Islamabad, September 3 — The Senate Standing Committee on Finance and Revenue has recommended placing the proposed Virtual Assets Authority under the Finance Division instead of the Cabinet Division, citing the specialized nature of its functions. The recommendation came during a committee meeting held at the Parliament House on Wednesday, chaired by Senator Saleem Mandviwalla. […]
The Pakistan Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority (PVARA) held its first board meeting today in Islamabad, marking a major step in Pakistan’s journey toward embracing blockchain, virtual assets, and the digital economy. The Board approved the creation of a complaint portal, developed in collaboration with the National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA), to address concerns related […]
In a major step towards digitisation, the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) is working with Soramitsu, a Japanese blockchain technology developer, to pilot a central bank digital currency (CBDC) in the country this year, reported Nikkei Asia on Tuesday. As per the report, the digital Pakistani rupee pilot will be run on Soramitsu’s CBDC platform with funding […]
Minister of State for Crypto and Blockchain Bilal bin Saqib met with Executive Director of President Trump’s Council on Digital Assets, Robert Bo Hines. The two discussed the global coordination of crypto policy and Pakistan’s ambitious plans to become a regional hub for Web3 innovation, as per a press release. This dialogue follows the minister’s visit […]
Islamabad – July 30, 2025 — The federal government has officially begun implementing its virtual asset regulatory framework with the aim of formalizing and regulating the growing digital asset space in Pakistan. A high-level meeting was held in Islamabad on Tuesday, bringing together key stakeholders including representatives from banks, exchange companies, and the jewellery sector. […]
Bilal Bin Saqib, Minister of State for Crypto and Blockchain and CEO of the Pakistan Crypto Council (PCC), met with President Nayib Bukele of El Salvador in San Salvador, marking the first-ever official meeting between a Pakistani government representative and the Salvadoran Head of State. During the meeting, Saqib and Bukele discussed El Salvador’s experience […]
KARACHI/SINGAPORE: Pakistan is preparing to launch a pilot project for its own digital currency as part of broader efforts to modernise its financial system, State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) Governor Jameel Ahmad announced on Wednesday. Speaking at the Reuters NEXT Asia Summit in Singapore, Ahmad confirmed that the central bank is finalising legislation to regulate […]
Islamabad, Pakistan – July 8, 2025 — In a landmark move, the Federal Cabinet has formally approved the creation of the Pakistan Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority (PVARA), paving the way for a comprehensive legal and institutional framework to regulate the country’s rapidly expanding digital assets ecosystem. The newly proposed authority will operate as an independent […]
A high-level meeting of the Pakistan Crypto Council (PCC) was held at the Finance Division, chaired by the Federal Minister for Finance and Revenue, Senator Muhammad Aurangzeb. The meeting focused on the draft regulatory framework for digital and virtual assets in Pakistan, aiming to align with international standards and evolving technological trends. Participants also discussed […]
Las Vegas, Nevada – May 28, 2025 — In a groundbreaking announcement at the Bitcoin 2025 conference in Las Vegas, Pakistan’s Minister of State for Blockchain and Crypto, Bilal Bin Saqib, unveiled an ambitious national strategy to establish a Strategic Bitcoin Reserve and allocate 2,000 megawatts of electricity for Bitcoin mining and AI data centers. […]