2025-03-27
The Securities Commission issued revised Guidelines on Advertising for Capital Market Products and Related Services on 27 March 2025 to address global and domestic advertising trends, including the rise of social media and financial influencers. The amendments introduce new definitions for advertisements and advertisers, prohibit advertising by unlicensed entities, and mandate that boards of directors maintain effective oversight of advertising policies and third-party providers. Additionally, the document imposes strict disclosure requirements regarding target audiences, conflicts of interest, risks, returns, and fees, while clarifying rules for social media usage and vulnerable investor protection.
Page 1 of 10 SUMMARY OF AMENDMENTS REVISED GUIDELINES ON ADVERTISING FOR CAPITAL MARKET PRODUCTS AND RELATED SERVICES (Issued: 27 March 2025) The following table provides a summary of key amendments to the revised Guidelines on Advertising for Capital Market Products and Related Services (Guidelines) issued on 27 March 2025: A. Overview
Page 2 of 10 B. Amendment Highlights No. Prior to 27 March 2025 Issued on 27 March 2025 Comments Chapter 1: Introduction
Page 3 of 10 B. Amendment Highlights No. Prior to 27 March 2025 Issued on 27 March 2025 Comments 6. Paragraph 4.01 Paragraph 4.01 Deleted definition of ‘advertisement’ as it is subsumed under new paragraphs 2.01 to 2.03. Amended definition of ‘advertiser’ to capture a new category of advertiser i.e. voluntary advertiser, and remove ‘any other person specified in these Guidelines’ to avoid uncertainty in the Guidelines. Introduced new definition of ‘capital market intermediary’ for clarity. Amended definition of ‘capital market-related service’ for clarity. Chapter 5: General Requirements 7. Paragraph 5.01 - Deleted as the general requirements have been re-grouped and can be found in different chapters of the Guidelines. 8. Paragraph 5.02 - Repositioned to new paragraph 6.01. 9. Paragraph 5.03 Paragraph 5.01 Amended paragraph (a) to provide clarity on the expectation of the information provided in the advertisement. Inserted paragraph (b) which is moved from previous paragraph 5.07.
Page 4 of 10 B. Amendment Highlights No. Prior to 27 March 2025 Issued on 27 March 2025 Comments 10. Paragraph 5.03 Paragraph 5.02 Amended to clarify that messaging in advertisements cannot be misleading or deceiving. 11. Paragraph 5.04 Paragraph 5.03 Amended to provide clarity that the focus is on investor’s vulnerability as the misleading or deceiving messaging is covered under new paragraph 5.02. Financial status is included as one of the examples of investor’s vulnerability. 12. Paragraph 5.05 Paragraph 5.04 Amended to include person with disability as an example of vulnerable segment of the investors. 13. Paragraph 5.06 - Repositioned to new paragraph 8.02. 14. Paragraph 5.07 - Repositioned to new paragraph 5.01(b). 15. Paragraph 5.08 Paragraph 5.05 Amended to provide clarity that the focus is on intended target audience. 16. - Paragraph 5.06 Inserted new paragraph to prohibit advertising for persons who are not licensed, registered or authorised by the SC. 17. Paragraph 5.09 - Repositioned to new paragraph 7.02. 18. Paragraph 5.10 - Repositioned to new paragraph 8.05. 19. Paragraph 5.11 - Repositioned to new paragraph 8.14.
Page 5 of 10 B. Amendment Highlights No. Prior to 27 March 2025 Issued on 27 March 2025 Comments 20. Paragraph 5.12 - Repositioned to new paragraph 8.13. 21. Paragraph 5.13 - Repositioned to new paragraph 8.03. 22. Paragraph 5.14 - Repositioned to new paragraph 8.04. 23. Paragraph 5.15 - Repositioned to new paragraph 8.16. 24. Paragraph 5.16 - Repositioned to new paragraph 8.17. 25. Paragraph 5.17 - Repositioned to new paragraph 8.18. Chapter 6: Board Responsibilities 26. - Paragraph 6.01 Moved from previous paragraph 5.02 with amendment for consistency in usage of the term ‘control, policies and procedures’. 27. - Paragraph 6.02 Inserted new requirement to ensure that the control, policies and procedures are observed and reviewed regularly. Chapter 7: Third-Party Providers 28. - Paragraph 7.01 Inserted new requirement to clarify that advertisers remain responsible for third-party provider’s conduct.
Page 6 of 10 B. Amendment Highlights No. Prior to 27 March 2025 Issued on 27 March 2025 Comments 29. - Paragraph 7.02(b) Inserted new requirement to ensure advertisers have effective oversight over their third-party providers and the advertising activities conducted on behalf of the advertisers. Chapter 8: Content of Advertisement 30. - Paragraph 8.01 Inserted new requirement to provide for identification of target audience and to restrict access by non-target audience. 31. - Paragraph 8.04 Moved from previous paragraph 5.14 with amendments for better clarity. 32. - Paragraph 8.06 Inserted new requirement to mandate disclosure of conflict of interests by voluntary advertisers and third-party providers. 33. - Paragraph 8.07 Inserted new requirement to provide clarity on advertisers’ duty to ensure disclosure of conflict of interests by their thirdparty providers. 34. - Paragraph 8.08 Inserted new requirement to provide for advertisements not to suggest an investment is low risk if the investment is not guaranteed. 35. - Paragraph 8.09 Inserted new requirement to provide clarity on the content requirements of an advertisement where returns are mentioned in an advertisement.
Page 7 of 10 B. Amendment Highlights No. Prior to 27 March 2025 Issued on 27 March 2025 Comments 36. - Paragraph 8.10 Inserted new requirement to provide clarity that if returns are stated in foreign currency, it must be highlighted to investors. 37. - Paragraph 8.11 Inserted new requirement to provide clarity on the content requirements of an advertisement where fees, charges or costs are mentioned in an advertisement. Paragraph (a) is moved from previous guidance B1(a) of Appendix I. 38. - Paragraph 8.12 Inserted new requirement to provide clarity that if fees, charges or costs are stated in foreign currency, it must be highlighted to investors. 39. - Paragraph 8.13 Moved from previous paragraph 5.12 with amendments for better clarity. 40. - Paragraph 8.15 Moved from previous guidance C2 of Appendix I. 41. - Paragraph 8.19 Inserted new requirement to provide for the use of appropriate mode or channel of communication. 42. Paragraph 8.20 Inserted new requirement to provide clarity on use of social media as an advertising channel.
Page 8 of 10 B. Amendment Highlights No. Prior to 27 March 2025 Issued on 27 March 2025 Comments Appendix I: Guidance in relation to Specific Components 43. Introductory statement Introductory statement Amended to provide clarity that the guidance provided is in relation to one or more specific requirements but may also be applicable to other requirements in the Guidelines. 44. Guidance J1 Guidance A1 Moved from previous guidance J1 with inclusion of examples for clarity, and amendment to make reference to the specific requirements. Consequential amendments are made to the entire Appendix I to insert the references to the specific requirements, where necessary. 45. Guidance G1 Guidance B1 Deleted previous guidance G1 and replaced by new guidance B1 to provide clarity on how advertisers can address an outdated advertisement. 46. - Guidance C1 Inserted new guidance to provide clarity on advertisers’ duty in terms of engagement of third-party providers. 47. - Guidance C2 Inserted new guidance to provide clarity on examples of effective oversight that advertisers can exercise over their third-party providers. 48. Guidance K2 Guidance D2 Amended previous guidance K2 to include additional examples, and deleted matters covered in new paragraph 8.19.
Page 9 of 10 B. Amendment Highlights No. Prior to 27 March 2025 Issued on 27 March 2025 Comments 49. Guidance A1 Guidance E1 Amended previous guidance A1 by deleting the first sentence as it is covered under new paragraph 5.01(a). 50. Guidance B1 Guidance F1 Amended previous guidance B1 as certain matters are now covered under new paragraph 8.11(a), and the inclusion of recurring fees, charges or costs. 51. Guidance E1 Guidance G1 Amended previous guidance E1 to clarify that it is a guidance instead of a mandatory requirement. 52. Guidance C3 Guidance I2 Amended previous guidance C3 for better clarity. 53. Guidance F2 Guidance J2 Amended previous guidance F2 for better clarity. 54. Guidance L1 Guidance M1 Amended previous guidance L1 to include warnings, disclaimers and qualifications. 55. Guidance L2 Guidance M2 Amended previous guidance L2 to include warnings, disclaimers and qualifications. 56. Guidance M1 Guidance N1 Amended previous guidance M1 to clarify that appropriate platform may be selected to notify investors that the advertisement has not been reviewed by the SC, other than on the advertisement itself. 57. Guidance J2 - Deleted as it is covered under new paragraph 8.01.
Page 10 of 10 B. Amendment Highlights No. Prior to 27 March 2025 Issued on 27 March 2025 Comments Appendix II: Guidance in relation to Media Platforms 58. Guidance C1 Guidance C1 Amended to insert an example of social networking. 59. Guidance C3 Guidance C3 Amended to insert additional examples of social media.