ISLAMABAD: The Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan (SECP) registered 2,993 new companies in March 2026, reflecting an 11% increase compared to the same period last year. This growth underscores increased investor confidence and highlights the SECP’s commitment to digital transformation and facilitating business operations as part of the government’s broader economic reforms.
According to Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan, the new registrations were predominantly processed online via the SECP’s eZfile portal, with 99.9% of the companies utilizing this digital platform. This brings the total number of registered companies to 290,041. The newly registered companies collectively have a paid-up capital of Rs. 2.80 billion, indicating sustained investment across various sectors.
Private limited companies constituted 57% of the new registrations, while single-member companies represented 39%. The remaining 4% comprised public unlisted companies, not-for-profit organizations, and limited liability partnerships. Geographically, Punjab led the registrations with 1,488 new companies, followed by Islamabad Capital Territory with 552, Sindh with 447, Gilgit-Baltistan with 233, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa with 224, and Balochistan with 49.
The Information Technology and e-commerce sectors saw the highest number of new companies at 606. This was followed by trading with 542, services with 366, and real estate development and construction with 264. Other sectors with notable activity included tourism and transport, food and beverages, education, textile, mining and quarrying, corporate agricultural farming, marketing and advertisement, engineering, healthcare, cosmetics and toiletries, fuel and energy, pharmaceuticals, chemicals, communications, and auto and allied sectors. Additionally, 234 companies were registered in other sectors.
Foreign investment remained strong, with 58 new companies receiving overseas investment. These investments originated from China, Afghanistan, the United Kingdom, Russia, the British Virgin Islands, Norway, Germany, and several other countries, including single investments from Japan, Hong Kong, the United States, Spain, the Czech Republic, Canada, Nigeria, Malaysia, Myanmar, Croatia, and Saudi Arabia.