On February 9, 2026, the Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX) will move from a T+2 to a T+1 settlement cycle.
At first glance, this sounds technical.
In reality, it is one of the most powerful structural changes PSX has seen in years.
This is not about sentiment.
Not about IMF.
Not about interest rates.
This is about how money moves inside the market.
What Is Settlement? (Plain English)
When you buy or sell a stock:
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You trade today (T)
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Shares and money are exchanged later
Under T+2
➡ Settlement happens 2 working days after the trade
Under T+1
➡ Settlement happens the very next working day
That’s it.
But the consequences are far bigger than the definition.
Why Settlement Speed Matters (The Broker Reality)
In Pakistan, brokers play a unique role:
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Brokers are allowed to fund client margins
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Trading limits are tied to unsettled exposure
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Until settlement completes, broker capital stays blocked
Under T+2
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Capital stays locked for two days
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Same money cannot be reused quickly
Under T+1
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Capital unlocks the next day
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The same capital can be reused twice as fast
The Core Impact: Broker Capital Multiplies
This is the key insight:
T+1 does not add new money — it multiplies the usability of existing money.
What changes structurally?
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Broker working capital turns over faster
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The same capital can now support nearly double trading capacity over time
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Funding for both regular trades and leveraged trades expands
This is liquidity creation without printing money.
