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Door Remote - 21 Aug 2026
Today in crypto, existing virtual asset providers in Pakistan must apply for an NOC by Sept. 5 or cease operations under the country’s new regulatory framework. Ray Dalio backed gold and “a bit” of Bitcoin as protection against a potential US debt crisis, while Standard Chartered said its $100,000 year-end BTC forecast may be too low.
Pakistan opens crypto licensing portal, sets Sept. 5 deadline for existing firmsPakistan’s Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority (PVARA) has opened its licensing portal after notifying regulations governing crypto exchanges and other virtual asset service providers (VASPs) operating in the country.
Companies providing virtual asset services on or before March 5 must submit an application for a no-objection certificate (NOC) by Sept. 5 or cease operations, according to the PVARA licensing website. Operating after the deadline without submitting an application will constitute an offense, PVARA said in a Saturday press release published by the Associated Press of Pakistan.
“The licensing window is officially open, creating a clear pathway for businesses to enter Pakistan’s regulated virtual asset market, with defined standards for consumer protection, governance, compliance and market integrity,” PVARA said on LinkedIn.
The launch moves Pakistan’s crypto framework from legislation into enforcement, requiring domestic and overseas VASPs to enter the formal licensing process or stop serving the market.
Ray Dalio favors gold, ‘a bit’ of Bitcoin as US debt risks mountBillionaire investor Ray Dalio is urging investors to favor gold and “a bit of Bitcoin” over bonds as he warns that the United States could face a debt crisis within the next several years.
The Bridgewater Associates founder said Friday that investors could consider allocating 10% to 15% of their portfolios to gold to reduce risk, while overweighting gold and Bitcoin relative to debt assets. Dalio pointed to mounting political and geopolitical tensions and estimated that a US debt crisis could emerge in roughly three years, unless the country changes course.
Dalio has historically been more cautious on Bitcoin than gold, arguing that the cryptocurrency cannot replace the precious metal as a store of value and raising concerns about privacy and quantum computing. Still, his latest comments continue a gradual shift toward accepting BTC as a portfolio hedge. In 2022, he described a 1% to 2% Bitcoin allocation as “reasonable.”
Standard Chartered wavers on $100,000 Bitcoin year-end call, says it may be ‘too low’Bitcoin may move toward its all-time high of $126,000 before the end of the year, with the recovery potentially accelerating after Oct. 6, according to Geoff Kendrick, global head of digital asset research at Standard Chartered.
Kendrick said in a Friday note shared with Cointelegraph that the latest rally has been driven largely by short liquidations, while inflows into spot Bitcoin exchange-traded funds have also started to recover. He said low open interest could leave room for more investors to return as prices rise.
“For the first time this year there is now a risk my end year forecast (of USD100k) is too low,” Kendrick wrote.
In a Feb. 12 report, Kendrick cut Standard Chartered’s year-end Bitcoin target to $100,000 from $150,000 and its Ether target to $4,000 from $7,500. At the time, he expected Bitcoin to fall to around $50,000 and Ether to $1,400 before recovering during the rest of the year.
Pakistan opens crypto licensing portal, sets Sept. 5 deadline for existing firmsPakistan’s Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority (PVARA) has opened its licensing portal after notifying regulations governing crypto exchanges and other virtual asset service providers (VASPs) operating in the country.
Companies providing virtual asset services on or before March 5 must submit an application for a no-objection certificate (NOC) by Sept. 5 or cease operations, according to the PVARA licensing website. Operating after the deadline without submitting an application will constitute an offense, PVARA said in a Saturday press release published by the Associated Press of Pakistan.
“The licensing window is officially open, creating a clear pathway for businesses to enter Pakistan’s regulated virtual asset market, with defined standards for consumer protection, governance, compliance and market integrity,” PVARA said on LinkedIn.
The launch moves Pakistan’s crypto framework from legislation into enforcement, requiring domestic and overseas VASPs to enter the formal licensing process or stop serving the market.
Ray Dalio favors gold, ‘a bit’ of Bitcoin as US debt risks mountBillionaire investor Ray Dalio is urging investors to favor gold and “a bit of Bitcoin” over bonds as he warns that the United States could face a debt crisis within the next several years.
The Bridgewater Associates founder said Friday that investors could consider allocating 10% to 15% of their portfolios to gold to reduce risk, while overweighting gold and Bitcoin relative to debt assets. Dalio pointed to mounting political and geopolitical tensions and estimated that a US debt crisis could emerge in roughly three years, unless the country changes course.
Dalio has historically been more cautious on Bitcoin than gold, arguing that the cryptocurrency cannot replace the precious metal as a store of value and raising concerns about privacy and quantum computing. Still, his latest comments continue a gradual shift toward accepting BTC as a portfolio hedge. In 2022, he described a 1% to 2% Bitcoin allocation as “reasonable.”
Standard Chartered wavers on $100,000 Bitcoin year-end call, says it may be ‘too low’Bitcoin may move toward its all-time high of $126,000 before the end of the year, with the recovery potentially accelerating after Oct. 6, according to Geoff Kendrick, global head of digital asset research at Standard Chartered.
Kendrick said in a Friday note shared with Cointelegraph that the latest rally has been driven largely by short liquidations, while inflows into spot Bitcoin exchange-traded funds have also started to recover. He said low open interest could leave room for more investors to return as prices rise.
“For the first time this year there is now a risk my end year forecast (of USD100k) is too low,” Kendrick wrote.
In a Feb. 12 report, Kendrick cut Standard Chartered’s year-end Bitcoin target to $100,000 from $150,000 and its Ether target to $4,000 from $7,500. At the time, he expected Bitcoin to fall to around $50,000 and Ether to $1,400 before recovering during the rest of the year.