The Ministry of Finance has announced the launch of a comprehensive strategy aimed at regulating digital assets and accelerating the growth of Pakistan’s virtual asset economy.
In this regard, the government has decided to establish a dedicated body, the Pakistan Digital Assets Authority (PDAA), to regulate blockchain-based financial infrastructure, ensuring FATF-compliant innovation, economic inclusion, and responsible adoption of digital assets.
“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,” said Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb.
The PDAA will serve as a specialized regulatory body with a clear mandate: to oversee licensing, compliance, and innovation within the digital asset ecosystem. It will regulate exchanges, custodians, wallets, tokenized platforms, stablecoins, and DeFi applications—all under a single, agile framework.
The strategic decision aligns Pakistan with other forward-thinking economies such as the U.A.E., Japan, Singapore, and Hong Kong, who have all established digital asset regulators to foster innovation while ensuring compliance with global financial norms.
The PDAA would seek to regulate the country’s $25 billion+ informal crypto market; enable tokenization of national assets and government debt; provide legal clarity to global and local investors; facilitate monetization of Pakistan’s surplus electricity through regulated Bitcoin mining; and empower youth and startups to build blockchain-based solutions at scale.
The proposed PDAA signals Pakistan’s intent to become a competitive player in the global digital economy, inviting responsible innovation, and building trust with investors, entrepreneurs, and international partners. “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 Pakistan Crypto Council CEO Bilal bin Saqib.