Pakistan unveiled its first government-led Strategic Bitcoin Reserve on Thursday — days after Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif appointed Bilal Bin Saqib as his special assistant on blockchain and cryptocurrency. The cash-strapped country had also allocated 2,000 MW electricity to power Bitcoin mining and AI data centres earlier this week. Islamabad also invited investment in its crypto markets during an event in the US that was attended by US Vice President JD Vance and the two oldest sons of POTUS Donald Trump.
“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. If you’re building something real — come build it in Pakistan. Come build wallets for the unbanked. Come tokenise land. Come scale your mission with our youth and our unstoppable grit,” an official statement quoted Saqib as saying.
The statement issued by his office also noted that Pakistan had over 40 million crypto wallets and was one of the “largest and most active freelancer economies in the world”. A Dawn report also quoted him as announcing the establishment of the national bitcoin wallet, “holding digital assets already in state custody — not for sale or speculation, but as a sovereign reserve signalling long-term belief in decentralised finance”.
Who is Bilal Bin Saqib?
Pakistan Crypto Council CEO Bilal Bin Saqib was recently appointed as the special assistant on blockchain and cryptocurrency to PM Sharif. He was also given the status of Minister of State. He is the founder of Tayaba, a social enterprise that aims to provide solutions to the water crisis in Pakistan. The company has launched several initiatives including the H2O wheel — a plastic container connected to a metal bar that makes it easier for women and children to carry water in rural areas. The organisation has distributed 5,500 wheels across Pakistan.
(With inputs from agencies)