A stock exchange is a place where shares of different listed companies are bought and sold through the members of the stock exchange. The major role of the stock exchange is to assist, regulate and control the trading of shares through different measures. Stock exchanges can also be known as equity markets or shares markets.​

The stock exchange itself does not indulge in trading of shares, but it regulates the trading activities being done by its members on their own as well as on their clients’ behalf. A Commodity Exchange, on the other hand, is a place for buying and selling commodities for delivery at a future date. In Pakistan, the Pakistan Mercantile Exchange (PMEX) is the platform used for trading in commodities.