The Austrian Financial Market Authority (FMA) has held its first in-person dialogue with Austria’s financial influencers to clarify how existing financial market rules apply to content distributed via social media, with a focus on preventing unlawful investment advice and investment recommendations that can affect retail investors. Around 20 registered finfluencers met in Vienna with FMA staff from the Integrated Supervision and Financial Innovation and Securities Supervision departments. The discussion covered risks linked to incorrect or misleading information, frivolous promotion of complex and risky products, and undisclosed conflicts of interest such as paid endorsements. The FMA will use input from the event and its wider market observations to consider whether the current legal basis appropriately covers finfluencers and their influence on retail investors and other market participants.
Austria Financial Market Authority 2025-06-26
Austrian Financial Market Authority opens dialogue with finfluencers on rules for investment advice and recommendations
The Austrian Financial Market Authority (FMA) held its first in-person dialogue with Austria's financial influencers to address applying financial market rules to social media, focusing on preventing unlawful investment advice. The Vienna meeting discussed risks of misleading information, promoting complex products, and undisclosed conflicts of interest. The FMA will evaluate if current regulations adequately cover finfluencers' impact on retail investors and market participants.