# What is FCA financial promotion?

> A financial promotion is a communication inviting someone into investment activity; in the UK, the FCA regime restricts who may make them and how, which affects some prop marketing.

- Source: https://pipvalley.com/glossary/fca-financial-promotion
- Publisher: PipValley - web design studio for prop trading firms
- Updated: 2026-10-03

For prop firms marketing to UK residents, the Financial Conduct Authority's financial promotion rules, under section 21 of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000, restrict communications that invite or induce people into investment activity unless made or approved by an authorized firm or exempt.

Whether a prop evaluation is in scope depends on how the product is structured and described. Marketing that makes the product look like trading real capital, or that promotes trading in specified investments, raises the question more sharply. The FCA has also acted against unauthorized finfluencers promoting financial products on social media.

Firms selling into the UK should take UK legal advice on structure and copy, and apply the same care to affiliate content.

## Why it matters

Social media and creator marketing are where prop firms win UK customers, and where finfluencer enforcement is focused. Keep your copy accurate about the simulated nature of the product, brief affiliates on what they may say, and get the structure reviewed before running UK-targeted campaigns.