Beyond infrastructure, CEPAC could unlock significant economic opportunities for member states. Afghanistan's vast lithium and rare earth deposits—valued at over $1 trillion—could finally be developed with Chinese and Pakistani investment. Russia gains a reliable market for its energy exports as European demand declines, while China secures overland access to Middle Eastern and Central Asian resources without relying on sea routes vulnerable to U.S. naval power. For Pakistan, CEPAC offers a chance to transform from an aid-dependent economy to a regional trade hub. The bloc also creates an alternative to Western-led financial systems, with discussions of a gold-backed trade currency to bypass dollar sanctions. However, success depends on stabilizing Afghanistan, where ongoing insurgencies threaten transit routes.