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Notification and legalisation of regulations governing virtual asset services

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ISLAMABAD: Chairman Pakistan Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority (PVARA) Bilal bin Saqib said on Saturday that the new regulations on virtual asset services have been notified and legalised and this step will protect digital investors from fraud.

Under the system, Pakistan would license and regulate virtual asset service providers. The regulations, which are part of the Virtual Assets Act, 2026, list ten types of licences, including exchange, custody, broker-dealer, advisory, lending and borrowing, derivatives, asset management, transfer and settlement, issuance and mining related services.

Each category puts up detailed standards including conduct, prudential, technology and anti-money laundering (AML) and countering the funding of “terrorism” (CFT).

The action is part of Pakistan’s broader attempt to formalise the oversight of cryptocurrencies and other digital currencies, bringing a largely uncontrolled industry under a framework in line with global norms to promote transparency, compliance and investor protection.

“This means that now there is a clear framework, a licensing process and a legal front door for any business that wants to provide virtual asset services in Pakistan, whether they are Pakistani or global,” Saqib said in a televised statement.

The rules would help safeguard investors in digital currencies from fraud and put the entire crypto market under the rule of law, the official added.

In Pakistan, the crypto market has been operating without any law and millions of people were participating in trading of digital currencies,” he said.

“But there were no regulations, no regulations at all,” he claimed. “And when such a big economic activity is outside the law, the risk is on both sides.

In a separate news release by PVARA, the authority said existing virtual asset operators need to apply for a no-objection certificate with the authority by September 5.

“Any person who was providing virtual asset services before the commencement of the Act shall submit a NOC application by such date or shall cease to provide virtual asset services,” PVARA added. “After that date, operating without an application is an offense.”

Licensed virtual asset service providers must maintain customer holdings distinct from their own and cannot lend or pledge them without prior approval, said PVARA. “Promises will be binding commitments,” the authority added.

The authority said it will allow licensed providers to get into the formal banking system.

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Diesel crosses Rs400 after petrol price up by Rs5 per liter

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The federal government on Friday again increased the costs of petrol and diesel. The price of diesel has crossed the Rs400 per liter mark amid fresh hike in the rates of petroleum products.

According to a statement published by the Petroleum Division on Friday, the price of fuel has been hiked by Rs5.02 per liter, which will now cost Rs375.82. The price of high-speed diesel has risen by Rs5.28 a liter to Rs403.32.

According to the notification, the new tariffs will be applied for three days and will be effective from September 12, 2026.

The new revision came a day after the administration increased petroleum prices again. Petrol had increased by Rs3.05 a liter, while diesel was Rs5.37 costlier a liter on Thursday.

A series of hikes have driven up costs of both the major fuels considerably in a short span of time.

In the latest notification, petrol will now be sold for Rs375.82 a liter, compared to its previous pricing after Thursday’s hike, while diesel has crossed the Rs400 threshold for the first time in the latest round of changes.

The new pricing are to be in effect until September 14, when the government can announce another change.

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Amid the spike in fuel prices, goods transporters announce a 5% increase in freight.

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Prices of fuel products have gone up and goods transporters have announced another 5% increase in freight costs.

Addressing a press conference, All Pakistan Goods Transport Alliance President Malik Shehzad Awan said diesel rates had been increased by Rs20 per liter and petrol prices by Rs24 per liter in last four days. Petrol and fuel prices have already gone up by up to Rs23 a liter between August 20 and September 7, he claimed.

He added the government’s decision to adjust prices of fuel products on daily basis was unacceptable. During the statewide strike from August 8 to 17, the petroleum minister had told the carriers that fuel prices would not be revised on a daily basis, he said.

Transporters had suspended their countrywide protest for 40 days on the guarantee of the federal and provincial administrations, said Malik Shehzad Awan.

He warned that transporters across Pakistan will observe another countrywide strike if the agreements reached the government were not implemented.

The federal and provincial governments had asked for 40 days to work out the difficulties and the deadline will expire next week, he said.

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Dollar wobbles, oil’s dash to $100 chills sentiment, Yen stands big

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The Japanese yen was pinned near its best level since February on Wednesday, leaving the dollar on the ‌defensive as traders grappled with oil prices heading toward $100 a barrel amid an expanding war in the Middle East.

Iranian-backed Houthis in Yemen attacked several Saudi cities, drawing a U.S. partner further into a battle that has dragged on for more than six months, as U.S. forces struck multiple Iranian oil tankers and Iran threatened a U.S. station in Jordan.

Brent crude futures rose by more than 1.48% to $99.37 a barrel, weighing on global markets ahead of a U.S. inflation data on Friday that will set the stage for central bank meetings next week in the U.S. and Japan.

The currency market nudged the dollar down a touch in response, though some analysts said that was due to the yen’s swift rally over the past week.

The euro held constant at $1.1631 while the pound was last bought at $1.3546. ​The dollar index, measuring the U.S. currency against a basket of six major rivals, was at 98.15, near its lowest level in nearly two weeks.

OCBC strategists said the current increase keeps Fed policy implications from higher energy prices in focus, especially after last week’s robust U.S. payrolls report reignited expectations of another rate hike. “Higher oil and rates should help limit USD fall for now but we anticipate a more dramatic move will await confirmation from the impending inflation data,” they said in a note.

The yen has been under focus after its 4% surge in September that has altered the math for the popular carry trade in which investors borrow in yen at a low cost and invest in other currencies and assets yielding better interest.

The yen was stronger at 153.65 per dollar, close to the seven-month peak of 152.89 struck on Tuesday. The surge has been broad-based with the Japanese currency strengthening against the euro and sterling as well as favorite carry-trade targets such as the Mexican peso and Turkish lira.

The increase has been fueled by expectations of quicker tightening by the Bank of Japan and the return of offshore cash by Japanese investors and pressure from Washington for a higher yen.

Traders broadly expect the BOJ to hike rates by 25 basis points at its September 17-18 meeting but the rise will rest on if Governor Kazuo Ueda delivers hawkish comments and the wild card will be the Federal Reserve.Aninda Mitra, head of Asia macro and investment strategy at BNY Investments, stated “Much will depend on how the market prices in the Fed’s path of interest rates too.We estimate the Yen’s “fair value” to be in the 140’s and a further move to that area should not be a total surprise following what has clearly been an overshoot to the side of excessive Yen weakness.”

The Australian dollar gained 0.12% to $0.7225, just below a four-month high set in the previous session, in Pacific trade. The New Zealand dollar was up 0.16% at $0.5862.

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