CoinTelegraph: Saturday March 22, 2025
Pakistan's Crypto Council held its inaugural meeting on March 21 to discuss comprehensive regulatory reform, including using excess energy to mine Bitcoin.
Bilal Bin Saqib, the CEO of Pakistan's Crypto Council, has proposed using the country's runoff energy to fuel Bitcoin (BTC) mining at the Crypto Council's inaugural meeting on March 21.According to an article from The Nation, the council is exploring comprehensive regulatory frameworks for cryptocurrencies to attract foreign direct investment and establish Pakistan as a crypto hub.The meeting included lawmakers, the Bank of Pakistan's governor, the chairman of Pakistan's Securities and Exchange Commission (SECP), and the federal information technology secretary. Senator Muhammad Aurangzeb had this to say about the meeting:“This is the beginning of a new digital chapter for our economy. We are committed to building a transparent, future-ready financial ecosystem that attracts investment, empowers our youth, and puts Pakistan on the global map as a leader in emerging technologies.”The Crypto Council represents a radical departure from the government of Pakistan's previous stance on crypto. In May 2023, former minister of state for finance and revenue, Aisha Ghaus Pasha said crypto would never be legal in the country.Pasha cited anti-money laundering restrictions under the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) as the primary motivation for the government's anti-crypto stance.The presence of Bitcoin miners can stabilize electrical grids. Source: Science Direct Related: Pakistan eyes crypto legal framework to boost foreign investmentPakistan follows the United States in embracing cryptoThe government of Pakistan moved to regulate cryptocurrencies as legal tender on November 4, 2024 — the same day as the elections in the United States.Following the re-election of Donald Trump in the US and the Jan. 20 inauguration, Trump moved quickly to establish pro-crypto policies at the federal level.On Jan. 23, President Trump signed an executive order establishing the Working Group on Digital Assets — an executive advisory council tasked with exploring comprehensive regulatory reform on digital assets.President Trump signs executive order establishing the President’s Working Group on Digital Assets. Source: The White HouseThe Jan. 23 order also prohibited the government from researching, developing, or issuing a central bank digital currency (CBDC).President Trump also signed an executive order creating a Bitcoin strategic reserve and a separate digital asset stockpile in March 2025 that will likely include cryptocurrencies made by US-based firms.Magazine: How crypto laws are changing across the world in 2025
Finextra: Tuesday April 15, 2025
Offline payment functionality is technically feasible for a future digital pound but there are trade-offs that make it challenging, according to new Bank of England research.
Digital Pound
The Fintech Times: Thursday March 06, 2025
The Digital Pound Foundation has become part of the umbrella of Innovate Finance, the industry body for UK fintech.
Digital Pound
Bitcoin News: Tuesday March 04, 2025
Record hopes the BOE will abandon the project, which has already cost $30.5 million, and focus on its core responsibilities.
Digital Pound
Finextra: Tuesday March 04, 2025
Innovate Finance, the industry body for UK FinTech, and the Digital Pound Foundation (DPF) have officially joined forces today.
Digital Pound
CryptoSlate: Tuesday February 11, 2025
Bank of England governor warns that digital currencies must not jeopardize commercial banks or liquidity principles.
CBDC Central Bank Digital Currencies Digital Pound
CoinGeek: Monday January 20, 2025
In its CBDC progress update, the Bank of England announced the creation of a Digital Pound Lab, which works similar to a sandbox, allowing partners to test API functionality and use cases.
CBDC Digital Pound