Pakistan becomes first country to join Hong Kong's ValidAP trade verification platform

Business Recorder reported, citing a statement, that Pakistan Single Window (PSW) is now linked with ValidAP, a platform operated by the Customs and Excise Department of Hong Kong, China. The connection went live on September 25, 2026, and it allows electronic trade papers issued through PSW to be checked for authenticity and integrity using cryptography. That check happens without the original document or its confidential details being sent to or kept on the platform.

The link follows a memorandum of understanding that Pakistan Customs and the Hong Kong department signed on May 18, 2026, setting out Pakistan Customs' role in the platform. According to the statement, Pakistan has become the initial nation to take part in ValidAP, and this is the country's first use of ValidAP-based document verification.

ValidAP creates a hash, a unique digital fingerprint of each electronic document, so authorities can confirm it is genuine and unaltered without the file being shared. The statement said the move supports a framework where trade papers are created electronically, checked digitally and recognised across borders. It can also cut reliance on paper checks and speed up processing of international trade documents.