Indonesia Joins Global Crackdown on Financial Influencers

Indonesia’s financial regulator has introduced certification requirements for influencers who recommend crypto and other digital financial assets, as the country expands oversight of financial promotions on social media.

Under Financial Services Authority Regulation No. 6 of 2026, announced Wednesday, individuals recommending digital assets must obtain competency certifications unless they are already subject to a separate licensing requirement.

Influencers may recommend only digital assets listed on authorized exchanges, while any service provider they recommend must also be licensed. Marketing campaigns must be conducted through regulated financial services businesses, which are responsible for the promotional content, and distributed through their official communication channels.

Indonesia joins a growing number of jurisdictions tightening oversight of financial influencers, also called finfluencers, with Australia and the United Kingdom introducing broader rules for investment promotions and the Philippines adopting crypto-specific marketing restrictions.

Machine translated excerpt of the OJK announcement. Source: OJK

Global regulators tighten oversight of finfluencers

Australia and the UK were among the earlier jurisdictions to clarify how existing financial laws apply to influencers. 

In March 2022, the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC) said influencers may require a financial services license when their content amounts to financial advice or helps arrange transactions. It also warned that licensed financial firms may be liable for misconduct by influencers they engage with.

In 2024, the UK Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) issued guidance saying unauthorized influencers may commit a criminal offense when promoting regulated financial products without approval from an appropriately authorized firm. 

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On April 24, the FCA led an international “week of action” campaign targeting illegal finfluencers. According to the FCA, 17 regulators participated, conducting enforcement activity, consumer awareness campaigns and educational programs for influencers who want to act responsibly. 

The FCA said it submitted 120 account-takedown requests covering 1,267 illegal financial advertisements that had reached at least 2.3 million UK social media accounts.

Meanwhile, the Philippines introduced crypto-specific marketing restrictions in 2025 that cover endorsements, sponsored material, social media posts, podcasts, livestreams and certain paid educational content. 

Under the rules, crypto asset service providers are required to disclose their authorized third-party marketers to the Philippine Securities and Exchange Commission. 

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