PSX Investors Increase by Nearly 50% in 10 Months

Young Pakistanis are fueling a surge in stock market participation, with 55 percent of new investor accounts opened at the Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX) in October 2026 belonging to individuals aged 18 to 30. The Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan (SECP) reported that 14,634 accounts were created by this age group during the month, accounting for the majority of new registrations.

The PSX now boasts over 683,000 investors, surpassing the 200,000 new investors that joined the market in 2026. Small investors comprised 77 percent of October's new registrations, with 22,878 men opening accounts, while 3,923 women opened the remaining 15 percent. Investors aged 31 to 45 added another 9,290 accounts, while large investors opened 801 accounts, and 42 corporate accounts were registered.

Punjab led new registrations with 14,891 accounts, followed by Sindh (7,643) and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (1,894). The SECP also noted that the Pakistan Mercantile Exchange added 1,077 accounts in October, bringing its total investor base to 61,915. SECP Chairman Dr. Kabir Sidhu stated that the regulator is working to make investing easier and safer while protecting investor rights, aiming to increase the stock market investor base to 2.5 million through a nationwide awareness campaign.