El Salvador and Pakistan Explore Bitcoin Collaboration After Presidential Meeting

July 16, 2025 – In a significant move toward cross-border crypto collaboration, El Salvador’s President Nayib Bukele hosted Pakistan’s Minister of Crypto, Bilal Bin Saqib, at Casa Presidencial to discuss shared goals for Bitcoin integration. The meeting, held earlier this week, focused on three key areas: Bitcoin mining infrastructure, national BTC reserves, and educational programs aimed at fostering digital financial literacy.

Sustainable Bitcoin Mining and Energy Partnerships

Both countries are exploring ways to harness natural and surplus energy for sustainable Bitcoin mining. El Salvador, an early mover, is already mining BTC using geothermal power from the Tecapa volcano, generating $29 million in mined Bitcoin to date. Pakistan is now positioning itself as a low-cost, high-growth destination for mining and AI data centers, leveraging excess electricity that otherwise goes unused.

This shared interest in green and scalable mining was a central point of discussion, with the potential for joint energy infrastructure projects or technical knowledge-sharing down the line.

Building Strategic Bitcoin Reserves

The leaders also addressed their respective strategies for accumulating and holding national Bitcoin reserves. El Salvador currently holds 6,240 BTC, worth over $400 million, stored transparently in a “Bitcoin piggy bank” as part of its sovereign wealth approach.

Pakistan, following in El Salvador’s footsteps, officially announced its first government-backed Bitcoin reserve at the Bitcoin 2025 conference in Las Vegas. Saqib emphasized the long-term nature of the initiative, stating:

“We will be holding this Bitcoin, and we will never ever sell them.”

Education as a Pillar of Bitcoin Adoption

Bitcoin education emerged as another priority. El Salvador has developed a nationwide curriculum that includes initiatives like Mi Primer Bitcoin, the CUBO+ scholarship program, and foundational courses on the nature of money for schoolchildren. Pakistan aims to replicate and localize similar frameworks to engage its youth-heavy population, 60% of which is under age 30.

By aligning education with crypto-friendly policies, both nations aim to drive adoption and attract foreign investment from the global Bitcoin community.

Context: A New Chapter in Global Bitcoin Diplomacy

El Salvador made history in 2021 as the first nation to legalize Bitcoin, setting a global precedent under Bukele’s leadership. Pakistan, previously cautious, has accelerated its crypto integration since early 2025—announcing legalization, a regulatory framework, and high-profile strategic appointments, including naming Binance founder Changpeng Zhao as an advisor.

Minister Saqib has been actively building international partnerships. In recent months, he met with Michael Saylor of MicroStrategy and led outreach to global mining firms, emphasizing Pakistan’s ambition to become a Bitcoin-friendly frontier market.

Photos from the meeting show Bukele and Saqib standing together before national flags, signaling a diplomatic alignment rooted in crypto innovation. While no formal agreements have been disclosed, the dialogue reflects a broader trend of emerging economies pivoting toward Bitcoin as a hedge and strategic tool amid macroeconomic uncertainty.