Pakistan Joins El Salvador’s Bitcoin Revolution: Historic Crypto Partnership Unveiled

Two nations bet big on Bitcoin as emerging economies rewrite the financial rulebook.

Pakistan just became the latest country to embrace cryptocurrency at the national level—and they're learning from the pioneers. The newly inked partnership with El Salvador signals a seismic shift in how developing nations approach monetary sovereignty.

Why this matters now

El Salvador's Bitcoin gamble sent shockwaves through global finance in 2021. Now Pakistan's playing catch-up, leveraging Salvadoran expertise to fast-track their own crypto infrastructure. No dollar figures disclosed—because when it comes to nation-state Bitcoin adoption, the real currency is political will.

The fine print

Details remain scarce, but the collaboration likely covers mining operations, regulatory frameworks, and that holy grail of developing nations: remittance solutions. Because nothing terrifies Western banks faster than cutting out their 7% wire transfer vig.

Bankers hate this one weird trick

While Wall Street still debates ETF approvals, these nations are building entire financial systems on crypto rails. The partnership proves Bitcoin's real utility isn't speculation—it's serving the 1.7 billion people traditional finance forgot.

One step closer to making SWIFT obsolete... and giving IMF loan officers nightmares.

Key Takeaways

• Pakistan and El Salvador have signed a Letter of Intent to collaborate on bitcoin initiatives.
• The IMF has blocked Pakistan’s plan to subsidize electricity for bitcoin mining.
• El Salvador maintains over 6,240 BTC in its national reserves, serving as a model for Pakistan.

Pakistan’s special assistant on bitcoin, Bilal Bin Saqib, met with El Salvador’s President Nayib Bukele in San Salvador to discuss strategies for Bitcoin adoption and knowledge sharing.

Saqib praised Bukele for his forward-thinking leadership, highlighting Bukele’s early commitment to bitcoin despite international skepticism:

“He’s a leader from the future, who saw the future first because when it wasn’t cool to back Bitcoin, he stood with conviction.”

Pakistan looks to El Salvador’s example

Amid an ongoing $7 billion International Monetary Fund (IMF) loan program, Pakistan is seeking to learn from El Salvador’s approach to integrating bitcoin into its national policy.

The two countries formalized their collaboration by signing a Letter of Intent between El Salvador’s Bitcoin Office and the Pakistan crypto Council.

The agreement sets the stage for joint initiatives around public sector adoption, financial inclusion, and bitcoin policy tailored to emerging economies.

El Salvador continues to grow its bitcoin reserves, currently holding over 6,240 BTC valued at approximately $740 million.

The meeting follows a VIRTUAL discussion between Pakistan’s finance minister, Saqib, and Strategy’s Michael Saylor, whose firm is known for its substantial bitcoin treasury.

IMF opposes bitcoin mining subsidies

The IMF recently blocked Pakistan’s proposal to use surplus electricity for subsidized bitcoin mining, citing concerns about market imbalances.

Despite having excess power during winter months, Pakistan’s plan to allocate 2,000 megawatts to bitcoin mining and AI centers was rejected by the IMF.

Moving forward on bitcoin adoption

The Pakistan Crypto Council described the engagement as a signal of Pakistan’s intent to establish itself as a leader in the global digital asset economy.

The collaboration with El Salvador is expected to focus on policy development and practical initiatives to advance bitcoin adoption in both countries.