Bitcoin Vegas in US: Pakistan unveils first govt-led Bitcoin reserve
In front of an elite audience that included the Vice President of the United States, JD Vance, Eric Trump, and Donald Trump Jr., Bilal Bin Saqib, Pakistan's Minister for Crypto & Blockchain and CEO of the Pakistan Crypto Council, delivered a commanding keynote at Bitcoin Vegas 2025, unveiling the country's first government-led Strategic Bitcoin Reserve and with it, a radically new vision of Pakistan on the global map.
Bilal's message was bold: Pakistan is no longer defined by its past. It is being reborn as a forward-looking hub of digital innovation powered by its youth, sharpened by necessity, and led by a new generation of tech statesmen. I'm not just here as a minister, Bilal said. I'm here as the voice of a generation a generation that is online, on-chain, and unstoppable.
At just 34 years old, Bilal Bin Saqib has become the leading voice of a new Pakistan one with over 40 million crypto wallets, a median age of 23, and one of the largest and most active freelancer economies in the world.
While other leaders talk about potential, Bilal is unlocking it with bold national moves that put Pakistan at the centre of the global crypto conversation.
In his keynote, Bilal announced the establishment of a national Bitcoin wallet, holding digital assets already in state custody not for sale or speculation, but as a sovereign reserve signalling long-term belief in decentralised finance.
He also thanked President Donald Trump for his role as a peacemaker in the recent India-Pakistan conflict and for his commitment to crypto adoption.
He also revealed that the Government of Pakistan has allocated 2,000 megawatts of surplus electricity in Phase 1 for Bitcoin mining and AI data centres, opening doors to sovereign miners, tech firms, and clean energy partners around the world. To harness this momentum, Bilal is also leading the creation of the Pakistan Digital Assets Authority (PDAA), a regulatory body designed to empower builders, protect investors, and formalise digital finance frameworks for the future.
'Both Pakistan and Bitcoin have suffered from bad PR.' Bilal declared. But if you look past the headlines, you'll see something else: talent, resilience, and vision.
His speech was not only a historic moment for Pakistan, but a call to global builders: If you're building something real come build it in Pakistan. Come build wallets for the unbanked. Come tokenize land. Come scale your mission with our youth and our unstoppable grit. As global eyes turned to Las Vegas, Bilal Bin Saqib delivered more than a keynote. He delivered a blueprint for the future of emerging markets in Web3 one that positions Pakistan as a tech-forward, youth-powered and opportunity-rich nation ready to lead.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
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