Pakistan Passes Virtual Assets Act to Regulate Crypto Industry

[nihalsari]

Pakistan has taken a major step toward regulating its crypto industry after parliament passed the Virtual Assets Act, 2026, officially empowering the Pakistan Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority (PVARA) as the country’s main digital asset regulator. The new law gives the authority power to license and oversee digital asset service providers, creating a formal framework for crypto operations across the country.

According to PVARA chairman Bilal Bin Saqib, the regulator will also enforce anti-money laundering rules and ensure compliance with international sanctions standards. While the bill has cleared both the Senate and National Assembly, it still requires final approval from President Asif Ali Zardari before officially becoming law.

[ed]

Pakistan going from “crypto is banned” to “here’s a full regulatory authority” in like two years is kinda wild