The British Columbia Securities Commission announced that it took part in a second coordinated international initiative targeting unlawful finfluencers during the Global Week of Action Against Unlawful Finfluencers from April 20 to 24. The action focused on social media promotions of financial products and services that may breach securities rules. As part of its contribution, the commission sent 14 letters to YouTubers and other promoters around the world who had promoted British Columbia publicly traded companies, explaining how to comply with rules for sharing information that could encourage investors to buy, sell, or hold the companies’ securities. The week involved 16 regulators and combined enforcement actions, online content removals, consumer awareness work, and outreach to finfluencers on how securities regulation may apply to them. The commission also carried out investor outreach by publishing educational information and creating social media content. It linked the initiative to an earlier Notice of Hearing alleging that a British Columbia finfluencer and his companies failed to clearly disclose that promotions of certain issuers were sponsored. Under British Columbia’s Securities Act, promotional content related to securities must clearly and conspicuously disclose when it is distributed by or on behalf of a company or by someone who owns shares in that company, and failures to comply can lead to significant penalties.
British Columbia Securities Commission 2026-04-28
British Columbia Securities Commission joins global unlawful finfluencer crackdown and issues 14 compliance letters over promotions of B.C. public companies
The British Columbia Securities Commission joined a second Global Week of Action Against Unlawful Finfluencers, targeting social media promotions of financial products that may breach securities rules. It sent 14 letters to YouTubers and other promoters of B.C. issuers explaining disclosure obligations, and conducted investor education and outreach with 15 other regulators. The commission reiterated that under B.C.’s Securities Act, sponsored securities promotions and promotions by shareholders must be clearly disclosed, with non-compliance subject to significant penalties.