Pakistan regulator pitches Bitcoin reserve as hedge for 2080

Pakistan's digital-asset regulator is pushing to establish a national Bitcoin reserve, a long-term strategy to prepare for a financial system that could look unrecognizable by 2080.

"It is about the future and preparing for the future," Bilal Bin Saqib, chairman of the Pakistan Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority, or PVARA, said.

Saqib said the plan is not focused on Bitcoin's price or on deploying large amounts of cash to buy the cryptocurrency. Children now in school will form the future workforce, he said, and no one knows what the monetary system will look like in 2080. Countries, financial institutions and finance companies worldwide view Bitcoin as both a scarce and strategic asset, he added.

Pakistan fell behind in past technological revolutions and now wants to build capabilities for this financial shift, Saqib said. The country also wants to show the world it is open and forward-looking. Bitcoin traded around $77,000 in late August, having reclaimed that level on Aug. 21, according to Kazinform.

A hedge against a shifting monetary order

The proposal places Pakistan among a growing group of governments weighing Bitcoin as a reserve asset, a shift that could reshape how emerging economies hold value outside traditional reserves. Saqib described digital assets as a new opportunity for a country that missed earlier technology waves.

Pakistan's approach differs from reserve programs that hinge on price appreciation. Saqib stressed the reserve is a capability-building exercise rather than a bet on Bitcoin's near-term value. The regulator is seeking to adapt to a global shift in which financial institutions treat Bitcoin as a scarce asset, he said.

The move comes as Bitcoin trades near $77,000, having broken that level again on Aug. 21, according to Kazinform. Gold, a traditional reserve asset, has climbed above $4,500 an ounce, with Kazakhstan among the world's top five gold buyers, the same outlet reported.

What a sovereign reserve could mean for Bitcoin

If adopted, Pakistan's reserve would mark one of the first national Bitcoin holdings from a South Asian economy, adding to a trend that began with El Salvador's 2021 adoption. The policy could spur other emerging markets to weigh similar moves, further entrenching Bitcoin as a strategic asset alongside gold.

Saqib said Pakistan wants to stand at the forefront of this technological change rather than repeat past missteps. The regulator's timeline, however, remains unclear, with no date set for implementation or for how the reserve would be funded.

For Bitcoin holders, a sovereign reserve from a country of more than 240 million people would add a state-level buyer to a market already absorbing institutional flows. It also carries risk: a reserve built on future capability rather than current purchases may take years to materialize, and any reversal by Pakistan's government could undercut the narrative of state adoption.

This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute investment advice.