Govt establishes Pakistan Digital Assets Authority to comply with FATF
Business
Authority is being set up on recommendations of Pakistan Cryptocurrency Council (PCC)
ISLAMABAD (Dunya News) – In a bid to regulate and accelerate the Virtual Asset Economy comp¬liant with the Fina¬ncial Action Task Force (FATF) safeguards, the federal government on Wednesday announced to set up a Pakistan Digital Assets Authority (PDAA).
The Ministry of Finance said in a statement that it was initiating a comprehensive strategy to regulate digital assets and accelerate the growth of Pakistan’s virtual asset economy.
The authority is being set up on the recommendations of the Pakistan Cryptocurrency Council (PCC).
“Pakistan must regulate not just to catch up — but to lead. With the PDAA, we are creating a future-ready framework that protects consumers, invites global investment, and puts Pakistan at the forefront of financial innovation,” said Finance Minister and PCC Chairman Muhammad Aurangzeb.
He stated that the PDAA will be responsible for managing licensing, ensuring compliance, and promoting innovation within the digital asset space. It will regulate key components of the ecosystem, including exchanges, custodians, digital wallets, tokenised platforms, stablecoins, and decentralized finance (DeFi) applications—all under a unified and flexible regulatory structure.
The PDAA aims to bring oversight to Pakistan’s informal crypto market, estimated to exceed $25 billion. It also seeks to support the tokenisation of national assets and public debt, provide legal certainty for both domestic and international investors, and help monetize excess electricity through regulated Bitcoin mining operations.
Additionally, the Authority is expected to empower young people and startups to develop large-scale blockchain solutions. With the establishment of the PDAA, Pakistan is positioning itself as a serious contender in the global digital economy, encouraging responsible innovation and building credibility with investors, entrepreneurs, and international stakeholders.
“This is not just about crypto — it’s about rewriting our financial future, expanding access, and creating new export channels through tokenisation, digital finance, and Web3 innovation,” said Bilal Bin Saqib, CEO of Pakistan Crypto Council.
