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Pakistan Kicks Off Crypto Licensing Regime with Sept. 5 Registration Deadline

The new licensing regime requires separate client accounts and anti-money-laundering controls as Pakistan moves to regulate digital asset firms.

  • The Pakistan Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority opened a licensing portal Saturday, setting a September 5 deadline for existing virtual asset service providers to submit no-objection certificate applications or cease operations.
  • Pakistan moved from primary legislation to notified regulations in under six months after parliament passed the Virtual Assets Act in March, establishing the autonomous PVARA to oversee digital asset policy.
  • The State Bank of Pakistan now allows regulated banks to provide segregated client-money accounts to PVARA-licensed VASPs, though it strictly prohibits institutions from holding virtual assets using customer deposits.
  • Licensed providers must enforce rigorous anti-money laundering and know-your-customer standards, while keeping customer holdings separate from their own assets to ensure market integrity.
  • Firms can pursue an NOC before incorporating locally or enter a regulatory sandbox to test products under PVARA supervision, creating two clear pathways into the regulated market.
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Key points of the news: PVARA opened its licensing portal and set September 5 as the deadline for existing suppliers to apply for its NOC. Companies that operate without having filed an application after that date will commit an infringement and must cease their activities in the Pakistani market. The regulatory framework covers exchanges, custody, loans, derivatives, issuance of tokens and services related to mining, among other activities. Pak…

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ARY News broke the news in Pakistan on Sunday, August 23, 2026.
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