The Hong Kong Securities and Futures Commission announced it is participating in the International Organization of Securities Commissions’ Global Week of Action Against Unlawful Finfluencers during the week of 20 April 2026, coordinating with overseas regulators to disrupt unlawful social media financial promotions through enforcement and supervisory action alongside investor education and awareness initiatives. A total of 17 IOSCO members are joining the 2026 initiative, almost twice as many as in 2025. The SFC highlighted its own recent actions, including securing a custodial sentence for a finfluencer convicted of providing paid investment advice without a licence, issuing a compliance advice letter over unlicensed promotion of overseas virtual asset trading platforms to the Hong Kong public, and submitting 12 reports to major social media platforms covering 33 suspicious posts or accounts since July 2025, with more than 90% of reported content removed. Surveillance efforts include SENSOR, an in-house AI and natural language processing monitoring system launched in the third quarter of 2025, and platform engagement via Anti-Scam Consumer Protection Charter 3.0 with the Hong Kong Monetary Authority and other local authorities, complemented by regional coordination through the IOSCO Asia-Pacific Regional Committee Scams Working Group.
Hong Kong Securities & Futures Commission 2026-04-24
Hong Kong Securities and Futures Commission joins IOSCO Global Week of Action against unlawful finfluencers and reports enforcement and takedown results
The Hong Kong Securities and Futures Commission is joining IOSCO’s Global Week of Action Against Unlawful Finfluencers, coordinating cross-border enforcement, supervision and investor education against unlawful social media financial promotions. The SFC highlighted recent measures including a custodial sentence for unlicensed paid investment advice, action against unlicensed overseas virtual asset platform promotions, extensive social media takedown requests, and enhanced surveillance using its SENSOR AI system and regional coordination.