ISLAMABAD, May 21 -- Pakistan has decided to create a Digital Assets Regulatory Authority to manage and supervise digital financial markets such as cryptocurrencies, DeFi (decentralized finance) platforms, stablecoins, and tokenized assets, all under a unified legal framework.

The Ministry of Finance announced that the new body, called the Pakistan Digital Assets Authority (PDAA), will aim to bring structure, security, and trust to the country's fast-expanding digital economy. The decision comes as Pakistan moves to regulate its $25 billion unregulated crypto market and position itself as a regional leader in financial innovation.

Officials added that Bitcoin mining using surplus electricity is part of the plan to monetize digital asset...