Pakistan is considering the issuance of a stablecoin backed by the rupee, amid warnings from experts that the country could lose up to 25 billion USD in economic opportunities if it delays cryptocurrency adjustments. The President of the Pakistan Banking Association, Zafar Masud, stated that stablecoins and CBDCs could help expand financial access and reduce remittance costs. The State Bank of Pakistan is currently developing a CBDC prototype with support from the World Bank and the IMF.
At the same time, the fintech startup ZAR has raised $12.9 million from Andreessen Horowitz (a16z) and other funds to bring USD-backed stablecoin to the people of Pakistan, especially over 100 million unbanked individuals. Pakistan currently ranks third globally in cryptocurrency adoption according to Chainalysis 2025. The government has also opened up licensing for international exchanges and digital asset service providers.
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