Oslo, 9 November 2026: Norwegian Block Exchange AS (NBX) and Aprikos Venture AS
have signed the joint venture agreement for Nayapaisa (Private) Limited
(proposed), a digital asset exchange the two companies plan to establish in
Pakistan. It follows the letter of intent NBX announced on 11 March 2026.
The application for a No Objection Certificate (NOC) for Nayapaisa was filed
with the Pakistan Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority (PVARA). The application
will now be reviewed by PVARA. The NOC is the first step in PVARA's licensing
process for virtual asset service providers. Nayapaisa will not offer services
to customers in Pakistan before PVARA has granted the NOC and the licence that
follows it. Nayapaisa plans to operate a digital asset exchange for customers in
Pakistan, with deposits and withdrawals in Pakistani rupees through licensed
Pakistani banks.
"Pakistanis already use digital assets at scale, mostly outside any platform
licensed in Pakistan. Nayapaisa is applying to be a licensed alternative, with a
local team in Pakistan," said Jamil Rehman, proposed CEO of Nayapaisa and
chairman of Aprikos Venture.
Pakistan has 241 million people, according to the 2023 census by the Pakistan
Bureau of Statistics. Chainalysis ranked Pakistan third of 151 countries in its
2025 Global Crypto Adoption Index, behind India and the United States. Until
PVARA was set up, no licensing regime for digital asset exchanges existed in
Pakistan.
Jamil Rehman, chairman of Aprikos Venture, is proposed chief executive officer,
and a compliance officer has been named. Nayapaisa will appoint a chief
financial officer, a money laundering reporting officer and an information
security officer before it applies for the licence. An internal auditor has been
proposed. Stig Kjos-Mathisen, CEO of NBX, is proposed chairman.
NBX and Aprikos Venture will own Nayapaisa 50/50 through Horizon Markets AS, a
Norwegian holding company under incorporation. NBX contributes the exchange
technology it built and operates in Norway, and the governance framework it runs
as a regulated company there. Aprikos Venture leads the local corporate
structure, the dialogue with PVARA and operations in Pakistan.
"It is great to see that the time, money and effort the NBX team has invested to
build our platform now opens new possibilities for the company and our owners in
new markets, and Pakistan is one of the most exciting markets currently outside
of Europe," said Stig Kjos-Mathisen, CEO of Norwegian Block Exchange.
Nayapaisa: nayapaisa.pk
For further information, please contact:
Stig Aleksander Kjos-Mathisen, CEO, Norwegian Block Exchange AS
Stig.aleksander.kjos-mathisen@nbx.com / +4793287572
Jamil Rehman, Chairman, Aprikos Venture AS
jamil@aprikosventure.com / +47 986 91 760
About Norwegian Block Exchange (NBX)
Founded in 2018, Norwegian Block Exchange (NBX) is a regulated cryptocurrency
exchange serving the Nordic market. Licensed in Norway, NBX offers secure
trading of digital assets, custody solutions, and blockchain technology services
for retail and institutional clients. The company issued the first credit card
in the world with BTC cashback.
About Nayapaisa
Nayapaisa (Private) Limited (proposed) is to be incorporated in Pakistan after
the NOC. It plans to operate a licensed digital asset exchange for customers in
Pakistan. Norwegian Block Exchange AS and Aprikos Venture AS will own it 50/50
through Horizon Markets AS. More at nayapaisa.pk.
About Aprikos Venture AS
Aprikos Venture AS is a Norwegian venture firm focused on building and scaling
companies within the fintech and healthtech sectors. The firm combines
technology development with cross-border execution.
fintech and healthtech sectors. The firm combines\
technology development with cross-border execution.\