‘Crypto speed’: Why CZ thinks Pakistan could outrun the world in five years

In a surprising episode, Changpeng Zhao (CZ), the Founder of Binance, signals that Pakistan is no longer just participating in the crypto revolution; it is becoming a frontrunner.

As Pakistan introduces major regulatory changes and Pakistan Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority (PVARA) issues its first-ever No Objection Certificates (NOCs), CZ’s visit actively validates both his career and the global crypto industry.

Fresh off a high-profile U.S. pardon, CZ outlines why Pakistan is uniquely positioned to leapfrog outdated financial systems.

With one of the world’s fastest-growing young crypto user bases, he argues that the country is now moving at “crypto speed” to reshape its economic future.

He added,

“If we keep moving at this speed in five years, Pakistan will be one of the crypto leaders in the world.”

Current concerns

One of the most pressing concerns for emerging markets like Pakistan is the “flight of capital.”

For which, CZ offered a counterintuitive perspective, arguing that overly restrictive controls often achieve the opposite of their intended effect.

He said,

“If you cannot take money out, foreign investments are unlikely to put money in.”

He emphasized that the best way to keep capital inside a country is to grow the economy so quickly that investors find it more profitable to stay.

CZ also pointed out that regulators can mirror any traditional banking tool, such as transaction limits or KYC protocols, in the crypto space to maintain security without slowing innovation.

Living outside the fiat system

One of the most striking takeaways from CZ’s visit is his personal commitment to this new reality.

By living entirely outside the fiat system, using crypto for daily expenses and earning his income in Bitcoin [BTC] and Binance [BNB], CZ shows what a future governed by code rather than central bank policy could look like.

“The crypto system has more volatility versus fiat… but if you look at the long term—10, 20, 50 years—crypto is going up.”

Pakistan’s crypto future

This further coincided with the recent announcement by Bilal bin Saqib, CEO of the Pakistani Crypto Council (PCC), regarding the establishment of a Strategic Bitcoin Reserve (SBR). 

All this combined shows that Pakistan is done sitting on the sidelines, and the era of the Sovereign Bitcoin Reserve and an overall crypto revolution has begun.

Final Thoughts

• Pakistan’s regulatory shift is not cosmetic – it marks the beginning of a structural realignment toward a blockchain-first economic model.
• Pakistan’s new crypto architecture challenges long-held assumptions, particularly regarding capital controls, investment flows, and the role of state-backed digital assets.