ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s government has signaled its “strong commitment” to digital asset regulation as the country’s senior officials met the leadership of Binance, one of the world’s most prominent global cryptocurrency exchanges, the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) said on Saturday. 

The Binance team, led by its Chief Executive Officer Richard Teng, is in Pakistan and has held meetings with Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb, Pakistan Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority (PVARA) Chairman Bilal bin Saqib and senior Pakistani bank officials this week. 

Pakistan has been attempting to regulate its fast-growing crypto and digital assets market by bringing virtual asset service providers (VASPs) under a formal licensing regime. Officials say the push is aimed at curbing illicit transactions, improving oversight and encouraging innovation in blockchain-based financial services.

“Binance senior leadership visits Pakistan as government signals strong commitment to digital asset regulation,” the PMO said. 

A Binance delegation led by Teng met Chief of Army Staff and Chief of Defense Forces Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir in Islamabad. 

Saqib also attended the meeting and gave the Binance team a briefing about his organization.

Pakistan has attempted in recent months to tap into the country’s growing crypto market, a move analysts say could bring an estimated $25 billion in virtual assets into the tax net.

In September, Islamabad invited international crypto exchanges and other VASPs to apply for licenses to operate in the country, a step aimed at formalizing and regulating its fast-growing digital market.