In response to increasing financial scams across digital platforms, Meta has announced a major update for advertisers running securities and investment ads in India. The change aligns with new advertising regulations introduced by India’s financial authority to curb deceptive promotions and protect online investors.
Advertisers targeting Indian audiences will now need to verify their identity and registration with the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI), a move aimed at enhancing trust and accountability within the financial advertising ecosystem.
Focus Keyphrase: Securities and Investment Ads in India
SEBI’s Crackdown on Investment Fraud Across Digital Platforms
In March 2025, SEBI raised the alarm over a surge in fraudulent activities occurring on popular social platforms. Scammers were promoting fake trading courses, promising unrealistic returns, and using false testimonials to mislead users.
SEBI stated:
“SEBI has noticed a rapid increase in frauds related to securities market on various Social Media Platforms (SMPs) such as YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, X (previously Twitter), Telegram, Google Play Store, Apple Store etc… perpetrators… are enticing victims in the name of providing online trading courses, seminars, giving misleading or deceptive testimonials, promise or guarantee of assured or risk-free return etc.”
To mitigate this, the regulatory body now requires all advertisers in the securities sector to register on every platform where their promotions appear. Each advertiser must provide valid email IDs and mobile numbers through the SEBI SI Portal, ensuring a traceable digital footprint.
Meta’s Policy Update for Financial Advertisers
Meta is the first major tech company to implement SEBI’s mandate directly into its advertising infrastructure. All advertisers—whether based in India or abroad—must verify the beneficiary and payer of each investment-related campaign.
In Meta’s words:
“Meta is updating its requirements for advertisers targeting users in India with securities and investment ads. All advertisers running securities and investments ads in India (including global campaigns), will need to verify the person or organization benefiting from and paying for the ad by providing their Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) registration information.”
This verification process includes:
- SEBI registration details
- Associated email address
- Official mobile number
These steps aim to eliminate anonymous campaigns that could exploit unsuspecting users.
Verification Timeline and Notifications
Meta’s verification rollout began on June 26th, 2025, and will reach full coverage by July 28th, 2025. Advertisers will receive individual alerts on their Meta dashboard when they are eligible for verification.
Look for banners labeled:
“Verification required for securities and investment ads in India”
The company also noted that full enforcement may start as early as July 31st, 2025, depending on how quickly businesses begin and complete their verification process.
Who Must Comply With Meta’s New Ad Policy?
The policy applies to all businesses promoting investment products or financial services to Indian users, including:
- Stock trading apps
- Investment advisory services
- Mutual fund platforms
- Crypto investment solutions (where legally permitted)
- Educational programs related to securities
It doesn’t matter if a business is based in India or not—if your ads are targeting Indian consumers, you must comply with these new rules.
While the requirement may seem limited to a niche sector, it affects a significant portion of global financial marketers who rely on Meta platforms to reach India’s expanding investment audience.
Why This Matters for Financial Advertisers
India is one of the world’s fastest-growing digital economies. With millions of users exploring financial tools online, the potential for both legitimate services and fraudulent schemes is high. These new requirements aim to ensure that:
- Only verified and legally registered entities can run financial ads
- Consumers receive accurate, compliant, and safe investment promotions
- Meta platforms remain compliant with national regulations
This move reflects a growing global trend—platforms are being held accountable for the financial content they host, and advertisers must meet higher standards of transparency.
Best Practices for Staying Compliant
Here are actionable steps for advertisers to prepare for these new requirements:
- Register on the SEBI SI Portal: If not already done, ensure your organization is properly listed with SEBI.
- Check Your Contact Details: Make sure your registration includes an active email address and phone number.
- Monitor Meta Notifications: Stay alert for platform prompts guiding you through the verification process.
- Update Ad Content: Avoid using exaggerated claims or unverified financial guarantees.
- Complete Verification Promptly: Delaying may result in ad rejections or campaign suspensions.
Following these steps will help your business stay in good standing with both Meta and Indian regulators.
A Significant Step Toward Safer Financial Advertising
The introduction of mandatory SEBI verification for securities and investment ads in India reflects a broader effort to clean up digital advertising in the financial sector. Scams targeting first-time investors have grown increasingly sophisticated, and social platforms are under pressure to do more.
Meta’s proactive implementation shows that digital accountability is now a business imperative, not just a regulatory formality.
If your company operates in this space, now is the time to tighten your compliance efforts and ensure your campaigns meet both platform and government standards.
You can learn more about Meta’s advertising standards here.
