Pakistan's FIA opens a crypto investigation unit inside NC3 to combat money laundering and terror finance, as the country ranks third in global crypto adoption.
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Pakistan has opened a specialized cryptocurrency investigation unit inside the Federal Investigation Agency, stepping up enforcement as the country builds a formal regulatory framework for digital assets. The unit sits within FIA's National Command and Control Centre and will focus on money laundering, terrorism financing, and other criminal uses of crypto assets, FIA Counter-Terrorism Wing Director Dr. Muhammad Athar Waheed said.
The unit comes as Islamabad shifts from restricting crypto activity to licensing and supervising it. Pakistan removed banking limits on crypto transactions earlier this year, created the Pakistan Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority as the main regulator, and is developing a licensing system for exchanges. The FIA is also encouraging cybercrime and anti-narcotics departments to set up their own crypto-focused teams, Waheed added.
Pakistan ranked third worldwide in cryptocurrency adoption in Chainalysis's 2025 Global Crypto Adoption Index, reflecting strong retail demand. The government has used that demand to push toward a regulated market that supports investment and broader financial access. Officials have also explored tokenizing state assets and using stablecoins for international payments.
Not everyone is on board. Some religious institutions have questioned whether cryptocurrencies comply with Islamic financial principles, fueling debate around asset-backed stablecoins and blockchain-based instruments. PVARA officials argue that regulated digital assets can meet Shariah-compliant standards if they include proper backing, transparency, and safeguards.
The investigation unit's launch formalizes enforcement capacity alongside the licensing framework. The country now has both a regulator for supervision and a dedicated police unit for criminal cases, a setup few South Asian markets have completed.
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