Pakistan’s Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) has established a dedicated Cryptocurrency Investigation Unit to investigate money laundering, terrorism financing and financial fraud involving digital assets, officials confirmed.
The new unit will monitor suspicious cryptocurrency transactions and investigate cybercrime linked to digital assets using modern technology and procedures aligned with international standards. The FIA said the move is intended to strengthen enforcement and prevent cryptocurrencies from being misused for illegal activities.
JUST IN: Pakistan has established a cryptocurrency investigation team to combat money laundering. pic.twitter.com/1pcLCG8BsS
— The Moon Show (@TheMoonShow) July 21, 2026
The decision comes as Pakistan moves to formalize its crypto sector. The country has also established the Pakistan Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority (PVARA), appointed Bilal Bin Saqib as its chairman and begun work on licensing crypto exchanges.
The new FIA unit will focus on cases involving the misuse of cryptocurrencies for money laundering and terrorism financing, as well as cybercrime and financial fraud. Officials said the unit was created under special directives from FIA Director General and will oversee suspicious activity involving digital assets.
Why is Pakistan tightening crypto enforcement now?
Pakistan has ranked among the world’s largest crypto markets by retail activity, creating a large user base for authorities to regulate. Chainalysis ranked Pakistan 9th globally in its 2025 Geography of Cryptocurrency report, showing the scale of local demand for digital assets.
The government is now pursuing a regulatory model that combines market access with tighter supervision. PVARA was established as the country’s national body for licensing and regulating virtual asset service providers, while Bilal Bin Saqib was appointed chairman. The government has also been working toward licensing crypto exchanges and exploring tokenized state assets.
The approach shows a basic regulatory calculation: bringing crypto businesses into a licensed system gives authorities more visibility over transactions and creates identifiable entities that can be held accountable.
What happens next for Pakistan’s crypto market
The real test will be whether enforcement and regulation develop at the same pace. A dedicated FIA unit can investigate suspicious activity, but its effectiveness will depend on access to blockchain intelligence, cooperation from exchanges and coordination with regulators such as PVARA.
Pakistan’s crypto policy also carries a diplomatic dimension. Islamabad has discussed using stablecoins for cross-border payments and has engaged with an affiliate of World Liberty Financial, a crypto business linked to U.S. President Donald Trump’s family. The combination of regulation, enforcement and international crypto partnerships suggests Pakistan wants digital assets to become part of its formal financial strategy, while keeping tighter control over how they are used.
Meanwhile, Pakistan reportedly entered an agreement with a company connected to World Liberty Financial to explore the use of its dollar-pegged stablecoin for cross-border payments.
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