AKD Securities Limited has been named Pakistan’s Best Retail Broker at the Euromoney Markets Awards 2026, receiving international recognition for its services to individual investors and its role in the country’s capital markets. The award was presented at a ceremony held at Mandarin Oriental Hyde Park in London and was received by Hina Dhedhi Junaid, Chairperson of AKD Securities, and Muhammad Farid Alam, Chief Executive Officer of the company. The recognition places the brokerage among the institutions highlighted by Euromoney in its 2026 markets awards programme. Retail brokerage firms provide individual investors with access to stock markets, trading services and investment-related information, making digital accessibility and client support important parts of their operations. AKD Securities has developed its services around online account opening, digital trading, market research and investor education. Euromoney’s award profile highlighted the firm’s retail account growth and its efforts to bring trading, research, education and client servicing together through a unified digital platform. The recognition comes as investors increasingly expect convenient access to market information and the ability to manage their portfolios through mobile and desktop services. While the award recognises AKD Securities in the retail brokerage category, it does not guarantee investment returns or indicate that every investor will have the same experience. Individual investment decisions continue to involve market risk, and customers must assess financial products according to their own circumstances and objectives.
Euromoney’s assessment highlighted growth in AKD Securities’ active retail accounts during 2025. The company’s active retail accounts increased from 62,168 at the end of the first half of the year to 77,597 by year-end. According to the award profile, AKD Securities accounted for approximately 17% of active accounts at the Pakistan Stock Exchange and more than 23% of new retail account openings during 2025. These figures indicate the firm’s share of retail investor activity and new account openings over the period covered by the assessment. The brokerage’s account-opening process uses digital workflows that include optical character recognition, digital validation and biometric verification. The process comprises 22 integrated stages covering registration, validation and account activation, according to Euromoney’s profile. An application programming interface connection with the National Clearing Company of Pakistan also enables clients to update their profiles and track service requests digitally. These features are intended to reduce manual steps in account opening and routine customer servicing. Once accounts are active, customers can use mobile and desktop platforms to trade and monitor their portfolios in real time. Euromoney reported that the trading platform maintained availability of 99.5% during the review period, highlighting the role of technology infrastructure in supporting brokerage services. The figures relate to the period assessed for the award and should not be interpreted as current account totals or a guarantee of future performance.
Research and investor education were also identified as components of AKD Securities’ retail offering. The company provides technical analysis covering a broad range of companies listed on the Pakistan Stock Exchange, alongside fundamental research on more than 50 companies. Its services include daily trading ideas, audio briefings, market commentary, company announcements and real-time alerts. Access to research can help investors follow company developments, understand market movements and review information relevant to their investment decisions. However, research material and trading ideas are not assurances of future market performance, and investors may experience losses even when using professional analysis. AKD Securities has also incorporated investor education into its service model, conducting at least three investor awareness and financial literacy sessions each week, according to Euromoney’s award profile. Registration, notifications and recordings are made available through its mobile application. These sessions can provide an avenue for investors to learn about market participation and investment-related concepts, particularly those who are relatively new to trading. Combining educational resources with account services and digital research can make information easier to access within the same platform. The actual benefit to investors depends on how they use the information, their understanding of investment risks and the suitability of their decisions. The award profile presents these services as part of the brokerage’s approach to retail client engagement, alongside its account growth and digital infrastructure.
The Euromoney Markets Awards recognise firms across different parts of the financial markets, including brokerage, trading, market infrastructure and financial technology. In the 2026 results, AKD Securities received the Pakistan’s Best Retail Broker title, while Arif Habib Limited was named Pakistan’s Best Broker in a separate category. The distinction between the awards is important because the two recognitions refer to different brokerage categories rather than a single overall ranking. For AKD Securities, the retail award highlights its services for individual investors and the digital processes supporting account opening, trading, research and customer education. Its longer-term position in the market will continue to depend on service quality, technology reliability, customer support, regulatory compliance and the ability to respond to investor requirements. The award itself does not disclose future business targets, projected revenue or plans for new products. It nevertheless provides an external recognition of the brokerage’s retail business based on the criteria used in Euromoney’s assessment. As participation in Pakistan’s capital markets develops, brokerage firms will continue to compete on accessibility, digital convenience, research resources and investor support. AKD Securities’ recognition at the 2026 awards places these elements at the centre of its retail brokerage profile, while investors should continue to evaluate brokers and investment opportunities based on their individual needs, costs and tolerance for risk.
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