SECP approves Rs3m financing app

The Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan (SECP) has approved a new digital financing application designed to provide Shariah-compliant funding of up to Rs3 million to eligible small businesses.

The application, Shaamilkar Tajir, has been developed by SECP-licensed Shaamilkar Financial Services. It will allow micro-entrepreneurs to purchase inventory from approved suppliers through a digital financing process.

According to the SECP, the initiative is aimed at bringing underserved businesses into the formal financial system and supporting their expansion.

SECP Chairman Dr Kabir Ahmed Sidhu said technology-based financing could help increase access to formal credit for businesses that have traditionally remained underserved.

He said the regulator would continue supporting responsible digital financing while maintaining regulatory oversight and protecting consumers.

The approval is also aligned with the federal government’s efforts to improve access to finance for small and medium-sized enterprises and other priority sectors.

The latest initiative comes as digital lending continues to expand in Pakistan. Between July 2025 and June 2026, licensed lending non-bank financial companies provided around Rs253 billion through approximately 2.5 million loans to micro, small and medium-sized enterprises.

The new application is expected to provide eligible small businesses with a faster digital route to inventory financing while encouraging greater participation in the formal credit system.