Pakistan is holding a high stakes meeting to discuss blockchain and AI

Pakistan has held a high stakes meeting to discuss blockchain technology and artificial intelligence as the country continues to move to regulate the crypto industry. The High Stakes Conference is part of the country’s move to establish itself as a regional hub for blockchain and AI.

It is also part of a larger strategy to harness the country’s youthful demographic and surplus energy as a tool for digital finance and even economic change.

Attended the high-level meetings at the General Headquarters were the Army Chiefs of Staff of former S. and Bilal bin Saqib, chief executives of Pakistan Crypto Council (PCC). The pair discussed the possibilities of emerging technologies, focusing on empowering young people and building economic trust, focusing on leveraging blockchain, cryptocurrency, and AI.

Pakistan is holding a meeting to discuss blockchain and AI

At the meeting, PCC CEO Bin Saqib said that digital finance and decentralization would not be a threat, but provide countless opportunities for the country. “(PCC) exists to help our youth request seating at global high-tech tables,” Saqib said at the meeting.

The conference is off the back of efforts to accelerate the regulatory framework for these emerging technologies in the country.

The Ministry of Finance announced on Wednesday the establishment of the Pakistan Digital Assets Authority (PDAA). It is tasked with overseeing blockchain infrastructure and regulating digital assets in the country. The move is a major step towards formalizing a market that is estimated to witness more than $300 billion in crypto trading volumes per year.

According to Finance Minister Muhammad Auranzeb, the PDAA is responsible for creating a secure, innovative and comprehensive ecosystem that houses digital assets. He also added that he will ensure Pakistan ranks high alongside other regional leaders in digital finance and blockchain regulations.

He added that the initiative will generate tokenization of public assets and government debt, and will use surplus electricity to regulate Bitcoin mining, providing legal clarity to global investors.

A new shift towards technology-driven growth models

The announcement shows a boost to the country’s shift towards a tech-driven growth model. Pakistan, which accounts for around 70% of the population of 240 million under the age of 30, has one of the most preferred demographics for digital adoption. It ranks among the top five countries in the world for crypto use.

Furthermore, the country ranks as the third largest freelancer market in the world, with over 50,000 IT alumni participating in the workforce each year.

During the meeting, Saqib discussed recent PCC initiatives with military leaders, including a global outreach with Binance founder and former CEO Changpeng Zhao. They also discussed an exploit with World Liberty Financial, a decentralized platform with links with President Donald Trump.

He also mentioned the first youth policy the group is considering, highlighting the need to guide the country’s tech-savvy workforce into scalable blockchain solutions and AI infrastructure.

National strategies under consideration include allocating surplus electricity to power Bitcoin mining rigs and data centers. The meeting took place prior to Saqib’s participation at the Bitcoin 2025 conference held in Las Vegas. He will talk with other influential figures such as JD Vance and Donald Trump Jr.

The event is expected to shape future narratives about global crypto governance.