KARACHI: The number of investor accounts at the Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX) has crossed 600,000 for the first time, a senior finance official said on Thursday, adding that it reflects growing confidence in the country’s economic indicators.
The figure builds on the Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan’s (SECP) data showing 583,052 accounts at the close of the last fiscal year in June. Taking to social media platform X, Adviser to the Finance Minister Khurram Schehzad said July added another 23,973 accounts, the second-highest monthly total on record after April, when more than 24,000 accounts were opened.
He said the investor base at the PSX has grown from 275,000 in June 2022, an increase of more than 332,000 accounts, or 121 percent in four years.
“The strongest signal in any capital market is not where the index stands— it’s how many people choose to participate,” Schehzad wrote.
“Pakistan Stock Exchange has crossed 600,000 investors for the first time in history, reaching 607,025 in July 2026.”
The acceleration follows measures the SECP announced last month to lower the barrier to entry. The regulator raised the investment ceiling on Sahulat accounts to Rs3 million ($10,600) from Rs1 million. It removed duplicate documentation for investors onboarding through banks and digital financial institutions, introduced IBAN-based verification, and allowed trading accounts for minors under guardian supervision.
Nearly 190,300 accounts were opened in the last fiscal year, a record annual rise of 48 percent, according to the regulator.
Schehzad said the average monthly investor additions to the PSX increased from 2,300 in FY23 to 2,200 in FY24. In FY25, investor additions to the PSX increased to 5,300 per month and in FY26, surged to15,860.
“The latest wave is being led predominantly by GenZ and first-time retail investors, broadening ownership and strengthening Pakistan’s investment culture,” he added.
RECORD COMPANY REGISTRATIONS
Separately, the SECP said 5,438 new companies were registered in July, the highest monthly total on record and up from 4,323 in June.
Information technology sector led with the highest number of new registrations, 1,008, ahead of trading with 845, services with 638 and construction with 348. Food and beverages, tourism, e-commerce, education, real estate development and corporate agriculture followed.
Five international companies opened offices in Pakistan during the month, from Malaysia, the UAE and China, while 112 newly registered companies had foreign directors on their boards.
Private limited companies made up the bulk of registrations at 3,148, followed by 2,117 single-member companies, 127 limited liability partnerships, 28 non-profits and 18 public companies.
Punjab accounted for 51 percent of the total with 2,756 registrations, followed by Islamabad with 1,053, Sindh with 864, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa with 450, Gilgit-Baltistan with 180 and Balochistan with 135.
