Minister of State for Crypto & Blockchain and CEO of the Pakistan Crypto Council (PCC) Bilal Bin Saqib met with the Executive Director of US President Donald Trump’s Council on Digital Assets Robert ‘Bo’ Hines at the White House to discuss strategic alignment on digital assets, a press release said on Wednesday.
During the meeting, the two officials also spoke about “Bitcoin integration, and the future of decentralised infrastructure”.
Bo Hines was appointed by President Trump in January 2025 to lead the national policy development on digital asset innovation, regulation, and emerging financial technologies, according to the statement.
In May, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has appointed Pakistan Crypto Council (PCC) Chief Executive Officer Bilal Bin Saqib as his special assistant on blockchain and cryptocurrency, with the status of a minister of state.
Saqib is now responsible for developing a comprehensive, FATF-compliant regulatory framework for digital assets, launching Bitcoin mining initiatives, and overseeing blockchain integration in governance, finance, and land records.
The meeting comes following Pakistan’s announcement of its Strategic Bitcoin Reserve (SBR) at the Bitcoin 2025 Conference in Las Vegas, positioning the country as one of the first in Asia to incorporate Bitcoin into its sovereign asset strategy.
“I envision Pakistan to be a leader in the Global South for Digital Assets.” said Saqib. “From launching our Strategic Bitcoin Reserve to unlocking national infrastructure for crypto mining and AI data zones, Pakistan is building a real framework for digital asset adoption and economic modernisation.”
The statement added that both sides expressed a shared interest in fostering collaboration between the US and Pakistan on digital asset innovation, regulatory coherence, and emerging financial technologies during the meeting.
“They also discussed ways to support innovation ecosystems that empower youth and accelerate economic inclusion through blockchain,” the press release added.
Saqib also met with the White House Counsel’s Office.
Pakistan’s broader Crypto strategy includes allocating two gigawatts to power Bitcoin mining and AI-driven data zones.
According to Forbes, Saqib — who is part of their ‘30 under 30’ list — is the cofounder of Tayaba, which the publication describes as “a social enterprise that aims to provide solutions to the water crisis in Pakistan”.
He also received his MBE in 2023 for contributions to the UK’s National Health Service, the statement added.
An MBE, which stands for “Member of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire”, is awarded for an outstanding achievement or service to the community which has had a long-term, significant impact.
