Pakistan Pilots World Liberty's USD1 Stablecoin in 2026 Cross-Border Payments Trial

On 15 January 2026, Pakistan began testing World Liberty Financial's USD1 stablecoin as a regulated option for cross-border transactions, running in parallel with its planned digital rupee. The initiative comes as the country advances broader digital finance reforms, including a central bank digital currency pilot, draft crypto regulation and preliminary approvals for major exchanges. Officials and critics are debating whether rapid adoption of tokenized assets and stablecoins could heighten volatility and affect perceptions of Pakistan's sovereign risk.