Sebi orders regulated entities to disclose identity on social media posts

Sebi has directed all regulated entities to display their registered name and registration number on social media content related to the securities market to help investors identify authorised sources

The Securities and Exchange Board of India (Sebi) has directed all its regulated entities to prominently disclose their registered name and registration number on social media platforms while posting securities market-related content.

 

The directive applies to stock brokers, portfolio managers, mutual funds, as well as intermediaries and agents such as distributors. The new norms will come into effect from May 1. 

According to Sebi, the measure is aimed at helping investors clearly distinguish content published by registered and regulated entities from that put out by unregistered or unregulated players operating on social media. 

The requirement will cover all forms of content — including videos, written posts and other published material — shared on open platforms as well as closed or semi-closed groups on platforms such as YouTube, Telegram, Instagram, Facebook, WhatsApp, X, LinkedIn, Reddit and Threads. 

 

“Regulated entities and their agents shall prominently disclose their registered name and registration number on the home page of their social media handles, as well as at the beginning of each video or content related to the securities market uploaded by them,” Sebi said in the circular.

 

In recent years, the regulator has taken enforcement action against several entities for using social media platforms to run coordinated stock manipulation or pump-and-dump schemes. Market participants said clearer identification of regulated content could help investors make more informed decisions.

 

Sebi added that entities holding multiple registrations must provide a web link on their social media home page directing users to a page listing all their Sebi-registered names and registration numbers. The specific registration under which the content is being published must also be disclosed upfront. 

Sebi working groups on agri commodities submit reports 

The Securities and Exchange Board of India (Sebi)’s regulatory review of the agri commodities segment has moved forward, with the working groups constituted to re-examine the delivery and settlement framework submitting their reports on Thursday. Earlier this week, Sebi Chairman Tuhin Kanta Pandey said the regulator is also working with the concerned government ministries to review the ban on agri commodity derivatives. Separately, Sebi has constituted a committee to review norms governing non-agricultural commodities.

 

Motilal Oswal Alts closes first tranche of maiden credit fund 

Motilal Oswal Alternates, the alternative investment arm of Motilal Oswal Financial Services, has announced the first close of its maiden private credit fund — India Credit Excellence Fund-I — at ₹1,700 crore. The fund includes a ₹200 crore commitment from the sponsor and its affiliates.

 

Derivatives trading: NSE CEO for minimum qualifying criteria 

National Stock Exchnage (NSE)’s Managing Director & CEO Ashishkumar Chauhan on Thursday made a case for ‘minimum qualifying criteria’ for those participating in derivatives trading to prevent people from lower strata of society from wasting their money on speculation. 

In light of capital markets regulator Sebi’s finding that over 90 per cent of of the traders lose money in derivatives trading, the head of the IPO-bound stock exchange said no developing country can allow “lower strata citizens to waste their money, energy and resources on speculation”. 

Speaking at an event in Mumbai, Chauhan proposed “minimum qualifying criteria” for participating in derivatives in line with similar regulations in Singapore, the US and other countries “so that lower strata people don’t participate in the Indian derivatives market and lose money”. 

Both the government and regulatory bodies have taken numerous measures to curb retail participation in the forward and options segments, aiming to funnel more money into the cash segment. 

The policy and regulatory measures have impacted volumes in the market.

 

RFC OFS fails to get full subscription; shares fall 1.24% 

The government’s 2 per cent share sale offer in Indian Railway Finance Corporation (IRFC) failed to get full subscription on its final day of offer, with both retail and institutional investors giving a lacklustre response to the offer for sale (OFS). Of the 235.2 million shares reserved for institutional investors, bids came in for 223.4 million IRFC shares on Wednesday. Of the over 37.9 million shares offered to retail investors on Thursday, bids came in for about 590,000 shares.