Meta to enforce SEBI-compliant verification for securities & investment ads in India

Meta has made it mandatory for advertisers running securities and investment advertisements targeting users in India, including global campaigns, to undergo verification by the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI), or, if exempt from SEBI registration, complete identity or business verification.

The policy applies across Meta’s platforms, including Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp, and must be complied with by 31 July 2025. The verification requirement, part of Meta’s updated advertising service terms, is aimed at increasing transparency and regulatory compliance for financial promotions on its platforms.

Under the new rules, advertisers will be required to disclose verified beneficiary and payer details in all investment-related ads. This information will appear in the form of a disclaimer created during the ad setup process. The disclaimer will include the SEBI registration number of the entity funding or benefiting from the advertisement. Ads created prior to the enforcement date will not need to be retroactively edited, provided the account has been verified.

Meta began rolling out the verification process on 26 June and will offer global access by 28 July. Advertisers will receive notifications informing them when they become eligible to complete verification, with a minimum of one month provided to finalise the necessary steps.

The move comes amid increased scrutiny of financial influencers, or “finfluencers,” by SEBI, which has raised concerns about misleading investment advice on social media. The regulator had previously directed its registered intermediaries to register themselves with social media platforms using contact details already recorded in SEBI’s SI Portal.

The new policy is expected to reshape how financial content creators engage with monetisation opportunities and brand partnerships, particularly those whose content blurs the line between investment education and advice. The guidelines are also likely to limit ad visibility for unverified actors in the financial marketing space, further aligning social media advertising with regulatory expectations.