Can You Sell Shares Just Two Days After Buying? What the New TMS Feature Means.

Nepali investors have traditionally followed a T+2 settlement system, meaning shares bought on Sunday could only be sold by Wednesday. But with a recent update in the trading system, some traders are now selling their Sunday shares as early as Tuesday — just 48 hours later.

This shift is thanks to a new feature in the updated trading management system (TMS) called A-Trade. Not every investor has access to it, but those who do are enjoying faster transactions and more flexibility. Naturally, this has raised curiosity and debate in Nepal’s trading community.

From 72-Hour Traders to 48-Hour Operators
Investors like “Sameer Khatri” (name changed) were known as 72-hour traders — buying stocks and selling them three days later. Now, thanks to A-Trade TMS, Sameer and others can legally sell by Tuesday afternoon. But this benefit is limited to clients of brokers who have adopted this new system.

For now, most regular traders still have to wait the full three-day cycle unless they’re using a broker with the updated technology.

How Is Earlier Selling Even Possible?
It might seem like the T+2 settlement cycle has changed, but that’s not the case. The difference lies in how quickly the brokers and systems act after the cycle completes.

According to Santosh Mainali, former president of the Stock Brokers Association, settlement still follows the T+2 rule. CDSC (the clearing company) completes settlement for Sunday’s trades by Tuesday afternoon. Brokers using A-Trade have real-time APIs that instantly move shares into investors’ accounts the moment settlement is done.

This means the shares are officially owned by the trader and can be sold immediately — all within legal boundaries.

Is It Fair or a Legal Loophole?
Some investors wonder if this is bending the rules, but experts disagree. As per the law, once shares are credited to a trader’s account, they’re free to sell them. The system simply allows brokers to complete the process faster than before.

Mainali argues this is not a loophole but an upgrade. He believes other brokers should also improve their systems rather than question the ones already doing it.

Who Has Access to This New Feature?
At present, only six brokers offer this upgraded TMS service:
Secured Securities, Pragyan Securities, Kalika Securities, NIMB Stock Market, Nepal Stock House, and Dynamic Money Managers.

Others, like Nasa Securities, acknowledge the feature but haven’t introduced it yet. They say they will assess the market’s direction before adopting the same.

What It Means for the Average Investor
Investors with access to the new system are thrilled. They gain an edge by being able to sell sooner, especially in a fast-moving market. Those without the feature, however, feel stuck in the traditional process, waiting an extra day to act on their investment decisions.

Whether this faster feature becomes the norm or remains exclusive to a few brokers will depend on how regulators and the market respond in the coming days.