• Pakistan wants to streamline crypto regulation and oversight.
• The Pakistan Crypto Council (PCC) will help align the country’s crypto ecosystem with global trends.

Pakistan has established the Pakistan Crypto Council (PCC) to oversee the adoption and regulation of blockchain technology and digital assets.

According to details, the PCC will help advance crypto adoption within the country’s financial ecosystem.

Senator Muhammad Aurangzeb, Pakistan’s Finance Minister will chair the PCC, with the team including the Governor of the State Bank of Pakistan, the Chairman of the Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan (SECP), and the Federal Law and IT Secretaries.

At a February meeting on digital assets, Aurangzeb emphasized the significance of Pakistan developing a well-regulated digital asset framework. According to the government, this is what will align the country with international best practices. This will also add to compliance with the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) guidelines.

This and the announcement on March 15 signals a dramatic reversal from the nation’s prior stance, which barred cryptocurrency due to concerns over money laundering and terror financing.

Amid this latest move, Pakistan looks focused on becoming one of the crypto innovation and adoption hubs.

Pakistan’s shift comes as the country ranks among the top nations for crypto adoption, boasting approximately 20 million active users and over $20 billion in transactions annually.

The nation’s $35 billion remittance market stands to gain significantly from this pivot.

It’s one of PCC’s agenda that the country moves towards crafting clear regulatory guidelines, collaborating with global blockchain entities, and prioritizing consumer protection and financial security through a strong legal framework.

Pakistan eyes clear crypto framework

Pakistan is taking the big move follows Saqib’s appointment, which the Ministry of Finance hailed as “a significant step forward.”

Together, these initiatives will help harness digital currencies’ potential while mitigating risks. The PCC mandate seeks to balance innovation with accountability, aligning Pakistan with international trends in digital finance and reinforcing its economic ambitions on the world stage.

Across the globe, the United States recently created a strategic bitcoin reserve, held an inaugural White House crypto summit and has new pro-crypto leadership at key government agencies.

Meanwhile, the European Union’s Markets in Crypto-Assets (MiCA) is in full effect and Russia is reportedly tapping into crypto for oil trade.

The Federal Deposit Insurance Commission (FDIC) has filed a response to Coinbase’s request for information under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA). Coinbase says the response is far from sufficient as it pledges to heighten its quest for additional information.

Coinbase Takes Swipes At FDIC’s Response To FOIA Request

Following a FOIA request filed by US-based cryptocurrency exchange Coinbase, the FDIC has released a raft of documents. However, Coinbase Chief Legal Officer Paul Grewal disclosed that the documents released by the FDIC contain too little information.

Grewal took to X (formerly Twitter) to criticize the FDIC for dragging its feet to release necessary information. According to the FOIA filing, Coinbase is seeking information into the FDIC’s role in Operation Choke Point 2.0 and the “debanking of crypto companies.”

Grewal notes that the FDIC is withholding information, particularly regarding its conduct of due diligence to ensure that Operation Chokepoint 2.0 documents remain preserved. Coinbase has filed a similar

The executive disclosed that the latest batch of documents contained several redactions that revealed “much too little, much too late.”

“They removed a few redactions, produced a few more documents, and promised another “renewed search” for other documents,” said Grewal.

The US SEC Has To File Its Own Response To FOIA Requests

Coinbase has extended its crusade against regulators by filing a FOIA request against the SEC. According to the filing, Coinbase is seeking clarification over the cost of the SEC’s enforcement actions against cryptocurrency companies.

“The previous SEC spent four years attacking a lawful industry, and American taxpayers were left holding the bill,” read a statement. “How much did you end up paying? We intend to find out.”

Pundits say the SEC’s enforcement actions against heavy hitters in the industry could cost millions of dollars. Furthermore, a reliance on third-party contractors by the SEC in the cases are expected to drive up the bill.

Coinbase’s request comes on the heels of high-profile case dismissals against cryptocurrency service providers. The SEC’s dismissal of Kraken’s case and the lawsuit against Coinbase are considered a monumental waste of public resources by the securities watchdog.

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Aliyu Pokima

Disclaimer: The presented content may include the personal opinion of the author and is subject to market condition. Do your market research before investing in cryptocurrencies. The author or the publication does not hold any responsibility for your personal financial loss.