Islamabad: Pakistan and crypto exchange Binance on Friday signed an MoU to work for 'tokenisation', a process to create digital assets, of up to USD 2 billion, to boost liquidity and attract investors.The
memorandum of understanding (MoU) was signed at the Finance Division here by Minister for Finance and Revenue Muhammad Aurangzeb and Binance CEO Richard Teng, according to a statement by the Ministry of Finance.
"In a significant step towards leveraging emerging financial technologies to strengthen Pakistan's capital markets and enhance global investor access, the Ministry of Finance, Government of Pakistan, today signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Binance Investments Co., Ltd., one of the world's leading blockchain and digital asset technology companies," the ministry said.
The MoU establishes a framework for exploring potential collaboration on the tokenisation and blockchain-based distribution of Pakistan's real-world and sovereign assets, including government bonds, treasury bills, commodity reserves and other federally owned assets."Subject to applicable laws, policies and regulatory approvals, the initiative may involve assets of up to USD 2 billion, with the objective of enhancing liquidity, transparency and international market accessibility," it said.
The MoU is non-binding and reflects an expression of intent by both parties to explore feasibility. Definitive agreements, if any, will be negotiated within six months, subject to approvals.According to the statement, any future arrangement will be governed by Pakistani laws and will not constitute exclusivity or a procurement commitment.Under the proposed arrangement, Binance and its affiliates may provide technical expertise, advisory support, training and capacity building to enable Pakistan to assess modern, compliant blockchain infrastructure.
The collaboration aims to explore secure and transparent digital platforms that could facilitate broader participation by international investors, while fully respecting Pakistan's regulatory framework and sovereign control.Speaking on the occasion, Aurangzeb described the MoU as a strong signal of Pakistan's reform trajectory."This is a very strong message - not only for Pakistan, but for the entire world. What we have signed today reflects a long-term partnership...The next step for us is execution, and we are fully committed to delivering results with speed and quality," he said.
Advisor to the Pakistan Crypto Council, Changpeng Zhao, who was also present at the signing, called the MoU a landmark development for Pakistan's future."This is a great signal for the global blockchain industry and for Pakistan. It has a very big impact on the country's future and its technology-driven generation.
"This is the beginning . now we can move towards full deployment and execution. We are honoured to work with Pakistan's leadership and are confident this collaboration will deliver positive and lasting outcomes for the economy," he said.The collaboration marks an important milestone in aligning Pakistan's financial ecosystem with evolving global best practices, according to the statement.
Separately, Pakistan Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority (PVARA) issued NOCs (No Objection Certificates) to Binance and HTX, launching a phased, Financial Action Task Force-aligned pathway toward full licensing."Strong governance, AML (anti-money laundering) and CFT (counter financing of terrorism) compliance remain central as Pakistan builds a trusted digital asset ecosystem," the PVARA said in a statement on X.It also said that Pakistan has taken a decisive step toward a regulated digital asset future by entering into legal arrangements with Binance and HTX.
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