Bilal Bin Saqib, Chairman of Pakistan’s Virtual Asset Regulatory Authority, emphasized the importance of cryptocurrencies as a tool for economic empowerment at the Consensus Hong Kong conference. He highlighted that Pakistan ranks third globally in retail cryptocurrency markets, with 40 million citizens trading digital assets despite the lack of regulation. With 70% of the population under 30 and over 100 million unbanked, cryptocurrencies offer a vital financial pathway. Bin Saqib also discussed the government's bitcoin strategic reserve plan, which involves integrating digital assets into a national custody framework. The initiative includes identifying locations for mining using surplus electricity and collaborating with global miners and AI operators to enhance national productivity through bitcoin mining and AI data centers.