Can Stablecoins Become Part of Cross-Border Payments? The USD1 Pakistan discussion has created an important legal question: can regulated stablecoins eventually become part of Pakistan’s cross-border payment and settlement system? The question gained significant attention in January 2026 when Pakistan signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with SC Financial Technologies LLC, an affiliated entity of…
Pakistan has now moved from creating a legal framework for virtual assets to the implementation and enforcement stage. The Pakistan Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority (PVARA) has opened its licensing portal and is requiring existing virtual asset businesses covered by the transitional provisions of the Virtual Assets Act, 2026 to submit a No Objection Certificate (NOC)…
Pakistan’s emerging virtual asset regulatory (PVARA) framework is introducing a capital-based licensing structure for Virtual Asset Service Providers . For entrepreneurs planning to establish a cryptocurrency exchange, custody business, broker-dealer, token issuer, investment platform, or other virtual asset enterprise, understanding the proposed minimum paid-up capital requirements is an essential part of regulatory planning. The figures…
As Pakistan continues to establish a comprehensive legal framework for digital assets, cryptocurrency businesses, investors, compliance professionals, and legal practitioners must remain informed of the latest regulatory developments. One of the most important resources for this purpose is the PVARA Regulatory Documents portal, which provides official access to laws, regulations, licensing guidance, and regulatory circulars…
At the beginning of 2022, I received an email that I will never forget. As a cryptocurrency lawyer, I had already been assisting clients in cryptocurrency disputes and blockchain-related legal matters for several years. However, this particular case was unlike any I had previously encountered. The client was a foreign national who had become the…
