Pakistan views Bitcoin and digital assets as essential for establishing a new financial system for its 240 million citizens, a senior official stated at the Bitcoin MENA Conference, indicating a move toward formal regulation of crypto markets.
Bilal Bin Saqib mentioned on Tuesday that Pakistan must move beyond traditional economic frameworks, calling for “a new engine” in the form of digital assets. The minister expressed during a roundtable in Abu Dhabi:
“We consider Bitcoin, digital assets, and blockchain as not merely speculation but as vital infrastructure. Not as mere noise, but as the foundation for a new financial rail for the global south.”
Saqib, the chairman of Pakistan’s Virtual Asset Regulatory Authority (PVARA) and former special assistant to the prime minister for blockchain and crypto, emphasized that his role is to convert one of the world’s largest unregulated crypto markets into a compliant, investment-ready environment.
He pointed out that with a youthful demographic—70% of the population under 30—Pakistan has the potential to build a regulated crypto ecosystem and avoid being a “late adopter.”
“My message is clear,” he said. “If El Salvador can achieve this with 6 million people, think about what Pakistan can accomplish with a population 40 times larger and one of the fastest growing digital landscapes in Asia.”
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The rise of crypto adoption in Pakistan
Pakistan has become one of the fastest-growing crypto markets globally, rising six spots to rank third in Chainalysis’ 2025 Global Crypto Adoption Index.
In May, Saqib revealed that the country is preparing to set up a strategic Bitcoin (BTC) reserve and is shifting toward more favorable regulatory policies for crypto.
That same month, Pakistan set aside 2,000 megawatts of surplus electricity for Bitcoin mining and AI data centers as part of its national digital transformation effort. Financial officials stated that this move aims to attract foreign investment and generate new high-tech jobs by utilizing excess power in AI and crypto infrastructure.
In September, Pakistan invited global crypto firms to apply for licenses under its new federal regulatory framework. The PVARA announced a call for expressions of interest from major exchanges and service providers looking to enter the market.
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