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Pakistan Taps Surplus Power Capacity to Fuel Bitcoin Mining, AI Data Centers
The country plans on utilizing surplus energy from coal-fired power plants that are currently operating at 15% capacity to mine bitcoin.
Updated May 26, 2025, 6:00 p.m. Published May 26, 2025, 12:18 p.m.
What to know:
- Pakistan is allocating 2,000 megawatts of electricity to support bitcoin mining and artificial intelligence data centers.
- The initiative, led by the Pakistan Crypto Council, aims to create tech-related jobs and attract foreign investment while taking advantage of surplus capacity.
- Pakistan is also developing a regulatory framework to support its estimated 15-20 million cryptocurrency users.
Pakistan has committed 2,000 megawatts of electricity to bitcoin mining and artificial intelligence data centers, the country’s finance ministry said.
The committed energy is being directed from coal-fired power plants that are currently running at 15% capacity, Bloomberg reports, in an initiative spearheaded by the Pakistan Crypto Council.
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By tapping surplus energy, the government hopes to turn a liability into an asset. Officials say the plan will create tech-related jobs and help attract overseas capital as the country works to stabilize its fragile economy, which came close to default in 2023.
Pakistan is also laying the groundwork for a regulatory framework to support its estimated 15 to 20 million cryptocurrency users.
AI Disclaimer: Parts of this article were generated with the assistance from AI tools and reviewed by our editorial team to ensure accuracy and adherence to our standards. For more information, see CoinDesk's full AI Policy.
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