Pakistan Announces Strategic Bitcoin Reserve in Major Policy Shift

Pakistan is preparing to establish a national strategic Bitcoin reserve, signalling a dramatic policy shift and aligning itself with the growing global embrace of digital assets.

The announcement came from Bilal Bin Saqib, CEO of the Pakistan Crypto Council, during his speech at the Bitcoin 2025 conference in Las Vegas.

Bin Saqib stated that Pakistan is taking cues from the United States, particularly citing former President Donald Trump’s recent executive order to create a national Bitcoin reserve as a catalyst for Pakistan’s move.

The government official told the audience:

"Today is a very historic day. Today, I announce the Pakistani government is setting up its own government-led Bitcoin Strategic Reserve, and we want to thank the United States of America again because we were inspired by them."

While the exact number of Bitcoins Pakistan plans to hold remains unspecified, questions linger about whether the assets will be directly purchased or secured through alternative means.

The announcement follows Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s appointment of Bin Saqib as Special Assistant on Blockchain and Crypto, reflecting a growing governmental commitment to the sector.

Notably, Bin Saqib also serves as an advisor to World Liberty Financial, a Trump-endorsed crypto initiative—further connecting Pakistan’s strategy to international crypto developments.

Pakistan Softens Stance Toward Crypto

Pakistan is making a decisive pivot toward embracing Bitcoin and blockchain innovation.

This week, the government announced the allocation of 2,000 megawatts of surplus electricity to support Bitcoin mining and AI-focused data centers—part of a broader strategy to generate revenue, create jobs, and attract foreign investment.

The country also plans to explore the tokenisation of illiquid state assets and apply blockchain technology to improve government efficiency.

This marks a dramatic reversal from Pakistan’s previously hardline stance that cryptocurrency would never be legalised.

The shift mirrors a wider global trend, particularly following regulatory changes under the Trump administration in the US, which have encouraged more nation-states to adopt pro-crypto policies.

Pakistan’s transformation began taking shape in early 2025 when the government floated the idea of a National Crypto Council to create a regulatory framework for digital assets and court international investment.

Among the Council’s early proposals were using excess energy to mine Bitcoin and build data centers, as well as accumulating BTC as part of a sovereign reserve.

Notably, Binance co-founder Changpeng Zhao joined as an advisor in April, offering guidance on crypto regulation, blockchain infrastructure, and digital asset adoption.

The country’s ambitions extend further.

On 27 April, Pakistan signed a letter of intent with World Liberty Financial (WLFI)—a decentralised finance protocol backed by President Trump—to explore tokenising real-world assets, building a DeFi ecosystem, and piloting crypto products.

To support these efforts, Pakistan’s Ministry of Finance recently established the Digital Asset Authority, a dedicated body tasked with regulating crypto platforms and issuing licenses to digital asset providers.

Together, these moves signal a profound policy transformation—and position Pakistan as an emerging contender in the global race for crypto leadership.