Server-rendered tracker page for licensing regulation in Pakistan. This page is built for Google and LLM crawlers: every event below links to a permanent policy-event URL with source data and APAC FINSTAB analysis.
Jurisdiction: Pakistan. Regulator: PVARA / State Bank of Pakistan. Topic: Licensing. Latest event: April 30, 2026 — Pakistan State Bank Formally Allows Licensed VASPs to Access Banking Services.
Use this page to compare rule changes, licensing signals, enforcement posture, and market-access implications for exchanges, stablecoin issuers, protocols, custodians and institutional teams operating across APAC.
State Bank of Pakistan issued BPRD Circular Letter No. 10 of 2026, replacing 2018 virtual-currency prohibition and enabling regulated entities with PVARA NOC (No Objection Certificate) to open bank accounts for crypto trading and customer operations. The circular marks formal integration of virtual asset service providers into Pakistan's banking system after months of regulatory sandbox testing. Major step for South Asia's crypto adoption with 40+ million users.
Pakistan's parliament passes the Virtual Assets Act 2026, giving PVARA (Pakistan Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority) permanent statutory authority to license crypto exchanges and regulate the virtual asset industry. The law includes criminal penalties including jail time for violations. Pakistan's crypto market is estimated at $300 billion in cumulative inflows, with over 40 million users. This positions Pakistan as one of the first South Asian nations with comprehensive crypto legislation, beating India to formal crypto law.
Pakistan Senate committee approves draft Virtual Asset Act 2026, paving way for legal crypto trade. Pakistan Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority (PVARA) to grant licenses for crypto coin issuance and regulate crypto exchanges under new law. Follows PVARA regulatory sandbox launch earlier this month.