India: Circular on disclosure of registered name and registration number on Social Media Platforms under Ease of Doing Investment initiative (HO/(79)2026-MIRSD-PODMMC) enters into force

On 1 May 2026, the provisions of the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) Circular on disclosure of registered name and registration number on Social Media Platforms (HO/(79)2026-MIRSD-PODMMC) enters into force. The Circular applies to intermediaries and other persons regulated by SEBI, including stock brokers, depository participants, investment advisers, research analysts, portfolio managers, alternative investment funds, mutual funds, asset management companies, real estate investment trusts (REITs) and infrastructure investment trusts (InvITs), as well as any other persons regulated by the Board under Chapter IIIA — Explanation 1 of Regulation 16A of the SEBI (Intermediaries) Regulations 2008. These disclosure obligations apply to content relating to the securities market that is published or posted by regulated entities and their agents on social media platforms (SMPs), including platforms such as YouTube, Instagram, Facebook, WhatsApp, X, LinkedIn, Threads, Telegram, and Reddit. From that date, regulated entities and their agents must prominently disclose their SEBI-registered name and registration number on the homepage of their SMP handles and at the beginning of each video or piece of content relating to the securities market. Entities with a single registration must state their SEBI registered name and registration number directly. Those with multiple registrations must provide a link on their SMP home page directing to a website listing all their SEBI-registered names and registration numbers and disclose only the relevant registration details at the beginning of each video or piece of content. The same framework applies to agents of regulated entities, who must also disclose the principal entity’s registration details where applicable.