American entrepreneur Michael Saylor on Sunday lauded Pakistan’s efforts to move towards cryptocurrency and digital assets, according to a press release from the office of the State Minister on Blockchain and Crypto Bilal Bin Saqib.

Pakistan is establishing itself as a key player in the global cryptocurrency economy and setting trends rather than following them in the digital currency space, said Saqib, who is also the Pakistan Crypto Council (PCC) Chief Executive Officer.

The PCC was officially launched in March to “regulate and integrate blockchain technology and digital assets” into the country’s financial landscape.

According to the press release, Saylor had a meeting with Saqib and Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb, where the discussion revolved around how Bitcoin can serve as a tool for sovereign reserves, monetary resilience and driving long-term digital economic transformation.

Calling Saylor “one of the most influential voices in Bitcoin’s institutional adoption”, the statement outlined that his enterprise software company Strategy holds the largest corporate reserve of Bitcoin.

“His (Saylor’s) advocacy echoes the [US President Donald] Trump-era vision of economic sovereignty, decentralisation of financial power and investment in long-term national strength through hard digital assets,” the statement read.

“Pakistan aspires to lead the Global South in the development and adoption of digital assets, setting a benchmark for innovation, regulation and inclusive growth in the digital economy,” Aurangzeb was quoted as saying.

Saqib was quoted as saying that Saylor’s work in the crypto field transformed Bitcoin into a “sovereign-grade asset”.

“In five years, Mr Saylor transformed a mid-sized software firm into a $100 billion company, purely through strategic vision, bold conviction and disciplined execution,” Saqib said. “If private individuals can build that in the US, why can’t Pakistan, as a nation, do the same? We have the talent, the story, and the energy.”

According to the statement, Saylor praised Pakistan’s efforts to take a “forward-looking, innovation-friendly stance in the global digital economy” and welcomed the opportunity to support ongoing developments and advise.

“Pakistan has many brilliant people. It also has commitment and clarity needed by businesses globally,” Saylor was quoted as saying.

“Bitcoin is the strongest asset for long-term national resilience,” he added. “Emerging markets like Pakistan have a once-in-a-generation opportunity to leapfrog into the future of finance.”

The statement hailed the dialogue as “another milestone in Pakistan’s effort to build a robust digital assets policy framework, attract global institutional interest and position itself as a Web3 and Bitcoin-ready emerging market”.

Earlier this month, the PCC agreed to form a technical committee to draft a framework for digital and virtual assets, the Ministry of Finance announced in a statement.

According to the ministry’s press release, the council’s launch marks a “significant step in the country’s efforts to regulate and integrate blockchain technology and digital assets into its financial landscape”.

“The council is set to play a pivotal role in formulating policies, fostering innovation, and ensuring a secure and forward-thinking approach to crypto adoption in Pakistan,” the Finance Division said.