Meta’s implementing new requirements for advertisers running securities and investments promotions in India, in line with updated requirements from Indian regulators.
Back in March, the Security and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) announced that all advertisers in the sector must undertake registration on each platform that they’re seeking to advertise on, in order to combat scammers using online promotions to lure victims.
As per SEBI:
“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 of such frauds 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. through various SMPs.”
In order to address this, SEBI announced that all securities and investments advertisers will now need to register on each platform that they advertise on, by using their email IDs and mobile numbers, as listed on the SEBI SI Portal.
SEBI gave advertisers till the end of April to action this. And now, Meta’s also building this into its ad system:
“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.”
Meta says that compliance will be enforced “as early as July 31st, 2025,” but will vary depending on when each business becomes eligible to complete its verification requirements.
“As an advertiser, you will receive a notification informing you of when you are eligible to complete the verification and disclaimer process. Look out for banners that say, e.g. “Verification required for securities and investment ads in India”.”
Obviously, this is an important note for advertisers in the sector, with the regulations applying to any business that targets Indian consumers.
Which is somewhat niche, but it is an important note, which will relate to many businesses.
Meta says that it’ll begin rolling out the verification process on June 26th, with verification expected to be available to 100% of all eligible advertisers globally by July 28th, 2025.
You can read more about the updated requirements for securities and investment ads in India here.