Social media have permanently changed the landscape of financial communication. While traditional advisers often struggle to reach younger audiences and starters, finfluencers – through their personal style and creative use of algorithms – do succeed. Their reach is large, and their influence undeniable. But this raises a key question: how can we ensure that their influence results in reliable, transparent, and ethical financial information?
On 23 September 2025, FFP and DSI hosted a roundtable bringing together finfluencers, financial experts, regulators, researchers, and communication professionals. Moderator Janneke van Heugten guided the discussion with provocative statements that sharpened the debate and encouraged reflection. Five main themes emerged.
Finfluencers speak the language of young people and gain their trust with a direct, relatable style. However, their content often lacks the nuance required for sound advice. Some finfluencers inspire, others focus on product promotion, whereas a qualified financial adviser considers the broader picture to recommend suitable products. The central tension identified was how to combine finfluencers’ wide reach with the responsibility to protect young consumers from poor financial choices. The potential is significant, but without integration with professional knowledge, consumers remain vulnerable.
A finfluencer influencing the financial decisions of their followers also bears responsibility. Many participants argued that finfluencers should have a duty of care comparable to certified advisers. Yet in practice, content spreads rapidly online. Questions remain over whether the responsibility lies primarily with the finfluencer, the companies that hire them, or the major platforms enabling their reach.
Transparency was another recurring theme. Who actually benefits from a post, video, or course? For established financial institutions, rules are clear and strict, but for finfluencers, clarity is often lacking—even though rules do apply. Paid content, affiliate marketing, and paywalls make it difficult for consumers to see who is ultimately in control. Without transparency, the risk of misleading information increases, reinforcing the perception that licensed investment firms are bound by strict rules while finfluencers often appear to operate unchecked.
Current rules were largely written before much financial communication moved online. Nevertheless, regulation remains largely technology-neutral: the same rules apply whether advice is given at the kitchen table or via TikTok or Instagram. While damage so far has been limited, risks are clearly rising. At the same time, overregulation must be avoided, as it could stifle the innovative and creative nature of finfluencers.
The discussion highlighted a fundamental gap: structured financial education. Currently, financial literacy is not embedded in school curricula, leaving children and young people largely dependent on their parents. In the presence of unqualified finfluencers online, there is a real risk that young people receive inaccurate financial information. Finfluencers therefore play a role that should rightly be filled by schools and parents. Broad support emerged for firmly integrating financial education into the curriculum. Finfluencers can inspire, but always as a supplement to a solid foundational knowledge.
The roundtable demonstrated that finfluencers are undeniably part of today’s and tomorrow’s financial communication. Their reach presents opportunities but also demands responsibility. Collaboration between finfluencers, industry experts, and regulators is now essential to better protect and reach consumers, especially young people. Transparency and a level playing field are critical, as is the structural inclusion of financial education in schools.
The takeaway from the session was clear: leverage the power of finfluencers, but ensure they take responsibility for delivering reliable, ethical, and future-proof financial information, in close collaboration with the sector.
This translation was generated by AI for convenience; the original Dutch document remains authoritative and can be found here.