Web Desk

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan plans to explore converting up to $2 billion in government bonds and other sovereign assets into blockchain-based digital tokens through an memorandum of understanding signed Friday with cryptocurrency giant Binance, the finance ministry announced.&nbsp;In an official statement, Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb and Binance Co-CEO Richard Teng signed the MoU&nbsp;at the Finance Division. Binance CEO Changpeng Zhao also attended the ceremony.&nbsp;The MoU&nbsp;establishes a framework for exploring potential collaboration on the tokenization and blockchain-based distribution of Pakistan&rsquo;s real-world and sovereign assets, including government bonds, treasury bills, commodity reserves, and other federally owned assets.&nbsp; Subject to applicable laws, policies, and regulatory approvals, it aims to improve liquidity, transparency, and international market accessibility.&nbsp; Binance may provide technical expertise, advisory support, training, and capacity-building to help Pakistan evaluate its blockchain infrastructure. The initiative aims to boost liquidity, transparency, and access to international markets while respecting Pakistan&#39;s regulatory framework and sovereignty.&nbsp;&ldquo;This is a very strong message &mdash; not only for Pakistan, but the entire world,&rdquo; Aurangzeb said. &ldquo;The next step for us is execution, and we are fully committed to delivering results with speed and quality.&rdquo;&nbsp;Changpeng&nbsp;called the proposal&nbsp;&ldquo;a landmark development for Pakistan&rsquo;s future,&rdquo; stating it would have &ldquo;a very big impact on the country&rsquo;s future and its technology-driven generation.&rdquo;&nbsp;The MoU is nonbinding, the ministry noted. Final&nbsp;agreements will be negotiated within six months, subject to all legal, regulatory, and policy approvals. Any future arrangement will be governed by Pakistani law and will not involve exclusivity or procurement commitments.

Economy

A memorandum of understanding between the finance ministry and Binance marks a potential shift in how Pakistan plans to access international capital markets through emerging financial technology.

Pakistan, Binance explore tokenizing $2 billion in sovereign assets via blockchain

ISLAMABAD: Binance CEO Richard Teng has arrived in Islamabad for high-level engagements as Pakistan pushes forward with a sweeping regulatory framework for digital assets, according to statements issued by the Prime Minister&rsquo;s Office (PMO) and the finance ministry.&nbsp;Teng, leading a senior Binance delegation, met Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Chief of Defense Forces Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir. The PMO said on Saturday that the visit reflects Islamabad&rsquo;s &ldquo;strong commitment to digital asset regulation&rdquo; as the government works to modernize financial oversight, strengthen compliance and encourage responsible innovation.&nbsp;A day earlier, Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb and Pakistan Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority (PVARA) Chairman Bilal Bin Saqib co-chaired a high-level consultative meeting at the Finance Division to review Pakistan&rsquo;s National Digital Asset Framework.&nbsp;The finance ministry said the session aimed to build a &ldquo;secure, well-regulated, and innovation-driven digital asset ecosystem.&rdquo;&nbsp;It noted that officials emphasized the &ldquo;responsible operationalization of on- and off-ramp infrastructure, enhanced compliance standards, improved market transparency, and stronger integration of regulated financial institutions.&rdquo;&nbsp;Aurangzeb reaffirmed Islamabad&rsquo;s focus on establishing a &ldquo;robust and forward-looking regulatory environment&rdquo; that protects national interests while enabling technological progress.&nbsp;He added that &ldquo;close coordination between government agencies, licensed global exchanges, and domestic banks remains essential for modernizing the payments landscape, improving financial inclusion, and aligning national systems with international standards.&rdquo;&nbsp;The Binance delegation offered insights on global digital asset trends and Pakistan&rsquo;s accelerating adoption.&nbsp;Aurangzeb said this rapid growth &ldquo;reflects an irreversible global trend&rdquo; and presents a significant opportunity to bring citizen-held virtual assets under formal oversight.&nbsp;&ldquo;Such integration would strengthen financial visibility, support creditworthiness assessments, and enhance national asset reporting without conferring legal tender status on digital assets,&rdquo; he said.&nbsp;The meeting also assessed opportunities to modernize the country&rsquo;s digital payments infrastructure, noting that &ldquo;blockchain-based systems could significantly reduce costs from the country&rsquo;s $38 billion annual remittance flows.&rdquo;&nbsp;Participants stressed the need to develop domestic expertise in blockchain and Web3 to create high-value jobs for Pakistani youth. <figure class="fr-media"><img src="https://paktv-assets-7d41fab8.s3.eu-west-2.amazonaws.com/uploads/2e2b0344-e65d-426d-b7b0-22c39f6bd380-594548460_1209133844734611_2909506180315748193_n.jpg" alt="594548460_1209133844734611_2909506180315748193_n.jpg" class="fr-fil fr-dib"><figcaption class="caption-cover-image text-sm text-gray-600 italic">Pakistan Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb and Chairman of PVARA Bilal Bin Saqib in a meeting with Binance CEO Richard Teng discussing the National Digital Asset Framework in Islamabad on December 6th, 2025. (Source: Pakistan Finance Ministry/Facebook)</figcaption></figure> Officials further discussed sovereign debt tokenization to improve liquidity and investor access, positioning Pakistan as a regional frontrunner in compliant blockchain-based financial instruments.&nbsp;The conversation, according to the finance ministry, also covered taxation and compliance principles, including shifting oversight to licensed exchanges, adopting a phased capital gains structure, and evaluating a time-bound amnesty to encourage users to move assets to regulated platforms.&nbsp;A structured licensing regime for Virtual Asset Service Providers was also reviewed, with the ministry noting its importance for transparency, stronger verification systems, and alignment with global AML/CFT standards.&nbsp;Bank presidents shared input on custody, risk management, and regulatory collaboration once national rules are finalized.&nbsp;Aurangzeb said a regulated environment would bolster market stability and &ldquo;encourage users to transition to licensed domestic platforms,&rdquo; supporting economic growth, attracting investment, and accelerating technological advancement.

Crypto

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif meets Binance CEO Richard Teng in Islamabad as Pakistan advances its national digital asset framework, pushing regulatory reforms, tighter compliance, blockchain adoption, remittance modernization, and plans for licensing, taxation, and sovereign debt tokenization.

Binance leader in Islamabad as Pakistan accelerates digital asset regulation

WASHINGTON: President Donald Trump has pardoned Binance founder Changpeng Zhao, who created the world&rsquo;s largest cryptocurrency exchange and served prison time after failing to stop criminals from using the platform to move money connected to child sex abuse, drug trafficking and terrorism. Zhao had asked Trump for a pardon previously. He has deep ties to World Liberty Financial, a crypto venture that the Republican president and his sons Eric and Donald Jr. launched in September. Trump&rsquo;s most recent financial disclosure report reveals he made more than $57 million last year from World Liberty Financial, which has launched USD1, a stablecoin pegged at a 1-to-1 ratio to the U.S. dollar. World Liberty Financial also recently announced that an investment fund in the United Arab Emirates would be using $2 billion worth of USD1 to purchase a stake in Binance. Zhao also has publicly said that he had asked Trump for a pardon that could nullify his conviction. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said in a statement Thursday that the Biden administration prosecuted Zhao out of a &ldquo;desire to punish the cryptocurrency industry.&rdquo; She said there were &ldquo;no allegations of fraud or identifiable victims,&rdquo; though Zhao had pleaded guilty in November to one count of failing to maintain an anti-money-laundering program. &ldquo;I failed here,&rdquo; Zhao told the court last year. &ldquo;I deeply regret my failure, and I am sorry.&rdquo;

Americas

President Donald Trump pardoned Binance founder Changpeng Zhao, who served prison time for anti–money laundering failures. Zhao’s ties to Trump’s crypto venture, World Liberty Financial, and a $2 billion UAE investment in Binance raise major ethical questions

Articles tagged with "Binance"

Pakistan, Binance explore tokenizing $2 billion in sovereign assets via blockchain

Binance leader in Islamabad as Pakistan accelerates digital asset regulation

Trump pardons Binance founder Changpeng Zhao

Pakistan, Binance explore tokenizing $2 billion in sovereign assets via blockchain