ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX) expanded its investor base by 218,894 new participants during the first ten months of 2026, marking a 47.3% increase from 463,071 at the start of the year to 681,965 by the end of October, the Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan (SECP) reported on Wednesday.
The rise in participation follows a rally that drove Pakistan’s equity market to record highs in 2025 and early 2026. The gains were underpinned by easing inflation, lower interest rates and stronger macro‑economic data as the economy stabilized under a $7 billion IMF programme.
During the same period the KSE‑100 index repeatedly touched all‑time highs. Analysts linked the rally to robust corporate earnings, hopes of economic recovery and increased involvement from both retail and institutional investors.
In October 2026 alone, 26,843 new accounts were opened – 26,801 individual and 42 corporate. The net increase for the month was 25,747, the SECP said.
Most of the new individual accounts were opened by younger investors. Those aged 18‑30 accounted for 14,634 accounts (54.6% of the monthly individual total), while investors aged 31‑45 opened 9,290 accounts (34.7%). Combined, the two groups represented 23,924 accounts, or 89.3% of all new individual accounts, according to the SECP.
Men opened 22,878 accounts, making up 85.4% of the new individual accounts, whereas women opened 3,923 accounts (14.6%), the regulator added.
Punjab led the new account registrations with 14,891, followed by Sindh (7,643). The two provinces together accounted for 83.9% of all October’s new accounts.
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa saw 1,894 new accounts, while Islamabad recorded 1,419. Additional accounts came from Balochistan (370), Azad Jammu & Kashmir (340), Gilgit‑Baltistan (150) and overseas (136).
The increase in participation follows a 43.5% rise in the KSE‑100 Index during FY2025‑26, which concluded in June. In the same fiscal year the SECP cleared 14 initial public offerings.
Pakistan Mercantile Exchange also logged 1,077 new accounts in October, raising its investor total to 61,915.
The SECP said it is running a nationwide awareness drive to help reach its goal of expanding the country’s stock‑market investor base to 2.5 million.
“Simplifying access to investment and protecting investors’ rights are top priorities for the regulator,” SECP Chairman Dr. Kabir Ahmed Sidhu said, noting that transparency and strong supervision would bolster investor confidence.
