PDAA to be established regulate, accelerate virtual asset economy

According to a press statement issued by the Ministry, the government has endorsed the establishment of a dedicated body — the Pakistan Digital Assets Authority (PDAA) — to regulate blockchain-based financial infrastructure.

The aim is to ensure FATF-compliant innovation, economic inclusion and responsible adoption of digital assets

The PDAA will serve as a specialized regulatory body with a clear mandate to oversee licensing, compliance and innovation within the digital asset ecosystem. Besides, it will regulate exchanges, custodians, wallets, tokenized platforms, stable coins and DeFi applications — all under a single, agile framework.

This strategic decision aligns Pakistan with other forward-thinking economies such as UAE, Japan, Singapore and Hong Kong — all of which have established digital asset regulators to foster innovation while ensuring compliance with global financial norms.

The PDAA is expected to regulate a $25 billion plus informal crypto market, besides enabling  tokenization of national assets and government debt as well as provide legal clarity to global and local investors and facilitate monetization of Pakistan’s surplus electricity through regulated Bitcoin mining and empower youth and startups to build blockchain-based solutions at scale.

With the proposed PDAA, Pakistan is signaling its intent to become a competitive player in global digital economy, inviting responsible innovation, and building trust with investors, entrepreneurs, and international partners.

“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 Minister for Finance and Revenue, Chairman of PCC Muhammad Aurangzeb.

“This is not just about crypto — it’s about rewriting our financial future, expanding access, and creating new export channels through tokenization, digital finance, and Web3 innovation,” said Bilal Bin Saqib CEO of Pakistan Crypto Council.