Pakistan OKs Binance and HTX to Apply for Local Crypto Exchange Licenses
Pakistan's virtual assets authority said Friday it has allowed Binance and HTX to register with regulators, establish local subsidiaries and start preparing full exchange license applications. The approval is an initial regulatory green light — not a final licence — and is intended to let the platforms formalize a local presence while they assemble compliance, security and operational documentation required under Pakistan's rules.
The development signals a clearer path for on‑shore crypto access and oversight, which could boost consumer protections, AML/KYC enforcement and fintech investment if final approvals follow. Final licences will depend on regulators' review of each applicant's controls and disclosures; for users and markets the key near‑term milestones are submission of detailed applications and the regulator's subsequent assessments that will determine how quickly full operations can begin locally.