Pakistan is building a Strategic Bitcoin Reserve for sovereign preparedness rather than trading or speculation, formalizing bitcoin seized by law enforcement into state custody through a national wallet, Bilal Bin Saqib, Minister of State and chairman of the Pakistan Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority (PVARA), said. The proposal, first outlined at Bitcoin Vegas 2025 on May 29, 2025, is also framed as a way to expand financial inclusion and strengthen economic resilience. By February 2026, Saqib said Pakistan had moved state-held digital assets into formal custody arrangements designed for transparency and accountability. The reserve is part of a broader digital-asset strategy that includes redirecting 2,000 megawatts of surplus electricity to Bitcoin mining and AI data centers, and operating a licensing regime established under the Virtual Assets Act 2026. Saqib said the licensing infrastructure was built in under six months for approximately $200,000, or about 8% of the approved budget, covering exchanges, custody, brokerage, asset management, lending and settlement with anti-money-laundering, safeguarding, cybersecurity and market-conduct requirements.