Pakistan to Launch Digital Assets Authority to Regulate Virtual Assets Economy

In a key development, the Ministry of Finance on Wednesday unveiled a comprehensive strategy to regulate digital assets and accelerate the growth of Pakistan’s virtual asset economy. As part of this initiative, the government has endorsed the establishment of a dedicated body — the Pakistan Digital Assets Authority (PDAA) — to regulate blockchain-based financial infrastructure, read a statement released by the Ministry of Finance. The aim is to ensure 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 and Chairman ofPakistan Crypto Council (PCC), Muhammad Aurangzeb. The government said that PDAA will serve as a specialised regulatory body with a mandate to oversee licensing, compliance, and innovation within thedigital assetecosystem. Global crypto diplomacy: PCC positions Pakistan as rising force in just 50 days It will also regulate exchanges, custodians, wallets, tokenised platforms, stablecoins, and DeFi applications — all under a single framework. “This strategic decision aligns Pakistan with other forward-thinking economies such as the UAE, Japan, Singapore, and Hong Kong — all of which haveestablished digital asset regulatorsto foster innovation while ensuring compliance with global financial norms,” read the statement. Pakistan turns to bitcoin miners, AI data centers to use surplus power The PDAA is expected to regulate a $25B+ informal crypto market, enable tokenisation of national assets and government debt, provide legal clarity to global and local investors, facilitate monetisation of Pakistan’s surplus electricity through regulated Bitcoin mining, andempower youth and startupsto build blockchain-based solutions at scale. “This is not just about crypto — it’s about rewriting our financial future, expanding access, and creating new export channels through tokenisation, digital finance, and Web3 innovation,” said Bilal Bin Saqib, CEO of PCC.