Pakistan’s Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) has established a specialized cryptocurrency investigation unit under the National Command and Control Centre (NC3). The new unit has been granted a direct mandate to investigate alleged uses of crypto for money laundering, terrorism financing, and other criminal offenses.
The move resolves jurisdictional ambiguities among state institutions handling digital assets. Muhammad Athar Waheed, Director of the FIA Counter-Terrorism Wing, emphasized that oversight of the ecosystem’s regulation remains entirely with the Pakistan Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority (PVARA). This division of responsibilities allows the FIA to focus its resources purely on pursuing criminal activities without getting involved in industry licensing.
A Unified Hub for Intelligence and Police
This sharpened law enforcement focus is accompanied by the integration of tracking technology. Under the NC3 facility, the government has unified various divisions onto a single integrated platform. Anti-money laundering (AML) teams, border monitoring officials, intelligence coordination units, cyber patrol teams, and dark web investigation experts now collaborate under one roof and connect directly to Interpol’s cooperation network.
Citing the efficiency of this structure, Waheed called on other law enforcement bodies to follow suit. He urged the National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency and the Anti-Narcotics Force to establish similar specialized teams internally to further constrain criminal networks. To ensure accountability, the FIA has also implemented internal rules requiring all investigations to conclude within a set timeframe.
Beyond Chasing Criminals
The clear boundary between law enforcement and regulators rests on recently passed legislation. Under the Virtual Assets Act 2026, Pakistan designated PVARA as the sole federal authority empowered to oversee all virtual asset service providers (VASPs). This supervisory umbrella covers trading exchanges, custodial services, brokerage firms, and token issuers.
This regulatory clarity has directly unlocked financial access. Last April, the State Bank of Pakistan allowed state-regulated conventional banks to provide account services to digital asset companies, provided they hold a valid PVARA license.
This entire regulatory and security infrastructure is being built as Pakistan actively explores crypto’s economic potential at the national level. Recently, the government signed an agreement with SC Financial Technologies - an entity affiliated with World Liberty Financial - to explore utilizing the USD1 stablecoin for cross-border payment transactions.
Beyond facilitating payments, the country is discussing even bolder initiatives. The government is deliberating plans to establish a national Bitcoin reserve while finalizing a strategy to utilize surplus domestic electricity for Bitcoin mining facilities. For crypto companies looking to operate in Pakistan, the path is now clear: they can access full banking facilities with a PVARA license, but they also know exactly which agency will come knocking if illicit funds flow through their platforms.
Reported by crypto.news.
Disclaimer: This article is for informational and educational purposes only, not financial advice. Cryptocurrency assets are highly volatile and carry significant risk. Always do your own research (DYOR) and never invest more than you can afford to lose.
