THIS is with reference to the editorial ‘Crypto coup’ (April 10) which rightly highlighted the potential significance of Changpeng Zhao’s appointment as strategic adviser to the Pakistan Crypto Council (PCC).

However, one important detail appears to have escaped mention: Zhao was recently sentenced to four months in prison in the United States after pleading guilty to anti-money laundering violations during his tenure as the chief executive officer of Binance, which is the world’s largest cryptocurrency exchange.

While his expertise in the crypto space is unquestionable, the fact that he has only just served out a prison sentence raises serious concerns.

Frankly, is it prudent to appoint someone with a recent criminal conviction — particularly for financial misconduct — to a position that will directly influence government policy in digital finance and regulation?

Pakistan certainly has much to gain from embracing emerging technologies. But doing so under the guidance of individuals with tainted records may risk undermi-ning both credibility and public trust at the very foundation of such efforts.

Khalid Khan
Lahore

Published in Dawn, April 27th, 2025