The Austrian Financial Market Authority has been certified by the Austrian Communications Authority as a trusted flagger under the European Union’s Digital Services Act for content linked to illegal financial services. Online platforms must now prioritize and promptly decide on its reports involving fake brokers, fraudulent investment offers, unauthorized crypto trading platforms and investment fraud conducted through closed messaging groups. The status does not allow the authority to remove or block content itself, but should accelerate platform decisions and make the handling of reports more traceable. It supplements investor warnings, prohibition orders, criminal complaints and notifications to hosting providers. In 2025, the authority received 842 investment fraud reports involving losses of about EUR 20 million, while social media and messaging services were identified as the fastest-growing channels for initiating such fraud.
2026-09-22Austria Financial Market Authority
Austrian Financial Market Authority gains trusted flagger status for illegal online financial services
The Austrian Financial Market Authority has gained trusted flagger status under the EU Digital Services Act for illegal online financial services. Platforms must prioritize its reports of content involving fake brokers, fraudulent investments and unauthorized crypto trading, although removal decisions remain with the platforms.