In a significant policy shift, Pakistan has officially greenlit the creation of a new regulatory body dedicated to overseeing the country’s blockchain-based financial infrastructure and digital asset ecosystem.
According to a recent report from state-owned broadcaster PTV, the newly formed Pakistan Digital Assets Authority (PDAA), approved by the Ministry of Finance, is expected to supervise licensing, compliance, and innovation across the digital asset space. Its mandate will cover operations of cryptocurrency exchanges, wallet providers, custodians, tokenization platforms, stablecoins, and decentralized finance (DeFi) protocols.
Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb, speaking on the initiative, emphasized the importance of proactive regulation, stating Pakistan must “regulate not just to catch up — but to lead.” He noted that the PDAA will enhance consumer protection, attract foreign investment, and establish a forward-looking regulatory framework for digital finance.
Beyond regulatory oversight, the PDAA will strategically tokenize national assets and public debt, promote blockchain-based startups, and support Bitcoin mining initiatives. One major plan involves monetizing surplus electricity to power mining operations — a move the Power Division began evaluating in March through industry consultations on competitive energy pricing.
Energy Minister Awais Leghari is exploring opportunities for international mining firms to utilize Pakistan’s unused power resources in collaboration with Bilal Bin Saqib, CEO of the Pakistan Crypto Council (PCC). This marks a significant shift from Pakistan’s previous anti-crypto stance, highlighted by former Minister Aisha Ghaus Pasha’s declaration against the legalization of cryptocurrencies over two years ago. The State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) has also classified digital currencies as illegal tender.
That outlook began to change in late 2024 when the government proposed amending the SBP Act to empower the central bank to issue and regulate fiat and digital currency. Momentum accelerated in early 2025 with the formation of the PCC, where Saqib announced that Pakistan was “done sitting on the sidelines” and ready to become a Web3 hub, citing the country’s affordable, high-growth environment and crypto-savvy workforce.
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