PNG’s capital markets are set for an important step forward with PNGX Group announcing plans to acquire PNG Registries from MUFG Pension & Market Services, marking one of the most significant developments in the sector in recent years. The agreement, announced in Port Moresby on 5 December, is subject to regulatory clearance from the Independent Consumer and Competition Commission (ICCC).
If approved, the transaction will bring PNG Registries – the country’s leading provider of securities registry services – into the PNGX Group portfolio, consolidating essential market functions under a single operator. PNGX, as the owner of PNGX Markets, the nation’s stock exchange, said the acquisition aligns with its long-term strategy to build a more modern, transparent and efficient market ecosystem.
PNGX Group Chairman David Lawrence described the proposed acquisition as “a transformative opportunity” for the industry, noting that integrating registry operations would enhance service capability and help drive innovation across market infrastructure. MUFG Corporate Markets CEO Lysa McKenna said PNG Registries had been an important part of MUFG’s operations since 2007, and that the transition to new ownership represented the right moment for the business to enter its next phase of growth.
According to the announcement, the move is expected to support broader national efforts to automate trading, settlement and registration processes – reforms that market participants have long regarded as essential for improving liquidity, reducing operational risk and encouraging wider participation among investors and issuers.
PNG Registries and PNGX will continue to operate separately until ICCC approval is granted, with both organisations assuring customers that no changes to services or operations will occur during the interim. Both parties have emphasised continuity, transparency and customer service as priorities throughout the transition.
For PNG’s business community, the proposed acquisition signals steady progress in strengthening financial market infrastructure and building investor confidence. As the national capital market continues to modernise, the integration of core functions under PNGX Group is expected to play a pivotal role in shaping the next chapter of Papua New Guinea’s financial system.
