In a landmark announcement at the Bitcoin 2025 conference in Las Vegas, Bilal Bin Saqib, head of Pakistan’s National Crypto Council, revealed that the Pakistani government will establish a strategic Bitcoin reserve, marking a dramatic shift in its stance on digital assets.
”Today is a very historic day. 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,” Saqib told attendees.
The move follows the United States’ adoption of pro-Bitcoin reserve strategies and signals Pakistan’s growing embrace of crypto-friendly policies. This shift is especially notable given that the Pakistani government had previously declared that cryptocurrencies would never be legalized in the country.
From Rejection to Regulation
The change in tone reflects a broader global trend, as more governments reevaluate their approach to decentralized finance in response to shifting U.S. policy under the Trump administration. In early 2025, Pakistan began laying the groundwork for a national crypto strategy by forming a National Crypto Council tasked with developing a regulatory framework and attracting foreign investment.
By May 2025, the Council had allocated 2,000 megawatts of excess energy for Bitcoin mining and high-performance computing centers—an effort to harness surplus energy for digital infrastructure.
Notably, Binance co-founder Changpeng Zhao was appointed as an adviser to the Council in April 2025. His role includes offering guidance on blockchain adoption, regulatory design, and digital asset integration.
Building Infrastructure for a Digital Future
The country’s crypto push includes support from World Liberty Financial (WLFI), a DeFi initiative launched by former U.S. President Donald Trump. WLFI signed a letter of intent with Pakistan in April to assist in tokenizing real-world assets, building decentralized finance architecture, and piloting new crypto products.
Most recently, Pakistan’s Ministry of Finance announced the creation of a new Digital Asset Authority, which will oversee crypto regulation, licensing, and platform compliance across the country.
Featured image from: coingape.com