Pakistan Launches Dedicated Crypto Crime Unit: FIA’s Strategic Play

Pakistan is entering a new era in the fight against crypto‑related crime: the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) has set up a dedicated unit.

A Dedicated Crypto Crime Unit: FIA’s Strategic Play

The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) has created a dedicated unit to monitor cyber‑crime and financial fraud cases that involve digital assets. According to a Dawn report published on Tuesday, the unit’s creation follows a recommendation from FIA Counter‑Terrorism Wing Director Muhammad Athar Waheed for other agencies to establish similar teams.

Regulatory Landscape: PVARA’s Role and Market Size

The Pakistan Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority (PVARA) remains the primary regulator of digital assets, and 2025 statements from Bilal Bin Saqib, chair of PVARA, place the country as the 3rd‑largest crypto market worldwide by retail activity. This ranking underscores rapidly growing regional investor interest and an expanding local exchange ecosystem.

Licensed Exchanges and Market Dynamics

PVARA has begun issuing licenses to major platforms such as Binance and HTX, aiming to build a formalized ecosystem. As the number of licensed exchanges rises, anti‑money‑laundering (AML) and know‑your‑customer (KYC) requirements are being tightened.

Regional Ripple Effect and Global Investor Sentiment

■Binance CEO Changpeng Zhao highlighted Pakistan’s regulatory momentum, projecting the country could become a global crypto leader by 2030.

■Neighboring states are watching closely, with several considering similar enforcement units.

■Investor risk appetite is expected to rise as regulatory clarity improves.

Risk‑Reward Assessment

■Regulatory clarity: PVARA’s licensing framework could boost investor confidence and accelerate liquidity inflows.

■Enforcement capacity: FIA’s new unit will provide first‑hand data on crypto crime, enhancing market transparency.

■Investor perception: International funds may flow into Pakistan, potentially expanding the regional crypto volume by 25‑30%.

■Operational risk: The unit’s effectiveness may be constrained by staffing expertise and technological infrastructure, limiting short‑term impact.

Berk Arıcan – Tokenomics and Altcoin Research Lead: Pakistan’s step to combat crypto crime is a pivotal inflection point from both a regulatory and investor standpoint. The FIA unit, by gathering granular transaction data and tracking token flows, can filter out speculative noise and improve market integrity. However, limited enforcement bandwidth and tech gaps may curb immediate influence. In the long run, PVARA’s licensing policy and partnerships with global exchanges could position Pakistan as Asia’s crypto hub, reshaping regional token supply‑demand dynamics and unlocking new liquidity opportunities.