ISLAMABAD: Pakistan on Monday appointed Changpeng Zhao, the founder of crypto exchange Binance, as the strategic advisor to the Pakistan Crypto Council(PCC).
In a statement issued on Monday, the Ministry of Finance said that Changpeng Zhao — visionary founder of Binance and one of the most influential figures in Web3 — has officially been appointed as a Strategic Adviser to the PCC.
The announcement was made during a meeting chaired by Minister for Finance Muhammad Aurangzeb, which was also attended by Zhao and key government stakeholders, including the chairman of the Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan (SECP), governor of the State Bank of Pakistan and federal secretaries for law and IT.
During his visit, Changpeng Zhao also held separate meetings with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar.
Speaking on the occasion, finance czar Aurangzeb said, “This is a landmark moment for Pakistan”.
“We are sending a clear message to the world that Pakistan is ready for innovation,” he said.
Furthermore, the finance minister added that with the former CEO of Binance on board, we are accelerating our vision to make Pakistan a regional powerhouse for Web3, digital finance, and blockchain-driven growth.
As an official strategic adviser to the council, CZ will provide guidance on regulation, infrastructure, education and adoption. He will work closely with the government and the private sector to create a compliant, inclusive, and globally competitive crypto ecosystem, the announcement said.
“Pakistan is a country of 240 million people, and over 60pc of whom are under the age of 30. The potential here is limitless,” the finance ministry quoted CZ as saying.
