Pakistan’s Crypto Fatwa Sparks Debate Over Digital Asset Regulatory Framework

Odaily Planet Daily News: Following a meeting with Islamic scholar Mufti Taqi Usmani, Bilal bin Saqib, Chairman of the Pakistan Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority, stated that stablecoins, tokenized RWAs, and other blockchain products should undergo separate technical and Sharia assessments and should not be treated as a single category. Previously, scholars including Usmani issued a fatwa determining that USDT and other cryptocurrencies do not constitute wealth recognized under Islamic Sharia law, rendering transactions involving the purchase of physical goods or digital services with them invalid. In March of this year, Pakistan passed the Virtual Assets Act, which requires exchanges, custodians, and token issuers to ensure their operations comply with Sharia law under the guidance of an Islamic finance scholars committee. Meanwhile, the country is advancing plans for a sovereign stablecoin, the tokenization of national assets, and the licensing of crypto trading platforms.