The Minister of Finance says that digital innovation will be pursued in accordance with regulation and national interest
Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb signs MoU with SC Financial Technologies on January 14. — Photo via X/@PakistanVARA
Pakistan has signed an agreement with a company affiliated with World Liberty Financial, the leading cryptocurrency business linked to US President Donald Trump’s family, to explore using a dollar-pegged stablecoin for cross-border payments, the government said on Wednesday.
Pakistan’s Virtual Asset Regulatory Authority said it had signed a memorandum of understanding with SC Financial Technologies, which it described as an affiliated entity of World Liberty Financial. The agreement will enable dialogue and technical engagement around “emerging digital payments architectures.”
Today, World Liberty Financial signed an MoU with the Ministry of Finance to explore innovation in digital finance, particularly the use of stablecoins for cross-border transactions, indicating growing global interest in Pakistan as a key market for digital assets. pic.twitter.com/rYzbfHYysd
— Pakistan Virtual Asset Regulatory Authority (@PakistanVARA) January 14, 2026
The development marks one of the first publicly announced partnerships between World Liberty Financial, a cryptocurrency-based financial platform launched in September 2024, and a sovereign state. It also comes amid strengthening ties between Pakistan and the United States.
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Under the deal, SC Financial Technologies will work with Pakistan’s central bank to explore integrating its $1 stablecoin into a regulated digital payments framework, allowing it to operate alongside Pakistan’s own digital currency infrastructure, a source involved in the deal told Reuters.
The announcement coincided with a visit to Pakistan by Zach Witkoff, co-founder and CEO of World Liberty Financial and CEO of SC Financial Technologies. Witkoff is the son of US special envoy Steve Witkoff.
According to the regulator, Witkoff met with key Pakistani stakeholders to discuss digital payments infrastructure, cross-border settlement and foreign exchange processes.
“We aim to stay ahead by engaging with credible global players, understanding new financial models and ensuring that innovation, when explored, is aligned with regulation, stability and national interest,” Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb said.
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Delaware-registered SC Financial Technologies co-owns the $1 stablecoin brand with World Liberty Financial, according to token reservation documentation from July 2025.
Stablecoins, which are digital tokens typically pegged to the US dollar, have expanded rapidly in recent years. Under President Trump, the United States has introduced federal regulations widely seen as favorable to the cryptocurrency sector, while countries around the world are evaluating the role of stablecoins in payment systems.
Pakistan has been exploring digital currency initiatives as it seeks to reduce the use of cash and improve cross-border payments, including remittances, a key source of foreign currency. The central bank governor said in July that Pakistan was preparing to launch a pilot of a digital currency and finalize legislation to regulate virtual assets.
