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Pakistan Unveils First Govt-Led Strategic Bitcoin Reserve
Las Vegas: Pakistan Crypto Council (PCC) Chief Executive Officer Bilal Bin Saqib has unveiled the country’s first government-led Strategic Bitcoin Reserve.
Saqib was recently appointed as Special Assistant to the Prime Minister for Crypto and Blockchain, with the status of a minister of state. He has been on a tour of the United States seeking investment in Pakistan’s crypto markets.
He made the announcement about the reserve after delivering a keynote address before an elite audience, which included United States Vice President JD Vance, Eric Trump and Donald Trump Jr, at the Bitcoin Vegas 2025 in Las Vegas.
“Pakistan is no longer defined by its past. It is being reborn as a forward-looking hub of digital innovation — powered by its youth, sharpened by necessity, and led by a new generation of tech statesmen,” said Saqib, in a statement issued by his office.
“I’m not just here as a minister,” he said. “I’m here as the voice of a generation — a generation that is online, on-chain, and unstoppable.”
In his keynote speech, Saqib announced the establishment of a national bitcoin wallet, “holding digital assets already in state custody — not for sale or speculation, but as a sovereign reserve signaling long-term belief in decentralized finance.”
He also thanked President Trump for his role as a peacemaker in the recent India-Pakistan conflict and for his commitment to crypto adoption.
He revealed that the government had allocated 2,000 megawatts of surplus electricity in first phase for bitcoin mining and AI data centers, opening doors to sovereign miners, tech firms, and clean energy partners around the world.
The statement noted Pakistan having over 40 million crypto wallets and one of the “largest and most active freelancer economies in the world”.
It added that Saqib was leading the creation of the Pakistan Digital Assets Authority (PDAA) — a regulatory body designed to empower builders, protect investors, and formalize digital finance frameworks for the future.
“Both Pakistan and bitcoin have suffered from bad PR,” Saqib declared. “But if you look past the headlines, you’ll see something else: talent, resilience, and vision.”
He called on global crypto builders to come and invest in Pakistan. “If you’re building something real — come build it in Pakistan. Come build wallets for the unbanked. Come tokenize land. Come scale your mission with our youth and our unstoppable grit.”
During his keynote, Saqib delivered a “blueprint for the future of emerging markets in Web3 that positions Pakistan as a tech-forward, youth-powered, and opportunity-rich nation ready to lead,” the statement concluded.
On February 25, the government had announced it was considering establishing a National Crypto Council to adopt emerging digital currencies in line with global trends. In March, it appointed Saqib as the chief adviser to the finance minister on the PCC and later made him the council’s CEO .
According to a press release, Saqib will now be responsible for developing a comprehensive, FATF-compliant regulatory framework for digital assets, launching bitcoin mining initiatives, and overseeing blockchain integration in governance, finance, and land records.
Additionally, he will also facilitate “licensing and oversight of virtual asset service providers (VASPs)” and champion “investor protection and Web3 ecosystem growth” in the country.
Furthermore, the government has announced the allocation of 2,000 megawatts (MW) of electricity in the first phase of a national initiative to power bitcoin mining and artificial intelligence (AI) data centers.
According to the Finance Division, the ambitious initiative was part of a broader strategy to “monetize surplus electricity, create high-tech jobs, attract billions of dollars in foreign direct investment, and generate billions of dollars for the government”. – Dawn
