Stock market investor accounts climb 48% to 583,052 in a year

The number of retail investor accounts in Pakistan's stock market rose 48 per cent in the fiscal year to June 2026, from 392,775 to 583,052, according to Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan figures cited by Independent Urdu.

About 190,277 new accounts were opened during the year. Between January and June 2026, 45 per cent of new accounts belonged to people aged 18 to 30, and more than 25,000 accounts were opened in the month before the report, of which roughly 53 per cent were held by young investors.

Independent Urdu, which published the figures in an opinion piece, described a market that has become reachable for people who a few years ago kept their savings in a bank account or in cash. It cited Ahmad Ali of Bahawalpur, who opened his first account six months ago with Rs7,000 after a year of failing to find work, and Fatima Rehman, who moved from crypto trading to stocks three months ago. Bilal Khan of Peshawar told the outlet he and ten friends opened ten accounts a year ago after watching social media videos; most lost money and are now taking classes, he said.

The route in has become easier. In March 2026 the SECP raised the investment ceiling on the facilitation account from Rs1 million to Rs3 million, and in August 2026 it introduced a new digital system intended to simplify account opening.

Market performance is the other driver. The benchmark KSE-100 index rose about 44 per cent in rupee terms in FY2025-26, and the report put returns at about 83 per cent in 2024 and 54 per cent in 2025.

Independent Urdu also pointed to weaker alternatives, listing a falling real estate market, a stable dollar and declining gold prices, along with the collapse of crypto trading. It noted that Pakistan's stock market halts trading when prices fall below a set limit, which gives investors time to decide.

Youth unemployment is the backdrop. The report cited an International Labour Organization assessment for 2026 that put unemployment among 15 to 24 year olds at 12.8 per cent, or about 2.6 million young people.

Separately, Haroon Akhtar Khan said capital leaving Dubai was returning to Pakistan rather than moving to another country, and that 170 amendments are being made to the Companies Act to make forming and running a company easier, UrduPoint reported.