Pakistan joins Hong Kong's ValidAP digital trade platform

Pakistan has joined Hong Kong's ValidAP platform for verifying international trade documents, becoming the first country to take part in the blockchain-based system, according to an official statement. The integration between Pakistan Single Window and ValidAP became operational on 25 September 2026, the statement said, linking Pakistan's digital trade infrastructure to a regional verification framework.

ValidAP generates a unique digital fingerprint, known as a hash, for each document. Authorities can use that fingerprint to confirm whether a document has remained unchanged, which means sensitive information does not have to be stored on or transmitted through the platform. Electronic documents issued through Pakistan Single Window can now be verified independently without exposing the underlying information, according to the statement.

The integration follows a memorandum of understanding signed on 18 May 2026 by Pakistan Customs and Hong Kong's Customs and Excise Department, which formally established Pakistan Customs' participation in ValidAP. The statement said the system can support faster and more secure document processing.

According to the statement, Pakistan's participation supports a wider move towards trusted electronic trade documentation and could reduce reliance on traditional paper-based verification. It marks Pakistan's first use of ValidAP-based digital document verification, and adds another component to the country's digital trade infrastructure. Going forward, the statement said, the system will support electronic document issuance and cross-border verification.