Pakistan Passes Virtual Assets Act 2026: Crypto Now Legal for 40 Million Users
Pakistan's Parliament officially approved a comprehensive crypto law, making it one of the first South Asian nations with full crypto regulation.
What's changing:
→ PVARA established as the dedicated crypto regulatory authority
→ All exchanges, custodians, and lending platforms must get licensed
→ Stablecoin issuers must hold 100% reserves
→ Shariah-compliant crypto services supported
→ Strong AML and anti-terrorism financing rules
Why it matters:
➤ 40M+ Pakistani crypto users now get legal protection
➤ Binance and HTX already received early approval to operate
➤ 2,000 MW allocated for Bitcoin mining and AI data centers
➤ Strategic Bitcoin Reserve plans underway
From a complete crypto ban in 2018 to a full regulatory framework in 2026.