Thu, September 17, 2026
Las Vegas (Web Desk): Pakistan has taken a historic step in the global cryptocurrency space by launching its first government-backed strategic Bitcoin reserve, marking a notable departure from its previous stance on digital assets.
The announcement was made by Special Assistant to the Prime Minister (SAPM) on Crypto and Blockchain Bilal Bin Saqib, at the Bitcoin 2025 conference in Las Vegas.
Addressing a high-profile international audience including the United States (US) Vice President JD Vance, Eric Trump, and Donald Trump Jr., Saqib revealed that Pakistan is dedicating 2,000 megawatts of surplus energy in the first phase to support large-scale Bitcoin mining operations and AI data centres.
Saqib emphasized that this initiative is part of a broader vision to transform Pakistan into a technology-forward nation led by its youth.
He noted that the decision reflects inspiration from the United States, which has also begun to treat Bitcoin as a strategic reserve under the current Trump administration.
This signals a broader shift in Pakistan’s crypto policy towards a more proactive and investment-friendly approach.
Earlier this year, in February 2025, Pakistan established a National Crypto Council tasked with developing a comprehensive regulatory framework and attracting foreign crypto investment.
In a major endorsement of the country's crypto ambitions, Binance co-founder Changpeng Zhao was appointed as an adviser to the council in April.
Later on April 27, the Trump-aligned decentralized finance protocol World Liberty Financial (WLFI) signed a letter of intent with Pakistan to assist in tokenizing real-world assets and building decentralized finance infrastructure.
To further institutionalize this new direction, Pakistan’s Ministry of Finance recently initiated the formation of the Digital Asset Authority, which will be responsible for licensing and regulating crypto platforms operating in the country. These developments form the cornerstone of Pakistan’s emerging crypto governance framework.
Meanwhile, in a corresponding move, US President Donald Trump signed an executive order establishing a Strategic Bitcoin Reserve and a broader Digital Asset Stockpile.
These reserves will be initially funded using cryptocurrencies seized by the federal government through criminal and civil asset forfeiture cases.
David Sacks, the White House official overseeing crypto and AI policy, confirmed the action in a March 7 post on X, clarifying that while the Bitcoin reserve will hold federally held BTC, the Digital Asset Stockpile will include a broader selection of cryptocurrencies.
The executive order, first outlined in a White House fact sheet released on March 6, formalizes the integration of digital assets into the financial strategy and infrastructure of the US.
Taken together, the initiatives in both Pakistan and the US signal a global shift toward embracing cryptocurrencies as strategic economic assets.
Neo News | Copyright © 2026
