Pakistan Introduces Streamlined Stock Account Rules to Reach 2.5 Million Investors

KARACHI – The Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan (SECP) announced on Friday a unified digital platform for opening investment accounts, eliminating redundant identity verification steps that have hindered market entry. The move aims to boost the number of digital investors to 2.5 million within three years, according to a regulator spokesperson.

The new framework imposes previously unattainable processing deadlines. “Sahulat” accounts, designed for small and first‑time investors, must be approved within one business day, while standard accounts have a two‑day limit. Applicants will receive tracking numbers and written explanations for any rejections, the SECP said.

Issued as Circular 19 of 2026, the rules apply to brokers, asset managers and insurers. Intermediaries may rely on identity verifications already completed by another regulated entity, avoiding duplicate checks.

“The initiative is part of SECP’s broader drive to expand retail participation, especially among young Pakistanis, and increase the country’s capital‑market investor base to 2.5 million,” the regulator said.

Responding to a query from Arab News, an SECP spokesperson noted that Pakistan currently has roughly 600,000 investors in its capital market. The regulator targets expanding that figure to 2.5 million within three years.

“Our focus is to remove entry barriers and use technology to make the investor journey simpler, faster and more accessible,” SECP Chairman Kabir Ahmed Sidhu said. He emphasized that the goal is to broaden participation among young Pakistanis and deepen the market. The framework also enables straight‑through processing via API links between institutions, issuing unique identification numbers instantly and opening CDC sub‑accounts without manual intervention. If an investor has already been verified by another eligible regulated institution or a notified third party, intermediaries may accept that verification and skip their own checks.

Investor accounts in Pakistan totaled 583,052 at the close of the last fiscal year, a 48 % increase from 392,775 a year earlier, the SECP reported last month.

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