Asaan Connect is a free online portal run by the Central Depository Company of Pakistan (CDC). You create one verified investor profile on it, then use that profile to send account opening requests to a stockbroker, an asset management company or an insurance company. The official site is asaanconnect.com.
It is for individual resident Pakistanis only. Non-residents, foreigners and companies cannot use it at the moment, according to CDC’s own FAQs. SECP’s Circular 19 of 2026 says digital account opening shall be allowed for residents and non-residents, so check CDC’s FAQ again before you rely on this.
It does not replace the broker or the fund company. You still choose where to invest, and that company still approves your account and tells you its charges.
What Is Asaan Connect?
CDC launched Asaan Connect in September 2023. The idea is that KYC (the identity and background checks every financial company must do) is done once, on your profile, instead of again with every broker or fund company.
If you later change something in your profile, such as your address, Asaan Connect passes the update to the companies you have already opened accounts with. CDC says the portal follows a framework set by the SECP, and that the SECP has named CDC a “third party” for anti-money-laundering checks, so the companies you apply to can rely on its checks.
SECP’s Circular 19 of 2026, dated 25 August 2026, now sets that framework. It replaced the 2023 circular (Circular 6 of 2023) that CDC’s pages still mention. The new circular names Asaan Connect and requires brokers, fund companies and insurers to connect to it and share your profile data, with your consent. It gives them three months, or the extra time SECP allows, to update their account opening forms and systems. It also asks PSX, NCCPL and CDC to enable automated processing, so a broker can issue your UIN and open your CDC sub-account without manual steps, at any hour.
What you can open through it
The portal lists three investment categories: Stock Market, Mutual Funds and Insurance/Takaful. After your profile is approved you pick a category, then pick a company from a list of those connected to Asaan Connect in that category.
The companies are called intermediaries. CDC’s FAQs name securities brokers, asset management companies and insurance or takaful companies. You can also ask for a joint account, but every joint applicant needs their own verified Asaan Connect profile first.
CDC’s public pages do not list which brokers or fund companies are connected. That list appears inside the portal after you sign in, so check it there. For how stock investing itself works, see how to invest in PSX.
Who Can Use Asaan Connect?
CDC’s guidelines say the facility is only for individual resident Pakistanis. You need a CNIC or SNIC, a mobile number, an email address and a smartphone, because identity verification runs through CDC’s phone app.
CDC’s guidelines say the mobile number can be registered to a close family member (father, mother, spouse, son or daughter), who must give their CNIC details, or to your employer, with an authorisation letter on company letterhead. SECP’s Circular 19 of 2026 is stricter. It says the number must be registered in your own name, except for a Sahulat account. If you can, use a number in your own name.
Two profile types
You choose one when you start.
Sahulat/Asaan Profile
This is the lighter option for first-time investors or small amounts. It needs only your ID and a signature card. CDC says it takes about 10 minutes to create. For the stock market, SECP’s Circular 19 of 2026 sets the Sahulat investment limit at Rs 3 million, with no foreign remittance, no futures and no leveraged products, and only one Sahulat account with each company. An older CDC guidelines PDF still shows Rs 1 million, so go by the circular.
For mutual funds, the same circular allows a Sahulat Sarmayakari account with an investment limit of Rs 3 million at any time and Rs 1 million per transaction.
Normal Profile
This one asks for full information and documents. CDC says it takes roughly 20 to 25 minutes, has no specific investment limit and allows investing in multiple categories.
What Documents Do You Need for Asaan Connect?
For the Sahulat/Asaan Profile:
- Scanned copy of your CNIC or SNIC, front and back
- Signature card
For the Normal Profile, CDC lists:
- Scanned CNIC or SNIC, front and back, and the signature card
- Proof of profession or income
- Proof of address, only if your mailing or permanent address differs from your CNIC
- CNIC or SNIC of your nominee or next of kin, front and back
- CZ-50 Zakat declaration form if you are a Muslim who is non-zakat deductible, or an affidavit if you are a non-Muslim
- Employer declaration on company letterhead, if your mobile number is registered to your employer
You also need a 24-digit IBAN from your own bank. The portal checks it through the State Bank’s Raast service.
Step by step
- Sign up. Go to the official site and choose New User Sign Up. Enter your CNIC or SNIC, email and local mobile number, then create a password. CDC’s password rule is at least 8 characters, with at least one uppercase letter, one lowercase letter, two numbers and six letters.
- Enter an OTP. The portal sends one code to your phone and one to your email. Either one works.
- Pick a profile type. Sahulat/Asaan or Normal.
- Verify your identity. Scan the QR code shown on the portal to get the CDC Access app, then complete the contactless fingerprint check, which is matched to NADRA records. Your mobile number, email and IBAN are verified too.
- Fill in your details. Much of your personal information is filled in automatically from NADRA. You add occupation, income range, nominee, zakat status and a risk questionnaire. You can save a draft and return later.
- Upload documents and submit. Review everything first. You cannot edit the profile after you press Submit.
- Wait for scrutiny. The Asaan Connect team checks the profile and screens it. If something is wrong, they mark the field and you correct it. SECP’s Circular 19 of 2026 sets the maximum time for a decision on an account opening request at one working day for a Sahulat account and two working days for a normal one, counted from receipt of complete documents. You should get a tracking ID, and the portal lets you track the request.
- Choose a category and a company. Your approved profile goes to that company, which can also flag problems. When it accepts, it gives you the credentials to start investing.
Is Asaan Connect Free?
CDC’s FAQs and its July 2026 flyer say the onboarding service is free for investors and that there are no hidden costs. After onboarding, the company you picked tells you its own fees and charges. Those differ from company to company, so compare them before you choose.
Asaan Connect or a Broker Directly: What Is the Difference?
Going to a broker directly means filling in that broker’s form and uploading your documents to that broker. Do it again with a second broker or a fund company and you repeat the process.
With Asaan Connect you build the profile once and send it to the companies you choose. CDC’s team checks it first, then the company checks it again.
Staying safe
- Type the address yourself or use the link above. Do not sign in from a link sent in a message.
- CDC’s FAQs say the portal sends OTPs to your own phone and email during sign-up. Never read an OTP out to anyone, including someone claiming to be from a broker or CDC.
- Use a password you do not use anywhere else.
- The portal does not ask you to pay for onboarding, so be suspicious of anyone who asks for a fee to “activate” your profile.
- For help, CDC lists the toll-free number 0800-23275 (0800-CDCPL) and the email info@cdcpak.com.
Common questions
Is Asaan Connect a broker?
No. Asaan Connect is CDC’s onboarding portal: you build one verified profile there and send it to the brokers, fund companies or insurers connected to it. The investing itself, buying shares or fund units, happens with the company you choose, and that company sets its own fees. Asaan Connect itself is free for investors.
Can overseas Pakistanis use it?
CDC’s FAQs say it is currently only for individual resident Pakistanis. Non-residents, foreigners and corporates are not covered. SECP’s Circular 19 of 2026 allows digital onboarding for non-residents in general, so ask your broker whether it can open an account for you.
Can I open a mutual fund account through it?
Yes. Mutual Funds is one of the three investment categories in Asaan Connect, next to stock brokers and insurance. Pick the category, choose one of the connected fund companies listed inside the portal, and your verified profile goes to it. SECP’s Circular 19 of 2026 also allows a simplified Sahulat mutual fund account of up to Rs 3 million at any time.
Can I stop halfway and finish later?
Yes. Asaan Connect lets you save your profile as a draft at any point and come back to finish it. Once you press Submit you can no longer edit it: the Asaan Connect team checks the profile first, then the company you chose reviews it. So check every field before you submit.
Do I need a smartphone?
Yes. The biometric step runs through the CDC Access app for Android or iPhone. The portal itself also works on a phone browser.
What if I change my address later?
Update it once in your Asaan Connect profile. CDC says the change is passed on to every company where you opened an account through Asaan Connect, so you do not have to repeat it with each one. Accounts you opened directly, outside Asaan Connect, still need to be updated with that company.