FCA escalates enforcement against 74 finfluencers in 2025

The Financial Conduct Authority recorded 74 enforcement actions against social media financial influencers in 2025, up from 27 in 2024. Figures from a Freedom of Information request by BrokerChooser show 50 warning alerts among the 2025 actions and three criminal cases that led to three arrests. Measures included cease-and-desist notices, interviews under caution, criminal investigations and site takedowns.

The numbers contrast with the four years before 2024, when regulators recorded 11 enforcement actions in total. In 2024 there were nine criminal actions but no warning alerts or arrests recorded in the dataset.

The FCA described coordinated activity last year with 16 other international regulators as a week of action combining enforcement, consumer-awareness work and training for influencers who want to comply with rules. Steve Smart, joint executive director of enforcement and market oversight at the FCA, warned: “Our message to finfluencers is loud and clear. They must act responsibly and only promote financial products where they are authorised to do so – or face the consequences.” He added that the effort involved working with international partners and social media firms.

The regulator said it uses data and technology to identify websites and apps that may cause financial harm, scanning hundreds of thousands of sites daily and working with major technology companies to restrict access to unauthorised services. Nikhil Rathi, chief executive of the FCA, said the agency has increased its use of analytics since 2022 to spot potential harm earlier.

BrokerChooser’s review of 100 TikTok trading videos found only six encouraged viewers to do their own research and that roughly 80% contained misleading information. Adam Nasli, head broker analyst at BrokerChooser, advised that retail investors treat investments not available through well-regulated brokers supervised by authorities such as the FCA, the US Securities and Exchange Commission or major EU regulators with extreme caution or avoid them.

Enforcement outcomes in 2025 were led by warning alerts. The FCA also used cease-and-desist communications, interviews under caution and criminal prosecutions where appropriate, and it listed websites it blocked as suspected of promoting financial services without permission. The regulator said these actions form part of an international effort to address unregulated financial advice on social platforms.