Pakistan's parliament passes the Virtual Assets Act of 2026

The bill legally formalizes oversight over Pakistan's crypto industry, sanctions compliance and anti-money laundering regulations.

Pakistan’s parliament passed the Virtual Assets Act, 2026 on Wednesday, cementing the Pakistan Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority (PVARA), a government agency, as the country’s digital asset regulator.

The framework gives PVARA, established in July 2025, the authority to enforce licensing requirements and oversight over digital asset service providers, according to an announcement from the regulator.

PVARA is also tasked with setting and enforcing anti-money laundering provisions and international sanctions compliance under the new legislation. PVARA Chairman Bilal Bin Saqib said:

The bill passed in both the Senate and Pakistan’s National Assembly, but must still be signed by Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari to become law.

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