World Liberty Financial, endorsed by Trump, has partnered with Pakistan’s Crypto Council to boost crypto adoption. The deal aims to launch regulatory sandboxes, enhance stablecoins for remittances, and drive decentralised finance innovations. Pakistan’s youth-driven tech scene, alongside a new regulatory framework from the FIA, indicates a shift towards embracing cryptocurrency, contrasting earlier prohibitive stances.
World Liberty Financial, a firm backed by Donald Trump, has partnered with the Pakistan Crypto Council through a signed Letter of Intent. This move is focused on accelerating cryptocurrency adoption in Pakistan, which is emerging as one of the fastest-growing markets for crypto globally. This partnership aims to test blockchain products through regulatory sandboxes, enhance stablecoin use for remittances, investigate asset tokenization, and develop decentralized finance protocols.
The formal agreement was inked recently by World Liberty founders Zach Witkoff, Zak Folkman, and Chase Herro alongside the Pakistan Crypto Council’s CEO, Bilal bin Saqib. Notable figures, including the central bank governor and finance minister, were present at the signing, underscoring the partnership’s significance. World Liberty was launched last year with financial backing from Trump and his family, who reportedly share in the firm’s profits.
The Pakistan Crypto Council is a government-backed entity responsible for regulating cryptocurrency and fostering initiatives to stimulate its use and attract investments. According to Chainalysis, a blockchain analytics firm, Pakistan ranked ninth in the world for cryptocurrency adoption last year, boasting around 25 million active users and seeing approximately $300 billion in transactions annually.
With a youthful population where about 60% are under 30, Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb emphasised the potential of the country’s tech scene. He stated, “The youth and our tech sector are our top assets. Partnerships like this are key to unlocking fresh investments, fostering innovation, and paving our way to global leadership in blockchain.”
In further developments, the founders of World Liberty also had discussions with Changpeng Zhao, the former CEO of Binance, who has now joined the Pakistan Crypto Council as an adviser on regulation and innovation. Simultaneously, Pakistan’s Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) proposed a crypto regulatory framework aimed at managing issues such as terrorism financing and money laundering, while enhancing Know Your Customer controls.
FIA Director Sumera Azam noted that this framework strives to harmonise technological growth with necessary national security measures. However, the proposal awaits legislative approval and feedback from local crypto businesses, with plans for a phased rollout beginning in 2026. Notably, this new approach is in stark contrast to Pakistan’s previous stance, when ex-finance minister Aisha Ghaus Pasha dismissed the likelihood of legalising cryptocurrencies due to fears of infringing on Financial Action Task Force (FATF) regulations.
