Sebi directs market intermediaries to make registration details public on social media from May 1

In a move aimed at strengthening investor protection and increasing transparency in digital communications, the Securities and Exchange Board of India (Sebi) has directed all regulated entities and their agents to prominently display their registered names and registration numbers on social media platforms.The circular, issued on February 26, 2026, requires intermediaries registered under Section 12 of the SEBI Act, 1992 – including stockbrokers, custodians, mutual funds, investment advisers, research analysts, AIFs, REITs, InvITs and other SEBI regulated persons – to clearly display their registration details on social media handles and in market-related content.

Sebi said the decision comes amid rapid growth in the use of social media platforms such as YouTube, Instagram, Facebook, WhatsApp, X, LinkedIn, Telegram and Reddit for disseminating securities market information. The aim is to help investors distinguish between content posted by SEBI regulated entities and content published by unregistered persons.

As per the new norms, entities with a single Sebi registration will have to disclose their registered name and registration number both on the homepage of their social media account and at the beginning of any video or post related to the securities market.

Entities that have multiple Sebi registrations must post a web link on their social media homepage that will direct users to their official website with all registration details. However, in individual posts or videos, they may only disclose the relevant registration under which the content is published.

The circular also establishes similar disclosure requirements for agents of regulated entities, including mutual fund distributors and authorized participants. Agents must disclose the SEBI registration details of the lead entity as well as their own credentials, depending on whether they hold single or multiple registrations.

The new provisions will go into effect on May 1, 2026 and apply to all content uploaded on or after the effective date. SEBI said the move is part of the Ease of Doing Investment (EoDI) initiative and was issued under its powers to protect the interests of investors and regulate the securities market.

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