El Salvador has taken another bold step in consolidating its global leadership in technological innovation and Bitcoin adoption. This week, Bilal Bin Saqib, Pakistan’s Minister of Crypto and Blockchain, visited the Central American nation to formalize a strategic alliance focused on education, mining, and digital currency reserves.
During his meeting with President Nayib Bukele, Minister Bin Saqib praised El Salvador’s pioneering role in the digital economy, calling the country “a beacon of light” and Bukele “the best founder a country can have.” A letter of intent was signed with the National Bitcoin Office (ONBTC), led by Stacy Herbert, to collaborate on initiatives in Bitcoin education, artificial intelligence, and technological infrastructure.
“President Bukele doesn’t act like a bureaucrat—he’s like a startup founder in San Francisco, completely immersed in innovation,” Bin Saqib remarked. “We want to take a leaf out of El Salvador’s book and bring these ideas to Pakistan.”
With over 250 million citizens and 70% of its population under the age of 30, Pakistan seeks to prepare its youth for a tech-driven future. The minister emphasized the urgency of equipping young generations with tools in AI and blockchain, noting that El Salvador is already setting a precedent with its groundbreaking AI law and Bitcoin policies.
Bin Saqib also highlighted Pakistan’s potential for Bitcoin mining, revealing that the country has identified over 2,000 megawatts of surplus energy. Inspired by El Salvador’s geothermal mining model, he proposed converting this untapped energy into «digital gold.»
A particularly resonant moment came when Bin Saqib coined a new term for this emerging form of global diplomacy: “biplomacy”—a model of international relations built on shared technological and monetary principles, rather than traditional economics or military interests.
El Salvador’s strategy to accumulate 6,240 BTC—now valued with profits exceeding $450 million—was cited as a powerful symbol of financial sovereignty.
“My hope is that El Salvador will pay off its external debt using Bitcoin. That would be a lesson in national strength,” Bin Saqib added.
He concluded by envisioning a potential summit between Bitcoin-powered nations in Islamabad or San Salvador, stating: “El Salvador is the leader, and we want to follow that example.”