Pakistan's Federal Investigation Agency Establishes Cryptocurrency Investigation Unit to Combat Financial Crimes

Jul 21, 2026

Pakistan's Federal Investigation Agency has established a specialized Cryptocurrency Investigation Unit within its new National Command and Control Centre to combat money laundering and terrorism financing. This enforcement push operates alongside the Pakistan Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority, led by Chairman Bilal Bin Saqib, which regulates the sector under the Virtual Assets Act 2026. Despite high retail adoption and diplomatic deals with Trump-linked World Liberty Financial, the formalization drive faces friction from a June 2026 Islamic fatwa rejecting crypto as valid wealth.

FIA cryptocurrency crimes unit

▪Federal Investigation Agency Counter-Terrorism Wing Director Dr. Muhammad Athar Waheed recommended that the National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency and the Anti-Narcotics Force establish similar specialized units to counter cryptocurrency use in cybercrime and drug trafficking.
▪Pakistan's Federal Investigation Agency established a specialized Cryptocurrency Investigation Unit to investigate money laundering, terrorism financing, cybercrime, and financial fraud conducted through digital assets.
▪The Federal Investigation Agency is drafting new procedural rules to ensure time-bound completion of all inquiries within fixed timeframes.

National Command Control Center

▪The newly established Cryptocurrency Investigation Unit is housed within the Federal Investigation Agency's newly operational National Command and Control Centre.
▪The National Command and Control Centre consolidates multiple operational units, including anti-money laundering desks, virtual currency investigation tools, an Interpol coordination point, open-source intelligence, cyber patrolling, and dark web investigation units.

Pakistan Virtual Assets Authority

▪The Pakistan Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority serves as the national body responsible for licensing, supervising, and regulating the virtual asset and cryptocurrency sector in Pakistan.
▪Bilal Bin Saqib was appointed as the Chairman of the Pakistan Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority.
▪The Pakistan Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority has approved licenses for several major cryptocurrency exchanges, including Binance and HTX.

Pakistan crypto regulatory landscape

▪Pakistan's parliament passed the Virtual Assets Act in March 2026, establishing the Pakistan Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority as a permanent federal regulator.
▪The Jamia Darul Uloom Karachi seminary issued a fatwa in June 2026 declaring that cryptocurrency is not wealth under Islamic law and is not a valid means of payment.
▪Pakistan struck a deal with an affiliate of World Liberty Financial, a crypto venture associated with the family of President Donald Trump, to explore using its $1 stablecoin for cross-border payments.
▪Pakistan lifted an eight-year banking ban on cryptocurrency services as part of its national drive to formalize the digital asset sector.

Global crypto enforcement trends

▪Pakistan ranked third in the Chainalysis 2025 Global Crypto Adoption Index.
▪The Financial Action Task Force has previously placed Pakistan on its gray list due to deficiencies in combating money laundering and financial crimes.