Buy crypto in Pakistan

Pakistan has huge grassroots crypto adoption, used for savings, freelancing income and remittances. For years the State Bank discouraged banks from serving crypto firms, leaving the market in limbo. That is now changing: in 2025 the government created the Pakistan Crypto Council and moved to establish the Pakistan Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority (PVARA) to license and supervise the sector.

Until direct banking rails mature, P2P trading dominates: buyers send rupees straight to sellers via bank transfer or wallet while the platform escrows the crypto. Binance is the most used venue, with Bybit and OKX also popular. A formal tax framework is being designed alongside the new regulator, so traders should expect reporting and possible withholding once the rules take effect.