A two and a half hours interactive session on “Blockchain and Cryptocurrency: Regulation and Future in Pakistan” was conducted in National Institute of Public Administration Lahore on Thursday, 18th December, 2025 for the participants of 45th MCMC by Mr. Muhammad Yahya Chaudury, an international fintech and blockchain specialist. The session provided participants with a comprehensive conceptual and policy-oriented understanding of digital money, blockchain technology, and Pakistan’s emerging regulatory landscape.
The lecture began with a historical overview of the evolution of money and critically examined modern monetary systems highlighting how trust-based fiat currencies and fractional reserve banking have contributed to inflationary pressures, debt cycles, and economic inequality. A major focus of the lecture was the emergence of decentralized money, particularly Bitcoin, following the 2008 financial crisis, Mr. Chaudury explained how blockchain technology enables trust through transparency, cryptography, and consensus rather than centralized authority. He outlined the strengths and limitations of cryptocurrencies noting that while Bitcoin currently functions more as “digital gold” than everyday money, blockchain’s real transformative potential lies in governance, asset tokenization, supply chains, land records, and public service delivery.
The discussion also covered economic use cases including remittances, financial inclusion, and the development of new digital economies. The speaker highlighted that regulated blockchain-based rails could significantly reduce costs and inefficiencies in Pakistan’s remittance flows while maintaining compliance with AML and FATF requirements.
Concluding the session, Mr. Chaudury examined Pakistan’s evolving regulatory framework, including the role of the Pakistan Crypto Council, SBP, SECP, and recent developments such as the establishment of the Pakistan Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority (PVARA). He emphasized that regulation is not anti-innovation but essential for managing risk, protecting consumers, and ensuring market integrity.
The session concluded with a standing ovation to the guest speaker by the faculty and participants.