SECP Hits Record 35,000+ Company Registrations in FY25

Islamabad, July 08, 2025, 03:42 PM PKT — The Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan (SECP) has shattered records by registering over 35,000 companies in FY 2025—its highest single-year tally—propelled by digitization reforms and enhanced ease of doing business, pushing the national registry past 258,000 companies. SECP data shows 99.9% online registrations, a 27% surge from FY24, with record months in January (3,442) and May (3,605). The eZfile platform upgrade mandates digital verification for management changes, paired with cybersecurity guidelines, while the Electronic Mortgage Register (EMR) offers real-time mortgage data for financial institutions.

From March 3, all new companies must issue dematerialized shares to curb ownership disputes, with updates aligning to the World Bank’s B-Ready framework, including gender data and Ultimate Beneficial Owner (UBO) verification. Proposed amendments make the Unique Document Identification Number (UDIN) mandatory for ICMAP members and expand cost audits to the automobile sector. Pakistan ranks 6th among 50 economies in the B-Ready 2024 Business Entry indicator.

SECP’s support includes a facilitation desk, 100+ awareness sessions, and educational content, with new guides on employee stock ownership schemes (ESOS), stock splits, and capital issuance. The LEAP project and SECP-XS platform drive tech transformation, with a Corporate Registration Manual in progress to standardize procedures. Web context notes global digitization trends (e.g., 90% e-registrations), while posts found on X show optimism—some praise efficiency, others question compliance. Critically, the narrative of “business ease” may mask tech access gaps—web data points to rural challenges, and X sentiment suggests distrust in uniform adoption, hinting at potential inequities.