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FIA Establishes Cryptocurrency Investigation Unit

Housed in the agency's National Command and Control Centre, the unit will deploy advanced tools to trace illicit virtual-asset flows.

Overview

  • The Federal Investigation Agency created the Cryptocurrency Investigation Unit, which launched Tuesday, to strengthen probes into crimes linked to digital assets.
  • The unit's mandate covers money laundering, terrorist financing, cyber-enabled financial crime and cryptocurrency-related fraud.
  • Officials said the unit will sit inside the National Command and Control Centre to centralize monitoring, fuse intelligence and coordinate operations nationwide.
  • FIA sources say investigators will use blockchain analysis tools and internationally recognised investigative practices to trace transactions and gather digital evidence.
  • The move complements the Pakistan Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority's rulemaking role and builds on post-2022 AML/CFT reforms with further FIA projects expected in the coming months.