Pakistan to Launch Strategic Bitcoin Reserve, Says Crypto Minister

In brief

Pakistan plans to launch a national strategic Bitcoin reserve, a state minister said Wednesday at Bitcoin 2025.
Bilal Bin Saqib, the special assistant to the prime minister on blockchain and cryptocurrency, made the announcement.
President Trump signed an executive order in March authorizing a U.S. strategic Bitcoin reserve.

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A crypto advisor to the Pakistani government announced Wednesday that the country will launch a strategic Bitcoin reserve.

Speaking at the Bitcoin 2025 conference in Las Vegas, Bilal Bin Saqib, the newly appointed special assistant to the prime minister on blockchain and cryptocurrency, said that Pakistan's government is "setting up its own Bitcoin strategic reserve."

"We are getting inspired by [the U.S. government]," the crypto-centric minister of state added. Earlier this year, President Donald Trump signed an executive order paving the way for a U.S. strategic Bitcoin reserve.

He added: "We will be holding these Bitcoins and we will never, ever sell them."

Decrypt reached out to the Pakistani government for further details, but did not immediately receive a response.

Pakistan appears to be serious about Bitcoin: Just this week, the country announced that it was allocating 2,000 MW of surplus electricity to Bitcoin mining and AI data centers.

The initiative is aimed at generating revenue, creating jobs, and attracting foreign investment, the government said.

Bin Saqib is also an advisor to the President Trump-backed crypto project, World Liberty Financial.

Under President Trump, the United States is working to help the digital asset industry by pursuing legislation and ending regulatory lawsuits against top crypto firms. The Republican campaigned on a ticket to boost the space, and received backing from crypto and tech bigwigs.

President Trump promised to set up a strategic Bitcoin reserve, and in March signed an executive order to push ahead with the plan. According to Arkham Intelligence, the U.S. government already has over 198,000 BTC worth $21.2 billion in reserves—mostly from criminal seizures.

El Salvador made Bitcoin legal tender after the country's president, Nayib Bukele, announced the initiative at Bitcoin 2021 in Miami.

The Central American government has since bought Bitcoin for its own reserves, and now holds 6,191 BTC worth over $664 million—though the IMF is trying to get the country to stop buying BTC as part of a loan deal.

Nevertheless, other countries now appear to be following El Salvador’s lead.

Editor's note: This story was updated after publication with additional details.

Edited by Andrew Hayward