- Anyone offering financial advice or investment recommendations in the UAE on any platform must be licensed by the Securities and Commodities Authority (SCA) and registered as a finfluencer.
- SCA rules apply to all public financial content, including social media posts, blogs, podcasts, forums, webinars, seminars, public talks.
- To qualify, applicants must be SCA-accredited or hold a recognized financial qualification (e.g., CFA) and show proven financial influence such as a strong following, media mentions, or finance experience.
- Once licensed finfluencers must disclose their SCA registration number and credentials in all content. They must clearly separate facts from opinions and cite reliable sources and present balanced risks and returns.
- Influencers must avoid exaggeration or misleading claims. They are obligated to disclose conflicts of interest and sponsorships and identify all contributors in promotions.
- Regulators like the UK's FCA and Australia's ASIC are cracking down on unlicensed finfluencers, coordinating globally to remove illegal or misleading promotions.
- To ease compliance, the SCA has waived all fees (registration, renewal, legal consultation) for the first three years of finfluencer licensing.
INTRODUCTION
You've likely encountered the phrase "Not financial advice, but..." followed by an oddly specific investment tip. This kind of casual financial commentary has long existed in a regulatory gray area until now. The UAE's Securities and Commodities Authority (SCA) has introduced new rules to bring greater oversight to the growing sphere of financial influencers, or "finfluencers." This move is not merely about cleaning up social media feeds. It reflects a broader effort to safeguard investors, ensure market integrity, and establish a more responsible framework for digital financial education.
WHY THESE RULES EXIST
The proliferation of investment advice on social media particularly relating to cryptocurrencies and other high-risk financial products has created a regulatory blind spot globally. These platforms have become fertile ground for financial scams, unlicensed promotions, and misleading claims that can spread with alarming speed and reach. In response, the UAE has chosen a proactive stance. Recognizing its ambition to become a leading global financial hub, the country has introduced one of the region's most robust regulatory frameworks for financial influencers: the Finfluencer Regulations. This initiative is designed to promote market integrity, enhance investor protection, and ensure that digital financial discourse evolves within a clearly defined legal structure.
THE FRAUD FACTOR
Financial fraud is evolving and social media is its new frontier. Globally, regulators are raising the alarm as scams, unauthorized promotions, and misleading investment advice spread faster than ever before.
In the UK, the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) revealed that over 40% of all flagged financial promotions now originate from unauthorized social media content. Even more concerning, a recent survey found that 1 in 12 investors aged 18–34 made investment decisions based solely on social media tips often from unqualified or unregulated sources. The FCA has already taken enforcement action against nine individuals, including influencers, for unlawfully promoting an unauthorized trading scheme.1
Australia is facing a similar wave. The Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC) has publicly warned influencers that it actively monitors their online activity. Any content promoting financial products may be scrutinized for misleading claims or violations of licensing laws. Under the Corporations Act 2021, offering financial services without holding or being authorized under an Australian Financial Services (AFS) license is a criminal offence.2
The UAE is no exception. Authorities have observed a sharp rise in retail-targeted promotions particularly around virtual assets and forex often published without the required disclosures or professional qualifications. These trends highlight the urgent need for regulatory action that not only protects investors, but also restores trust in digital financial dialogue.
THE UAE'S BLUEPRINT FOR FINFLUENCER REGULATIONS
The Finfluencer Regulations by the SCA are designed to ensure that only competent and accountable individuals engage in financial promotion within the UAE. Under these rules, individuals or entities offering financial recommendations related to financial products, issuers, services, or virtual assets, whether locally or abroad, must register with the SCA unless they qualify for specific exemptions. This includes content on social media platforms, webinars, blogs, seminars, and even public appearances.
To qualify for registration3, a person must:
- Be either an SCA-accredited financial analyst or hold a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) certification.
- Not be employed by a regulatory body.
- demonstrate their influence, either by having at least 1,000 genuine followers, six months of finance experience, or by having been quoted in reputable media.
- submit a formal application including fit-and-proper documentation, which the SCA reviews within five business days.
- comply with the content and conduct standards set by the SCA.
The scope is intentionally broad. If a finfluencer says, 'Buy XYZ at AED 1.20; target AED 1.50 by Q4,' that qualifies as a financial recommendation. So does saying, 'I think CryptoToken123 will moon next month.' Even seemingly neutral statements that imply future gains based on research can cross the line if they include a product name and a suggested action.
ONGOING OBLIGATIONS AND CONTENT STANDARDS
Once registered, a Finfluencer must meet ongoing obligations that rival those of traditional financial advisors. They must disclose their SCA registration number, mention co-contributors, and note any previous recommendations on the same product within the last twelve months. High-risk products must be flagged. If a comparison is made, it must highlight differences in cost, risk, tax treatment, and liquidity.4
Content must also:5
- separate facts from opinions or forecasts.
- be based on reliable, cited sources.
- present balanced views of potential risks and returns.
- avoid guarantees or exaggerated claims.
- disclose conflicts of interest, including ownership of or compensation related to any promoted product.
HOW THE UAE STACKS UP INTERNATIONALLY
The UAE joins an elite group of jurisdictions taking a bold stance on finfluencing. In the UK, the FCA prohibits unlicensed financial promotions, and paid influencer deals require extensive disclaimers. In India, SEBI now bars unregistered advisors from making recommendations entirely. Singapore's MAS insists on clear sponsorship disclosure.
What sets the UAE apart is the middle-ground approach, it offers a clear registration route and three years of free onboarding, creating a legitimate pathway for finfluencers to enter the financial advice space compliantly.
SPEECH, BUT WITH RESPONSIBILITY
This isn't an attack on free expression. The SCA recognises that financial conversations belong online but with influence must come accountability. Recommending financial products to a retail audience comes with legal and ethical implications, especially when the person making the recommendation stands to gain from it.
CONCLUSION
he UAE's Finfluencer Regulations signal a decisive shift: financial content is now subject to the same standards as traditional financial advice. Anyone offering recommendations must be licensed by the SCA and registered as a finfluencer with clear qualifications, verified influence, and full transparency. This isn't about restriction; it's about raising the bar. By enforcing clear disclosure rules, content standards, and conflict-of-interest safeguards, the SCA aims to protect investors and legitimize financial influence.
With global regulators cracking down and the SCA offering three years of fee-free licensing, the message is clear: credibility is no longer optional. It's time to get qualified, get registered, and lead responsibly in the new era of financial communication.
Footnotes
1. FCA leads international crackdown on illegal finfluencers, Financial Conduct Authority, 06 June 2025, <https://www.fca.org.uk/news/press-releases/fca-leads-international-crackdown-illegal-finfluencers>
2. Discussing financial products and services online, Australian Securities & Investments Commission, March 2022,< https://asic.gov.au/regulatory-resources/financial-services/giving-financial-product-advice/discussing-financial-products-and-services-online/ >
3. Article 3 of Finfluencer Regulation 2025, <https://www.sca.gov.ae/en/regulations/regulations-listing.aspx#page=1 >
4. Article 5 of Finfluencer Regulation 2025, <https://www.sca.gov.ae/en/regulations/regulations-listing.aspx#page=1>
5. Article 5 of Finfluencer Regulation 2025, <https://www.sca.gov.ae/en/regulations/regulations-listing.aspx#page=1>
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