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FollowingPakistan's FIA has established a special cryptocurrency investigation unit to combat digital asset crimes.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FIA) of Pakistan has established a special cryptocurrency investigation unit within it to increase efforts to crack down on financial crimes involving digital currencies.
Special department responsible for investigating cryptocurrency-related financial crimes
The new department was established under the instructions of the Director of the FIA to investigate a series of illegal activities, including money laundering, terrorist financing, cybercrime and financial fraud using cryptocurrencies.
Officials said that the cryptocurrency investigation unit will actively monitor digital asset activities, adopt advanced investigative techniques, and implement measures aimed at promoting the legal use of cryptocurrencies in Pakistan.
The department is affiliated with the National Cybercrime Control Center under the FIA, which is the core agency for coordinating anti-money laundering activities, virtual asset supervision, cyber patrols, dark web surveillance, open source intelligence, and international cooperation through Interpol.
Dr. Mohammed Attar Wahid, head of the FIA's counter-terrorism division, explained that the new division will only focus on criminal investigations. He also called on the National Cybercrime Investigation Bureau and the Anti-Narcotics Force to follow this model and establish more specialized departments to deal with cryptocurrency-related crimes.
Dr. Mohammed Attar Wahid said: "The cryptocurrency investigation department will focus on criminal investigations, while the Pakistan Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority will continue to be responsible for the regulation of the country's virtual asset industry."
Digital asset regulatory framework is improving day by day
With the rapid development of the cryptocurrency industry, Pakistan's supervision is also constantly strengthening. In 2025, blockchain analysis company Chainalysis ranked Pakistan third in the global cryptocurrency adoption index, showing the widespread participation of retail users.
To strengthen supervision, the authorities established the Pakistan Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority. The regulator, currently led by Bilal Bin Saqib, is responsible for licensing cryptocurrency exchanges and overseeing virtual asset service providers operating in the country.
The government has also initiated relevant steps to tokenize state-owned assets and reached a cooperation with a company subsidiary. Pakistan will use its U.S. dollar stablecoin for cross-border transactions.
With the establishment of the new department of the FIA, regulatory enforcement is expected to become more powerful with the support of technical resources and special investigation procedures.
Industry reform faces religious controversy
In addition to regulatory challenges, Pakistan's digital asset industry must also cope with ongoing religious controversy. Scholars at Karachi's Islamic Law School reportedly announced that cryptocurrencies do not qualify as "wealth" under Islamic principles, sparking a nationwide discussion on the compatibility of digital assets with religious finance.
The debate continues, with Islamic scholars divided over whether cryptocurrencies comply with Shariah standards, adding complexity to Pakistan's evolving cryptocurrency landscape.
Currently, attention is turning to how the FIA's newly established investigation department can efficiently collaborate with the Pakistan Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority in an increasingly mature digital asset regulatory environment. The progress of issuing exchange licenses and the effectiveness of combating illegal activities will determine whether Pakistan can become a well-regulated digital asset center in South Asia.
