Corporate sector: SECP establishes centralized UBO Registry

ISLAMABAD: The Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan (SECP) has established a centralized Ultimate Beneficial Ownership (UBO) Registry for the entire corporate sector.

In this regard, the SECP has introduced necessary amendments to the Companies Regulations, 2024 here on Tuesday.

The centralized UBO Registry, to be housed at the SECP, will ensure the availability of accurate and up-to-date beneficial ownership information for companies. This initiative aligns with the recommendations of the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) and the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), further enhancing transparency and integrity within Pakistan’s corporate sector.

Under the amended regulations, companies are required to submit their UBO information to the SECP, which is already being collected from shareholders. This information must be submitted for each financial year ending on or after June 30, 2025, through SECP’s eZfile portal, along with other regulatory returns and forms. Once available, the UBO data will be accessible to financial institutions and other stakeholders as needed.

The introduction of the centralized UBO Registry follows extensive stakeholder consultations and demonstrates SECP’s commitment to aligning Pakistan’s corporate regulatory framework with international best practices. Such measures are expected to bolster investor confidence in the country’s financial and regulatory ecosystem.

The official notification of these amendments is available on the SECP’s website: www.secp.gov.pk.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2025