2,000MW of excess energy to power Bitcoin mining and AI data centres, says SAPM Bilal Bin Saqib
Pakistan has unveiled its first-ever government-backed strategic Bitcoin reserve, signaling a significant policy shift toward cryptocurrency adoption.
The announcement came from Special Assistant to the Prime Minister (SAPM) on Crypto and Blockchain, Bilal Bin Saqib, at the Bitcoin 2025 conference in Las Vegas.
Addressing a global audience that included US Vice President JD Vance, Eric Trump, and Donald Trump Jr, Saqib revealed that Pakistan is allocating 2,000 megawatts of surplus energy in Phase 1 to fuel Bitcoin mining and AI data centre operations.
“The future of Pakistan is being shaped today by its vibrant youth, guided by a new generation of tech-savvy leaders,” Saqib stated. He noted that this initiative mirrors the US government’s creation of a Bitcoin strategic reserve and aligns with the broader pro-crypto policies championed by the Donald Trump administration.
Back in February 2025, Pakistan established a National Crypto Council tasked with developing regulatory frameworks and attracting international crypto investment.
In April, Binance co-founder Changpeng Zhao was appointed as an adviser to the council.
READ: Govt allocates 2,000MW for AI data centres, Bitcoin mining
On April 27, World Liberty Financial (WLFI), a decentralized finance (DeFi) protocol backed by Donald Trump, signed a letter of intent to support Pakistan’s real-world asset tokenization efforts and DeFi infrastructure development.
Adding to these efforts, Pakistan’s Ministry of Finance has set up the Digital Asset Authority, which will be responsible for licensing and regulating cryptocurrency platforms.
In a parallel move, US President Donald Trump recently signed an executive order to establish a “Strategic Bitcoin Reserve” and a “Digital Asset Stockpile.”
These reserves will initially be funded by cryptocurrencies confiscated through government asset forfeiture cases, both criminal and civil.
David Sacks, the White House official overseeing AI and crypto policy, confirmed the development in a March 7 post on X. According to him, the Bitcoin reserve will draw from federally seized Bitcoin, while the Digital Asset Stockpile—outlined in a March 6 White House fact sheet—will contain other digital assets.
This move marks a significant step in integrating digital assets into the US government’s financial strategies and infrastructure.
