The Central Depository Company of Pakistan (CDC) has onboarded KTrade Securities Limited to its RAAST Aggregator Platform, extending the reach of instant digital fund transfers to an even wider base of retail investors. The signing ceremony took place at CDC House, where Mr. Badiuddin Akber, Chief Executive Officer of CDC, and Mr. Mahmood Ali Shah Bukhari, Chief Executive Officer of KTrade Securities Limited, formally signed the agreement.
RAAST, Pakistan’s instant payment system launched by the State Bank of Pakistan, has been a game-changer for financial inclusion. Its integration into the capital market through CDC’s Aggregator has eliminated the delays and inefficiencies traditionally associated with investor fund transfers. Now, every investor sub-account is assigned a unique RAAST Investment ID (in IBAN format), allowing seamless and secure settlement of funds directly from an investor’s bank to their brokerage account—typically completed within minutes.
With the onboarding of KTrade Securities, thousands of new and existing investors will benefit from this facility. For many retail participants, who form a core part of KTrade’s investor base, the ability to move money instantly into the market enhances both accessibility and confidence. By removing friction from the funding process, investors can respond faster to opportunities and engage more actively with the capital market.
This development also signals the broader impact of RAAST on Pakistan’s financial ecosystem. Beyond simple fund transfers, it is reshaping how investors interact with the market—enabling digital participation, reducing reliance on cash and manual transfers, and building trust through transparency and speed.
CDC continues to complement the RAAST framework with other digital initiatives such as Asaan Connect—a one-window investor onboarding platform—and Emlaak Financials—Pakistan’s first mutual fund aggregation portal. Together, these solutions strengthen CDC’s role as the backbone of Pakistan’s capital market infrastructure while advancing the country’s journey toward a more inclusive, efficient, and technology-driven financial system.
