Indonesia is the latest to take a tougher stance on finfluencers. The Financial Services Authority (OKJ) of Southeast Asia’s largest economy is requiring them to disclose paid promotions and obtain investment advisory licenses to recommend capital market products. More importantly, the regulator has shifted its focus from individual accountability to corporate liability by issuing guidelines that will hold companies responsible for information shared by finfluncuers as part of marketing deals. Crypto influencers will need to have competency certification and knowledge in the financial services sector, although what this entails was not specified. Global Efforts Intensify, but Challenges Remain The move reflects a growing international consensus on the risks of unregulated financial advice.A 2024 BaFin study found that over 50% of GenZ and millennials trust social media with financial advice. New Zealand's Financial Markets Authority recently joined 16 counterparts in a second annual Global Week of Action against unlawful influencers. This coordinated effort spans five continents and includes major trading hubs such as Singapore, Hong Kong, and Australia. However, the borderless and ephemeral nature of digital platforms complicates these efforts, as well as finding the demarcation line between “financial education” and advice.The United Arab Emirates introduced a first-of-its-kind framework to regulate finfluencers in 2025. However, Finance Magnates has found that many regulated finfluencers might not be complying with disclosure requirements, as neither their approved social media handles nor their posts indicate any licences. In practice, regulating finfluencers is also a logistical headache: regulators are already stretched and sifting through thousands of TikTok videos to establish compliance is a tall order. To address these challenges, the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) is leveraging advanced AI and web-scraping tools to track platforms such as X, Instagram, and YouTube. This technology helps identify unregistered individuals providing unlicensed financial guidance. According to SEBI Chairman Tuhin Kanta Pandey, these efforts led to the removal of over 120,000 deceptive social media posts in 2026.In Europe, CySEC has placed the issue high on its 2026 agenda. Thus far, the regulator has focused on issuing guidance regarding the dangers of social media as a source of financial information, but a concrete plan has yet to be established. This article was written by Adonis Adoni at www.financemagnates.com.