Imagine a room full of eager students in Lahore, eyes glued to a screen displaying "A global economy, built by all of us." That's the scene Talha Khan, a key figure in Pakistan's crypto scene, created during his recent whirlwind tour. As the head of Base Pakistan and a former NEAR Protocol leader, Talha isn't just talking blockchain—he's making it happen, one university at a time.
In a recent X thread, Talha shared an inspiring "Mission Update: Bringing Pakistan Onchain." Over two intense weeks, he orchestrated a five-stop university tour across the country, all aimed at supercharging the Base ecosystem—Coinbase's layer-2 solution for Ethereum that's all about low-cost, high-speed transactions. Base, for the uninitiated, is like a turbocharged highway for decentralized apps, making it easier for developers to build without the usual gas fee headaches.
The numbers? They're straight fire. Talha's events drew in over 380 engaged members—think bright-eyed students and budding builders hungry for web3 knowledge. And it's not stopping at attendance: 35+ active projects are already shipping, from DeFi tools to NFT experiments tailored for Pakistan's vibrant creator economy. This isn't hype; it's tangible momentum in a market where crypto adoption is skyrocketing despite regulatory hurdles.
Let's break it down stop by stop, as Talha did in his thread. Each event was a masterclass in grassroots activation, blending education with hands-on building.
Stop 1: Igniting Ideas in Islamabad
Kicking off in the capital, Talha hosted a packed session at Quaid-i-Azam University. Here, the focus was on Base's open-source ethos. Attendees dove into smart contract basics, learning how to deploy their first dApp. By the end, a dozen project ideas were born—think remittance apps that could slash costs for Pakistan's overseas workers sending billions home annually.
Stop 2: Hands-On in Lahore
Lahore's turn brought the energy up a notch. At the University of the Punjab, Talha rolled out live coding workshops. Picture this: students forking Base repos on GitHub, tweaking code, and testing on the Sepolia testnet. The result? Three nascent projects went live that day, including a meme token launcher that's got the local Twitter buzzing. (Meme coins? Yeah, they're the gateway drug to serious blockchain play in places like this.)
Stop 3: Networking in Karachi
Down south in Karachi, the vibe shifted to collaboration. NED University became a hub for pitch sessions, where builders shared Base-powered prototypes. Talha highlighted how Base's Onramp integrations make fiat-to-crypto seamless—crucial for a country where mobile money like JazzCash dominates. Over 100 connections were made, sparking cross-city teams that are now collaborating on a shared DAO for Pakistani devs.
Stop 4: Innovation in Peshawar
Peshawar's event at the University of Engineering and Technology emphasized real-world impact. Talha showcased how Base can fuel social good, like transparent aid distribution via onchain voting. Students prototyped a supply chain tracker for local agriculture, addressing Pakistan's massive food export challenges. It's proof that blockchain isn't just for traders—it's for solving everyday problems.
Stop 5: Closing Strong in Multan
Wrapping in Multan at Bahauddin Zakariya University, the tour ended with a bang: a hackathon-style finale. Teams raced to build and deploy on Base, with winners getting priority access to Coinbase tools. The appetite was insatiable—Talha's team burned through 25 Base App invites in hours, and now there's a waitlist of 150+ high-intent users clamoring for more.
But here's the real kicker from Talha's thread: Pakistan's ready for mobile-first crypto. With smartphone penetration at 50% and growing, tools like the Base mobile app could unlock millions. Talha's calling for more invites because the demand is "massive." Jesse Pollak, Base's head builder, gave a simple salute in reply—clear sign this is resonating at the top.
Why does this matter for the global crypto crowd? Pakistan's got 240 million people, a young demographic (over 60% under 30), and remittances topping $30 billion yearly. Onchain adoption here could reshape emerging market dynamics, turning meme-driven curiosity into billion-dollar infrastructure. Projects like TIGA Coin, launching on Base with gaming utility, show how memes are the fun entry point to serious value.
Talha's tour isn't a one-off; it's the blueprint for web3 expansion. If you're a builder eyeing untapped markets, Pakistan's Base scene is calling. Follow @talhaweb3_ for the next drops, and check out Base's docs to get started yourself.
What's your take—will onchain Pakistan lead the next wave of global adoption? Drop your thoughts below; let's build this economy together.