Pakistan launches Digital Asset Authority to boost industry development

What’s new? Pakistan’s Ministry of Finance has approved the creation of a special body to regulate blockchain-based financial infrastructure. The Pakistan Digital Assets Authority (PDAA) will serve as the regulatory body to oversee licensing, regulate exchanges, custodians, wallets, tokenized platforms, stablecoins, and decentralized financial applications (DApps).

Material by PTV

What else is known? Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb said in an interview with PTV, “Pakistan must regulate not just to catch up, but to lead.”

“With the PDAA, we are creating a future-ready framework that protects consumers, invites global investment, and puts Pakistan at the forefront of financial innovation,” the official emphasized.

Pakistan plans to legalize cryptocurrency to attract investments

A special council under the Ministry of Finance has been set up to create a legal framework

Read more

The PDAA will also be tasked with tokenizing national assets and public debt, facilitating monetization of surplus electricity through regulated bitcoin mining and helping startups create scalable blockchain-based solutions.

The new body was created following the recommendation of Pakistan’s advisory body, the Cryptocurrency Council, whichwas establishedon March 14. It includes Changpeng Zhao, founder and former CEO of the largest crypto exchange Binance.

Dubai’s regulator releases updated rules for crypto brokers and exchanges

VARA has tightened controls on leveraged services to bring the rules in line with international regulations

Читать дальше

“This is not just about crypto — it’s about rewriting our financial future, expanding access, and creating new export channels through tokenization, digital finance and Web3 innovation,” said Bilal Bin Saqib, CEO of Crypto Council.

According to The Express Tribune on April 10, Pakistan’s Federal Investigation Agency has proposed a regulatory framework for digital assets to address terrorist financing, money laundering, and Know Your Customer (KYC) compliance.

Hong Kong passes bill to regulate stablecoins

The central bank will be responsible for issuing licenses to issuers of fiat-backed coins

Read more

In May 2023, former finance minister Aisha Ghaus Pasha said Pakistan would never legalize cryptocurrencies because of the potential for them to be used to circumvent Financial Action Task Force (FATF) rules.

However, the following year, Pakistan was ranked ninth in the global cryptocurrency adoption rankings by analysts Chainalysis, largely due to strong adoption in retail and transactions in centralized services.

Statista analysts note that the cryptocurrency market in Pakistan is “experiencing rapid growth,” with more than 27 million users in 2025, out of a population of 247 million. Revenue in the local cryptocurrency market is projected to reach $1,6 billion.