- Pakistan is launching a pilot central bank digital currency (CBDC) under new “Virtual Assets Act, 2025” regs. The central bank is also working with Binance and U.S. firms, as foreign reserves stabilize and IMF targets are being met reuters.com.
- Dubai’s Emirates airline signed a preliminary agreement with Crypto.com to accept crypto payments, joining a wave of Gulf-region adoption (e.g., Air Arabia) reuters.com.
- The UAE’s VARA continues to roll out stringent crypto influencer and platform guidelines, signaling a move toward mature, regulated frameworks reuters.com+1timesofindia.indiatimes.com+1.
🌍 Takeaway: While global institutional and regulatory momentum builds, Middle Eastern and South Asian regions are also accelerating crypto innovation—from CBDCs to travel payments.
