Group 1 - A significant portion of German adults lack confidence in their financial knowledge, with approximately 34.6% self-reporting as having little to no understanding of financial matters [4] - Over 26.7% of respondents do not actively seek information on financial topics, relying instead on family and friends for advice [4] - Financial websites and bank consultations are chosen by about 20% of respondents as sources of financial information [4] Group 2 - The majority of respondents are skeptical about the reliability of "Finfluencers," with 77.6% expressing doubt or negative views towards them [5] - Younger individuals, particularly those aged 18 to 24, are more likely to consider financial influencers as important sources of information, with 29.6% supporting this view [5] - Financial regulatory bodies caution against blindly trusting social media financial advice, highlighting the prevalence of misleading information [5] Group 3 - Despite interest in financial topics among younger individuals, a large portion of funds remains in low or no-interest accounts, with 19.6% of surveyed individuals primarily using current accounts [6] - Short-term savings accounts are the second most popular choice at 18.5%, while 5.1% prefer to keep cash at home or in safes [6] - Investment options like stock funds and ETFs are selected by only 10.4% of respondents, slightly higher than the 10.2% who prefer investing in their own homes [6]

Core Viewpoint - The Hong Kong Securities and Futures Commission (SFC) is actively collaborating with global regulatory bodies to combat illegal activities of financial influencers, which pose risks to millions of social media users [1][2][3] Regulatory Actions - The SFC has initiated multiple regulatory actions since 2024 to address the illegal activities of financial influencers, including a thematic inspection launched in April 2025 to assess compliance by brokers when hiring financial influencers [3][4] - The SFC plans to issue guidelines to licensed corporations outlining standards for hiring financial influencers and digital platforms for promotion [4] - Specific enforcement actions include the temporary suspension of a financial influencer's license for 16 months due to criminal charges related to providing investment advice without a license [4] Investor Education and Awareness - The SFC emphasizes the importance of personal responsibility among investors, urging them to verify the regulatory status and credibility of financial influencers before making investment decisions [3] - The SFC is conducting educational campaigns to raise awareness about the risks associated with financial influencers and common investment scams, utilizing various media channels and community outreach [6] International Cooperation - The SFC, along with the International Organization of Securities Commissions (IOSCO), recognizes that illegal activities of financial influencers are a global issue, necessitating international cooperation to effectively address the problem [2][3]

Group 1 - The Hong Kong Securities and Futures Commission (SFC) successfully promoted consensus among Asia-Pacific securities regulators to enhance cooperation in combating online investment scams during the 50th International Organization of Securities Commissions (IOSCO) annual meeting in Doha, Qatar [1] - The SFC's Chief Executive, Ms. Ashley Alder, highlighted emerging trends and risks in the capital markets, including the rise of online investment scams facilitated by deepfake technology and the emergence of financial influencers [1] - The SFC is committed to collaborative efforts in sharing market intelligence, combating cross-border crime, and establishing international standards to enhance investor confidence in the market [1] Group 2 - The SFC took the opportunity at the IOSCO annual meeting to strengthen cooperation and communication with overseas regulatory counterparts, aiming to enhance connections between Hong Kong and global capital markets [2] - During the meeting, the SFC signed memorandums of understanding with the Abu Dhabi Global Market Financial Services Regulatory Authority, the Central Bank of Ireland, and the Ontario Securities Commission to promote cross-border industry cooperation and open new markets [2] - SFC representatives held bilateral meetings with regulatory counterparts and industry representatives from the Middle East, Asia-Pacific, Europe, North America, and Africa [2]