Pakistan is moving towards a regulated framework for virtual assets as the government looks to use blockchain and tokenisation for practical economic needs, Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb said.
Aurangzeb made the remarks during a series of meetings in New York on the first day of his visit for the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly.
Speaking at the United Nations Digital Cooperation Day 2026, he said Pakistan was working towards a regulated virtual-assets framework while stressing that digital innovation should support the wider economy.
He said tokenisation could help lower the cost of remittances, improve access to financing for small and medium-sized businesses and create new options for sovereign debt. It could also help bring more people into the formal financial system.
Aurangzeb said private-sector innovation needed to be backed by strong government safeguards, wider digital infrastructure and international cooperation. He also called for developing countries to have a meaningful role in setting global rules for emerging digital technologies.
The finance minister also used his New York engagements to highlight Pakistan’s climate risks and the need to turn climate plans into projects that can attract funding.
At a World Economic Forum meeting on financing, he pointed to the heavy impact of climate-related disasters, particularly floods, on communities and infrastructure.
He said the government was working to improve disaster response, early-warning systems and climate investment plans. However, he stressed that international support alone would not be enough and needed to be matched by domestic resources and stronger fiscal buffers.
Aurangzeb said Pakistan had mobilised funding through institutions including the World Bank and Asian Development Bank, as well as international capital markets, for relief, reconstruction and climate adaptation.
He also urged international climate funds, including the Green Climate Fund and Loss and Damage Fund, to simplify their procedures and speed up access to financing.
At the launch of the COP31 Action Agenda, Aurangzeb backed initiatives covering clean energy, renewable power, energy-efficient buildings, climate-resilient cities, food security and climate-smart agriculture.
He also welcomed the proposed Climate Implementation Bridge, saying the key challenge was now turning climate commitments into bankable projects with measurable results.
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