Pakistan has established a cryptocurrency investigation unit, focusing on cracking down on digital asset crimes such as money laundering and terrorist financing.

According to local media reports, Pakistan’s Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) has established a cryptocurrency investigation unit under its National Command and Control Center, dedicated to combating illegal and criminal activities involving digital assets. Muhammad Athar Waheed, head of FIA’s Counter-Terrorism Department, stated that the unit will focus on investigating crimes such as money laundering and terrorist financing conducted via cryptocurrency, and will collaborate with Pakistan’s Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority (PVARA) in law enforcement operations. Waheed also recommended that the National Cyber Crimes Investigation Agency (NCCIA) and the Anti-Narcotics Force should set up dedicated teams to strengthen the crackdown on illegal activities like cybercrime and drug trafficking facilitated by cryptocurrency. In recent years, Pakistan has steadily advanced its digital asset regulatory framework. In March this year, Pakistan’s parliament passed the Virtual Assets Act, officially establishing PVARA as a permanent federal regulatory body responsible for issuing licenses to trading platforms, custodians, and token issuers. To date, PVARA has granted operating licenses to several major crypto platforms, including Binance and HTX. Additionally, Bilal bin Saqib, chairman of PVARA, previously noted that Pakistan plans to launch a national sovereign stablecoin, has announced the establishment of a national bitcoin reserve, and allocated 2,000 megawatts of electricity for bitcoin mining and AI data center construction.