UK FCA Financial Promotions Rules
In force since 1 December 2001
Agent Navigation: For section discovery, use /regulations/uk/fca-financial-promotions/llms.txt
Quick Reference
A financial promotion is any communication that invites or induces someone to engage in investment activity. Strict rules apply to who can make them and what they must contain.
Applies to: Anyone communicating financial promotions to UK persons
Key rules:
- Cannot communicate financial promotion unless authorised or approved [FSMA s21]
- All promotions must be fair, clear and not misleading [COBS 4.2]
- Must include required risk warnings [COBS 4.5]
- Specific restrictions for high-risk investments [COBS 4.12A]
- Criminal offence to breach s21 restriction [FSMA s25]
| Question | Answer | Citation |
|---|---|---|
| Can I promote without FCA authorisation? | Only if approved by authorised firm or exempt | FSMA s21 |
| Need approval for social media posts? | Yes, if financial promotion | COBS 4.10 |
| What if promotion is misleading? | Breach of rules, potential enforcement | COBS 4.2 |
| Is this a criminal offence? | Yes, up to 2 years imprisonment | FSMA s25 |
| Do crypto promotions need approval? | Yes, since Oct 2023 | FSMA s21 |
| Need risk warnings? | Yes, for investments | COBS 4.5 |
Regulation Map (All Chunks)
Every section of the FCA financial promotions coverage is listed here for full-text lookup and agent navigation.
Core Chunks
- FCA Financial Promotions: Cryptoasset Rules (COBS 4.12B)
- FCA Financial Promotions: Exemptions (Financial Promotion Order)
- FCA Financial Promotions: Fair, Clear and Not Misleading (COBS 4.2)
- FCA Financial Promotions: High-Risk Investments (COBS 4.12A)
- FCA Financial Promotions: Past Performance Rules (COBS 4.6)
- FCA Financial Promotions: Risk Warnings (COBS 4.5)
- FCA Financial Promotions: Common Scenarios
- FCA Financial Promotions: Section 21 Restriction (FSMA s21)
- FCA Financial Promotions: Social Media Rules (COBS 4.10)
Full Text — Core Provisions
- FCA Financial Promotions: Application and Scope (COBS 4.1)
- FCA Financial Promotions: FPO Definitions and Controlled Activities