Pakistan’s Trump-Linked Crypto Deal Under Scrutiny: Why Is Asim Munir In The Middle of It All?
Trump-Linked Crypto Deal in Pakistan Sparks Scrutiny: What’s Asim Munir’s Role?
According to a press statement issued by Pakistan’s finance ministry, he US delegation comprised Zachary Folkman, Chase Herro and Zachary Witkoff, the son of Trump’s special envoy Steve Witkoff.
The Trump Connection
Notably, the fintech company focused on cryptocurrency and blockchain investments is majority-owned by US President Donald Trump’s sons, Eric and Donald Jr., along with his son-in-law Jared Kushner, who collectively hold a 60% stake. The Letter of Intent between the American firm and the Pakistan Crypto Council was signed in April.
According to a Times of India report, the newly formed Pakistan Crypto Council quickly onboarded Binance founder Changpeng Zhao as an adviser to boost its credibility.
Binance, the world’s largest cryptocurrency exchange by daily trading volume, was spotlighted at the launch event of the Pakistan Crypto Council early last month. During the event, the council declared its ambition to position Islamabad as the “crypto capital of South Asia.”
The US delegation also met with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif , the chief of army staff, the deputy prime minister, the information and defence ministers to formalise the deal.
Pakistan Army Chief Asim Munir Personally Welcomed US Crypto Delegation
A high-powered delegation from Washington, led by Zachary Witkoff, founder of a Trump-linked fintech firm and son of Steve Witkoff, the current US Special Envoy to the Middle East, was given an unusually warm welcome in Islamabad by Pakistan Army Chief General Asim Munir.
General Munir’s direct involvement in what appears to be a commercial crypto and blockchain deal has fuelled speculation about whether there are deeper national security or strategic implications.
About The Crypto Deal
According to a joint statement from Pakistan’s Crypto Council and World Liberty Financial, the newly signed agreement enables the US-based fintech firm to introduce blockchain integration across Pakistan’s financial institutions. The deal also covers asset tokenisation, stablecoin development, and regulatory sandboxes for decentralized finance pilot projects. The stated objective is to drive “financial inclusion and digital transformation” in Pakistan.
Amid growing scrutiny following the Pahalgam terror attack, World Liberty Financial issued a clarification asserting that the agreement carries “no political motives.” Neither US President Donald Trump’s family, who hold a majority stake in the firm, nor the White House have commented on the matter.
Meanwhile, a report by Firstpost noted that strategic analysts in New Delhi view the deal as an “opaque financial alliance with serious political overtones,” raising concerns over its broader implications.