The Pakistan Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority (PVARA) is the designated body responsible for regulating, licensing, and supervising Virtual Asset Service Providers (VASPs) in Pakistan. Our mandate ensures that virtual asset activities operate within a safe, secure, and transparent environment that aligns with both international standards and Pakistan’s national interests.
1. Key Functions
Regulatory oversight of virtual asset service providers (VASPs)
Licensing, supervision, and enforcement
Prevention of money laundering and terror financing
Promoting financial innovation within legal bounds
2. Licensing
Operate Legally in Pakistan’s Digital Economy
All entities involved in virtual asset services must be registered and licensed by PVARA. We categorize licenses based on activity types, including exchange, custody, wallet services, and advisory roles.
License Types
Virtual Asset Exchange License
Custodian/Wallet Provider License
Advisory and Brokerage License
Compliance & Enforcement
PVARA works to ensure a robust compliance culture through:
AML/CFT compliance mandates
Ongoing monitoring and reporting
Coordination with national law enforcement and global agencies
As the world's first independent regulator for virtual assets, PVARA serves as a transparent and trusted guiding authority for the emerging world of virtual assets. PVARA aims to take its mission global by creating an easy to replicate framework to regulate the industry.
Leveraging expertise from global experts and organisations and collaborating with relevant local financial regulatory authorities, PVARA is helping to mitigate risk and facilitate cross-border operations and innovation to enable safe market adoption and growth.
The sustained growth of virtual assets requires robust regulation built on the principles of economic sustainability, consumer protection and cross-border financial security. PVARA’s role is to provide a world-leading regulatory framework to protect investors, maintain high levels of risk assurance and facilitate virtual asset innovation in Pakistan.
PVARA plays a vital role in Pakistan's digital economy, acting as a trusted regulatory authority for the virtual asset space. By establishing international standards for virtual assets, PVARA helps to ensure that Pakistan maintains and further strengthens its position as a global leader in the world of digital finance.
Virtual Assets and Related Activities Regulations 2023
PVARA is the world’s first, tailor-made Virtual Assets regime, and as such, its regulations are designed to specifically cater for the provision of permissible activities and services to customers and investors, in and from Pakistan.
.svg)
