Meta Mandates SEBI Verification for Investment Ads in India

Meta Announced a new policy that aims at deterring fraudulent financial advice by requiring advertisers who offer investment products to Meta users in India to confirm that they are registered with Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI). The policy will apply to all securities/investment-related advertisements across the Meta platforms (Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, and Messenger) to domestic as well as international ads targeting people in India.

This initiative is meant to address the emergence of unregulated financial influencers commonly known as furus that give false investment tips. Advertisers should give authentic SEBI registration information that comprises of the name of the organization, registration sub-category, registration number, and the address of registered contacts. Meta will validate such credentials through one-time emailed or phoned codes. 

• Meta Mandates SEBI Verification for Financial Advertisers Targeting Users in India
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• New Meta Policy Requires SEBI-Registered Credentials for Investment Ads in India

The ads will contain verified information such as the name of the advertiser, SEBI registration number, and address along with a custom disclaimer, which will be listed on the ads to add transparency to the user. The information will also be recorded in Ad Library on Meta up to seven years.

In the case of advertisers who are not required to be registered with SEBI, e.g. financial educators or creators of financial content, Meta provides other verification mechanisms, where they must upload government-issued IDs, and businesses must submit documentation about their business. This is to make sure that even the non-regulated members satisfy a high level of identity checks.

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This policy is in line with the March 2025 directive of SEBI, asking registered intermediaries to ensure that their contact information is updated with the social media platforms to prevent securities related frauds. SEBI continues cracking down on unregistered finfluencers, making it clear that increased regulation is necessary, and investors should not listen to unverified tips on YouTube, Telegram, and X.