Binance founder appointed Pakistan Crypto Council's strategic adviser

• "Landmark moment", says FinMin on Zhao's appointment.
• "Accelerating vision to make Pakistan powerhouse for Web3."
• Pakistan opening its doors to future of finance: PCC CEO.
  

Binance Founder Changpeng Zhao, known as CZ, has officially been appointed as a strategic adviser to the newly-formed Pakistan Crypto Council (PCC).

The announcement was made during Zhao's meeting with the PCC on Monday.

The meeting was chaired by Finance Minister Senator Muhammad Aurangzeb and brought together key government stakeholders, including the Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan (SECP) chairman, the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) governor, and the federal secretaries for Law and IT.

During his visit, Zhao, who is one of the most influential figures in Web3, also held separate meetings with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Deputy Prime Minister Senator Ishaq Dar, the Finance Division said in a statement.

"This is a landmark moment for Pakistan," said FinMin Aurangzeb, who is also the PCC's chairman.

"We are sending a clear message to the world: Pakistan is open for innovation. With CZ onboard, we are accelerating our vision to make Pakistan a regional powerhouse for Web3, digital finance, and blockchain-driven growth."

"Pakistan is opening its doors to the future of finance," said the national crypto council's CEO Bilal Bin Saqib.

"And who better to guide us on this journey than CZ — a pioneer who built the world's largest crypto exchange and changed the way billions think about financial freedom."

As strategic adviser to the council, CZ will provide guidance on regulation, infrastructure, education, and adoption. He will work closely with the Pakistani government and the private sector to create a compliant, inclusive, and globally competitive crypto ecosystem.

"Pakistan is a country of 240 million people, over 60% of whom are under the age of 30. The potential here is limitless," CZ remarked during the announcement.

The council — established under the Finance Division last month — is spearheading this digital transformation. CZ's appointment signals a bold new era, where Pakistan joins the ranks of Singapore, Dubai, and Switzerland as a progressive, Web3-ready nation, the statement concluded.

The PCC's composition includes: Chairman: Minister for Finance and Revenue; Member: Governor, State Bank of Pakistan; Member: Federal Secretary, Law and Justice Division; Member: Federal Secretary, IT; and Member: Chairman, Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan.

Saqib had been appointed as the chief adviser to the finance minister on the crypto council to reaffirm Pakistan's commitment to embracing technological advancement.

Having represented Pakistan several times on the international stage, including at NFT NYC, the World Economic Forum and ETH Barcelona and Token 2049 events, he is a global thought leader in the blockchain space.

Pakistan, a country that ranked 3rd in the Global Crypto Adoption Index, has 20 million active cryptocurrency users and $20bn + in crypto transactions.

Currently, the country ranks in the top 10 in terms of crypto adoption. With $35bn in annual remittances, the country is poised to benefit from crypto adoption.