In a keynote at Bitcoin Vegas 2025, Pakistan Crypto Council (PCC) CEO Bilal bin Saqib has unveiled the country’s first government-led Strategic Bitcoin Reserve, positioning Pakistan at the center of the global cryptocurrency conversation.
Speaking before an audience of industry experts, as well as U.S. Vice President JD Vance, and U.S. President Donald Trump’s sons Eric and Donald Trump Jr., Saqib—who was recently appointed Special Assistant to the Prime Minister for Crypto and Blockchain with status of minister of state—stressed that Pakistan is no longer defined by its past. The country, he said, was being reborn as a forward looking hub of digital innovation powered by its youth, sharpened by necessity, and led by a new generation of tech statesmen.
“I’m not just here as a minister,” he said. “I’m here as the voice of a generation, a generation that is online, on-chain, and unstoppable,” he added.
Saqib, 34, noted that Pakistan has over 40 million crypto wallets, a median age of 23, and one of the largest and most active freelancer economies in the world. In his keynote, he announced the establishment of a national Bitcoin wallet, holding digital assets already in state custody—not for sale or speculation, but as a sovereign reserve signaling long-term belief in decentralized finance.
He also thanked President Trump for his role as a peacemaker in the recent conflict between Pakistan and India, as well as his commitment to crypto adoption.
The PCC CEO informed the audience of the Government of Pakistan allocating 2,000MW of surplus electricity in Phase 1 for Bitcoin mining and A.I. data centers, opening doors to sovereign miners, tech firms, and clean energy partners around the world. To harness this momentum, Saqib is also leading the creation of the Pakistan Digital Assets Authority (PDAA), a regulatory body designed to empower builders, protect investors, and formalize digital finance frameworks for the future.
“Both Pakistan and Bitcoin have suffered from bad PR,” he said. “But if you look past the headlines, you’ll see something else: talent, resilience, and vision,” he said, in an open call to global builders promising them Islamabad’s support for their initiatives. “Come build wallets for the unbanked. Come tokenize land. Come scale your mission with our youth and our unstoppable grit,” he said.
Saqib’s keynote aims to deliver a blueprint for the future of emerging markets in Web3—one that positions Pakistan as a tech-forward, youth-powered, and opportunity-rich nation ready to lead.