Here’s the Breakdown on Webull’s $1.6M FINRA Penalty for Social Media Compliance Failures

Yes, it’s a wake-up call for the industry because Webull failed to supervise their third-party influencers, pre-approve content, and retain promotional posts made across social media platforms. So these weren’t just marketing videos, they were “communications with the public” under FINRA rules. That means they must be reviewed, balanced, and archived. Which if you ever come across one of these videos in your feed is something between a SciFi movie, the winning of war with a victory parade and a billion dollars in cash (which doesn’t seem balanced at all)

 The Compliance Officer has Sharper teeth now

If we thought compliance was strict before then just wait until you walk into your compliance officers office today. Lookout because this fine puts them on all high alert, as there will be less “gray area” on social media. Our industry now has a standard for social media penalties.  Smaller BDs may reconsider their disregard for TikTok. This fine is reasonable, but the damage to compliance officers reputation is painful. You’ll need going forward pre-approval protocols and real-time monitoring.

What This Means for Advisors & Brokers

Every IG reel, YouTube clip, or TikTok short must follow compliance rules.
Content needs fair balance, risk disclosure, and proper archival.
Don’t just rely on “trust” with influencers, policy + surveillance tech are non-negotiable.

At MktProFin, we’re helping financial professionals navigate this new era from social content, podcasts, PR, professional directory service to working with compliance. Whether you’re solo or running a team, we’ve got you covered the right way.

Free checklist: “Staying Compliant on Social Media: 2025 Edition”,