Short answer: owning bitcoin has never been made a crime in Pakistan, and since 2025 the government has been actively building rules for it. But banks were told in 2018 not to deal in crypto, and the licensing regime under the Virtual Assets Act, 2026 is still being rolled out.
Not legal adviceThis page is general information from a volunteer community, current as of September 2026. Regulations are changing quickly. For decisions that matter, check official sources — the State Bank of Pakistan, the Ministry of Finance and PVARA — or talk to a lawyer.
Timeline
- April 2018The State Bank of Pakistan issues a circular telling banks, payment providers and other regulated entities not to deal in virtual currencies or facilitate customers who do. It's a restriction on the banking system, not a law against individuals holding bitcoin.
- 2018 – 2024A grey zone. There is no licensed local exchange and no specific law. Hundreds of thousands of Pakistanis use peer-to-peer platforms and international exchanges anyway; enforcement actions focus on fraud and money laundering.
- March 2025The government launches the Pakistan Crypto Council, chaired by the Finance Minister, to develop policy on digital assets and blockchain.
- May 2025At the Bitcoin 2025 conference, the council announces a government-led strategic bitcoin reserve, seeded with assets already in state custody, and a plan to allocate 2,000 MW of electricity to bitcoin mining and AI data centres.
- July 2025The Virtual Assets Ordinance, 2025 creates the Pakistan Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority (PVARA) to license and supervise exchanges and other virtual asset service providers.
- December 2025PVARA issues its first no-objection certificates to international exchanges, starting the formal licensing process.
- March 2026Parliament passes the Virtual Assets Act, 2026, putting PVARA and the licensing regime on a permanent statutory footing.
What this means for you
- Holding bitcoin as an individual is not, by itself, prohibited by any law we're aware of.
- Your bank may still refuse transfers it identifies as crypto-related, and may freeze an account that looks like it's being used for trading. Keep records.
- Taxes still apply. Gains are income. Keep a record of what you bought, when and for how much.
- Licensing has started. As PVARA licences are granted, prefer regulated providers for converting between rupees and bitcoin. Check PVARA's own website for who is licensed.
What we don't do
The Bitcoin Association of Pakistan is an education community. We don't run an exchange, sell coins, give investment advice or manage anyone's money. Anyone using our name to ask you for money is not us — tell us.
Originally published May 2018 as "Pakistan Government put a ban on Bitcoin, does it really matter?" — rewritten September 2026.