Pakistan to Launch National Crypto Authority for Digital Asset Oversight

Pakistan is preparing to take a major leap into the digital finance space with the formation of a new national authority focused on blockchain oversight.

Backed by the Ministry of Finance, the Pakistan Digital Assets Authority (PDAA) will act as the primary regulator for a wide range of crypto and blockchain-related services.

Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb emphasized the move is about more than catching up—it’s about establishing Pakistan as a leader in Web3 innovation. The PDAA will oversee crypto exchanges, stablecoins, DeFi platforms, tokenization of assets, and even regulated Bitcoin mining using surplus national electricity.

The initiative follows recommendations from the recently established Pakistan Crypto Council, whose advisors include former Binance CEO Changpeng Zhao. Council members say the goal is to unlock new economic opportunities through tokenized finance and digital exports—not just cryptocurrency trading.

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This marks a dramatic policy turnaround. In 2023, officials had dismissed the idea of legitimizing crypto due to compliance concerns with global anti-money laundering standards. Yet just a year later, Pakistan ranked 9th in Chainalysis’ global crypto adoption index, with retail users driving widespread engagement.

Projections show the country’s crypto market could reach over 27 million users and generate $1.6 billion in revenue by 2025, highlighting a fast-growing appetite for digital assets in a nation of nearly 250 million people. With a formal regulatory structure now in the works, Pakistan appears poised to embrace the digital economy at scale.

Alexander Stefanov