ISLAMABAD: US billionaire and cryptocurrency trader Michael Saylor has praised Pakistan`s initiatives to develop a digital economy and build infrastructure for blockchain adoption.

Mr Saylor, whose company, Strategy, is the biggest corporate holder of Bitcoin, attended a meeting chaired by Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb, according to a Finance Ministry`s press release issued on Sunday.

The meeting was also attended by Minister of State for Crypto and Blockchain Bilal Bin Saqib.

The discussion focused on how Bitcoin can serve as a tool for sovereign reserves, monetary resilience, and drive Pakistan`s digital economic transformation.

Addressing the meeting, Mr Aurangzeb said Pakistan aspires to lead the global South in the development and adoption of digital assets and setting a benchmark for digital innovation.

Mr Saqib briefed the meeting on steps taken to strengthen the digital economy and hailed the involvement of Mr Saylor as a consultant on these initiatives.

`Michael Saylor`s insights and leadership have shaped how the world views Bitcoin as a sovereign-grade asset.

Mr Saylor praised Pakistan`s efforts to take a `forward-looking, innovation-friendly stance` in the global digital economy and welcomed the opportunity to advise on the ongoing developments.

`Bitcoin is the strongest asset for long-term national resilience,` he said, adding that emerging markets like Pakistan have a oncein-a-generation opportunity to `leapfrog into the future of finance`.

This strategic dialogue, led by the finance minister, was part of Pakistan`s effort to build a robust digital assets policy framework, attract global institutional interest, and position itself as a Web3 and Bitcoin-ready emerging market, said the press release.-APP