At the Bitcoin Vegas 2025 conference, Bilal Bin Saqib, Pakistan’s Minister for Crypto and Blockchain and CEO of the Pakistan Crypto Council (PCC), announced the establishment of the country’s first government-led Strategic Bitcoin Reserve.
Pakistan’s Bitcoin Plan
The Strategic Bitcoin Reserve will reportedly utilize existing Bitcoin held by the federal government. As of March 2025, the United States is estimated to be the largest state holder of BTC, with approximately 200,000 BTC in its possession.
Saqib’s announcement also introduced a national Bitcoin wallet intended to hold digital assets currently under state custody, emphasizing that these assets will not be used for sale or speculation but as a sovereign reserve reflecting a long-term commitment to decentralized finance.
The establishment of the PCC in March, with Saqib at the helm, marks a pivotal step in creating a legal framework for cryptocurrency trading in Pakistan, aimed at attracting international investment.
Last month, the government rolled out its first policy framework to regulate digital currencies through a special group under the Anti-Money Laundering (AML) and Counter Terrorism Financing (CTF) authority. This framework aligns with the compliance guidelines set forth by the Financial Action Task Force (FATF).
Further reinforcing this commitment, the Pakistani government approved the formation of the Pakistan Digital Assets Authority (PDAA), a specialized body tasked with overseeing blockchain-based financial infrastructure.
Pakistan Positions Itself As A Crypto Hub
During his keynote speech at Bitcoin 2025, Saqib highlighted that Pakistan boasts over 40 million crypto wallets and a youthful median age of 23. He also pointed out the country’s freelance economy, one of the largest and most active globally.
In a strategic move, the government has allocated 2,000 megawatts of surplus electricity in Phase 1 for Bitcoin mining and AI data centers, opening opportunities for sovereign miners, technology firms, and clean energy partners worldwide.
Saqib emphasized that this initiative is not merely a policy change but a rebranding of Pakistan as a forward-thinking nation in the digital finance sphere.
Notably, this year’s keynote address was delivered by US Vice President JD Vance, underscoring the high-profile nature of the conference, which included participation from White House officials and leaders in the cryptocurrency industry.
Under President Trump, digital assets have gained renewed momentum, with the administration actively courting investment from the crypto sector.
In his first week in office, Trump initiated the creation of a cryptocurrency working group to propose regulations for digital assets and has since hosted crypto executives at the White House.
When writing, the market’s leading cryptocurrency trades at $106,350, registering a 4.88% drop from its all-time high reached during last week’s uptrend.
Featured image from DALL-E, chart from TradingView.com
