The following actions have been taken by the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) in order to broaden public access to government securities investment and to increase the variety of sources of funding for this specialized market:
1. Microfinance Banks (MFBs) have been permitted to offer Investor Portfolio of Securities (IPS) Accounts to their customers.
2. Microfinance Bank (MFB) account holders have been allowed to open IPS Accounts with any Scheduled Bank to invest in government securities
Individuals and retail investors who want to invest in government assets must open an IPS account to hold, sell, and buy these securities. When opening an IPS account, previously only those with a PKR denominated bank account could do so. Because of their safety and high returns, government securities are a popular investment option for those looking for an alternative to bank savings accounts.
Customers of Microfinance Banks with conventional or Branchless Banking (BB) accounts now have two options under the new regulations. Account-holders of MFBs can use their funds to buy and sell government securities by opening IPS accounts with their MFBs under the first option. The second method allows MFB account holders to invest in government securities by opening IPS accounts at any Scheduled bank. In both cases, account holders of MFBs can invest with money from their accounts or BB/wallet.
In accordance with applicable rules and regulations, banks and MFBs have been authorized to share customers’ KYC-related information with any SBP/SECP regulated company after gaining customer agreement under the recently issued Customers’ Digital Onboarding Framework by SBP. Additionally, these steps would open the path for the creation of end-to-end digital investment systems for government securities. Investing in government securities is a handy way for small investors, and SBP is convinced that these measures will help develop a culture of saving.