Tag: Malaysia's Securities Commision

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia – Amidst a rise in social media and financial influencers (finfluencers) locally, the Securities Commission Malaysia (SC) has released a revised version of the guidelines on advertising for capital market products and related services.

The revised framework will introduce new requirements for finfluencers who independently promote capital market products and services without being engaged as marketing agents by an advertiser. These individuals will be considered advertisers under the guidelines and must comply accordingly. 

Additionally, the framework will strengthen advertisers’ obligations to ensure that their marketing agents adhere to the guidelines, holding advertisers accountable for any non-compliance by their agents. Furthermore, the framework will enhance regulations on the use of social media for financial promotions to address its increasing role in advertising.

The guidelines will also impose a prohibition against advertising services in Malaysia, of persons who are not authorised by the SC.

In developing the revised guidelines, the SC has taken into account best practices from other jurisdictions, including Australia, the UK, and Singapore, while also incorporating feedback gathered from consultations with key stakeholders, including finfluencers. 

The updated Guidelines will take effect on 1 November 2025, providing advertisers with ample time to familiarise themselves with the changes and make the necessary adjustments to ensure compliance.

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia – The Securities Commission Malaysia (SC) and SME Corporation Malaysia (SME Corp) have partnered up, signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to create about 200 capital market ready micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) by 2026.

The three-year MoU paves the way for mutual cooperation in building a strong pipeline of capital market-ready MSMEs, which also includes enhancing their sustainability and corporate governance awareness and readiness.

Under the MoU, both the SC and SME Corp. Malaysia also agreed to embark on several joint developmental initiatives to strengthen market insights and data analytics on MSME access to the capital market, as well as expanding the capital market funding pool for MSMEs.

The MoU also looks to strengthen the familiarity of 300 MSMEs with sustainability disclosures and corporate governance best practices.

Commenting on the MoU, SC chairman Datuk Seri Dr. Awang Adek Hussin said, “This MoU aligns with our vision to foster a vibrant and resilient capital market that serves not only large corporations, but also the smaller enterprises. MSMEs are an integral part of the economy, contributing about 38% of Malaysia’s GDP and 48 per cent of total employment in 2022.”

Meanwhile, Rizal Nainy, chief executive officer of SME Corp. Malaysia, mentioned, “Both SME Corp. Malaysia and the SC are committed to ensure that the capital market is competitive and vibrant, while remaining accessible to MSMEs in Malaysia”.

“Hence, this collaboration paves the way towards capital market vibrancy and competitiveness. As the Central Coordinating Agency for MSME development, SME Corp. Malaysia is also committed to playing a key role in spearheading the sustainability agenda for MSMEs,” he added.