Pakistan Announces Government-Led Bitcoin Strategic Reserve

Pakistan has unveiled plans to establish a government-led Bitcoin Strategic Reserve, signaling a dramatic policy shift in favor of digital assets. The announcement was made by Bilal Bin Saqib, head of Pakistan’s Crypto Council and Special Assistant to the Prime Minister, during a keynote at the Bitcoin 2025 conference in Las Vegas.

This marks a significant reversal for Pakistan, which previously maintained a hardline stance against cryptocurrencies.

A Strategic Pivot

Saqib confirmed that the reserve will not be used for speculation. Instead, it will serve as a sovereign store of digital value, aimed at signaling Pakistan’s long-term belief in decentralized finance. He described the move as “historic” and credited the United States’ pro-crypto shift under President Trump as inspiration.

“Pakistan is no longer defined by its past. It is being reborn as a forward-looking hub of digital innovation,” Saqib said.

More Than Just a Reserve

The reserve is part of a broader digital transformation strategy:

• A national Bitcoin wallet has been created to hold state-owned digital assets.
• 2,000 megawatts of excess energy have been allocated for Bitcoin mining and AI data centers.
• A new regulatory body, the Pakistan Digital Assets Authority (PDAA), is being formed to oversee licensing, investor protection, and blockchain adoption.

Saqib also highlighted Pakistan’s 40 million+ crypto wallets and vibrant freelancer economy as key assets in this digital push.

A Blueprint for Web3 in Emerging Markets

During his speech, Saqib called on global crypto builders to explore opportunities in Pakistan:

“Come build wallets for the unbanked. Come tokenise land. Come scale your mission with our youth and our unstoppable grit.”

He presented a roadmap positioning Pakistan as a tech-forward, youth-driven nation ready to take a leadership role in Web3 adoption.

Global Context and Partnerships

The initiative follows several earlier steps taken by Pakistan:

• In February 2025, the idea of a National Crypto Council was first floated.
• In March, Saqib was appointed as chief adviser on crypto.
• In April, Binance co-founder Changpeng Zhao joined as an adviser to the Council.
• In May, the Ministry of Finance launched the PDAA to regulate digital assets and issue licenses to Virtual Asset Service Providers (VASPs).

Trump’s World Liberty Financial Initiative (WLFI) also signed an agreement with Pakistan to support DeFi projects and asset tokenization.

Looking Ahead

Pakistan’s Bitcoin reserve could serve as a model for other developing nations grappling with surplus energy, youth unemployment, and financial exclusion. With strong rhetoric and concrete steps, the country appears to be aligning itself with a growing global movement toward sovereign crypto adoption.

Whether this marks the start of sustained innovation or simply a headline moment remains to be seen. But for now, Pakistan has made its message clear: the future is on-chain.