process is expected to take time due to the company’s structured, multi-stage approach to new market entry.

The update was shared on Tuesday, 28 January, by Lutfe Siddiqi, Special Envoy on International Affairs to the Chief Adviser, during a media briefing at the Foreign Service Academy in Dhaka. The briefing focused on Siddiqi’s meetings and engagements at the recent World Economic Forum (WEF) annual meeting in Davos, Switzerland. Chief Adviser’s Press Secretary Shafiqul Alam was also present.

Siddiqi said he held high-level discussions with PayPal representatives on the sidelines of the WEF meeting. “In principle, PayPal is now interested in entering Bangladesh,” he noted, adding that this marked his first direct, high-level engagement with the company.

However, he cautioned that this expression of interest should not be interpreted as an imminent launch. PayPal follows a lengthy internal process before entering new markets, involving multiple layers of review and board-level approvals.

Siddiqi explained that discussions between Bangladesh and PayPal have been ongoing for several years, but the company had previously shown limited engagement. Following repeated requests, a senior PayPal delegation visited Bangladesh in December, meeting local entrepreneurs, the Bangladesh Bank Governor, and officials from the IT sector over four to five days.

He added that PayPal will now begin its internal procedures, and until those are completed, there should be no expectation of an immediate market entry. Sharing his personal assessment, Siddiqi said PayPal is confident in Bangladesh’s long-term potential, citing the country’s demographic strengths and recent improvements in governance as factors boosting the company’s confidence.

Original reporting: https://www.ittefaq.com.bd/772170/%E0%A6%AC%E0%A6%BE%E0%A6%82%E0%A6%B2%E0%A6%BE%E0%A6%A6%E0%A7%87%E0%A6%B6%E0%A7%87-%E0%A6%95%E0%A6%BE%E0%A6%B0%E0%A7%8D%E0%A6%AF%E0%A6%95%E0%A7%8D%E0%A6%B0%E0%A6%AE-%E0%A6%B6%E0%A7%81%E0%A6%B0%E0%A7%81%E0%A6%B0-%E0%A6%AC%E0%A6%BF%E0%A6%B7%E0%A7%9F%E0%A7%87-%E0%A6%86%E0%A6%97%E0%A7%8D%E0%A6%B0%E0%A6%B9-%E0%A6%A6%E0%A7%87%E0%A6%96%E0%A6%BF%E0%A7%9F%E0%A7%87%E0%A6%9B%E0%A7%87?fbclid=IwT01FWAPmcMxleHRuA2FlbQIxMABzcnRjBmFwcF9pZAwzNTA2ODU1MzE3MjgAAR4rnvjQB7ZPtqMRr3DaZnkJO0-lX8j3S5fyO9Z1byshLP4IbQC6edQfqEdx6Q_aem_EdIyXpH3GrGuvnCtCZcvBw
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