Save content
Have you found this content useful? Use the button above to save it to your profile.
Kim Kardashian & Kris Jenner MTV Awards
Wiki Common_Nicole Alexander

Kim Kardashian slated in FCA crypto warning

by

FCA chair Charles Randell has warned investors not to take cryptocurrency advice from Kim Kardashian and other social media influencers paid by unverified crypto companies to push unverified – and often fraudulent – products.

7th Sep 2021
Save content
Have you found this content useful? Use the button above to save it to your profile.

The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) issued a warning against purchasing cryptoassets promoted by social media influences after Kim Kardashian posted a paid advertisement for Ethereum Max cryptocurrency token on Instagram.

In a recent speech FCA chair Charles Randell singled out Kim Kardashian as the most recent offender an emerging trend for celebrities to glamourise cryptocurrencies. In this instance, she touted an unknown, month-old crypto developer to her 250m followers.

Randell’s warning was aimed at steering younger investors away from untested and unregulated assets; including in this case, new crypto tokens that could turn out to be fraudulent.

“It’s unusual to hear the chair of Britain’s financial watchdog dedicate a big chunk of his speech to superstar reality TV queen Kim Kardashian,” said Hargreaves Lansdown senior investment and markets analyst Susannah Streeter. But it shows just how concerned the FCA is about the level of financial promotion of cryptoassets on social media. 

With the 10th biggest global reach on social media, Kardashian has one of the biggest audience reaches in history.

“In line with Instagram’s rules, she disclosed that this was an #AD,” said Randell in a speech prepared for the Cambridge International Symposium on Economic Crime. “But she didn’t have to disclose that Ethereum Max [eMax]was a speculative digital token created a month before by unknown developers – one of hundreds of such tokens that fill the crypto-exchanges.”

What is Ethereum Max?

As a form of ERC-20 token, eMax is programmed to run on Ethereum blockchain. It offers token holders 3% of all transactions. However, it released two quadrillion tokens, which have traded for fractions of a penny since the launch in May. eMax trades against ETH on Uniswap, a decentralised exchange that allows anyone to list a token. Little more is known about eMax, with no whitepapers or background info provided, it appears to be primarily a marketing campaign.

“Social media influencers are routinely paid by scammers to help them pump and dump new tokens on the back of pure speculation,” added Randell. “Some influencers promote coins that turn out simply not to exist at all.” 

However, many consumers buying into the promotion are unaware that cryptocurrencies offer zero financial protection for investors, who will not have access to the Financial Services Compensation Scheme or help from the FCA if it turns out to be fraudulent. “If you buy them, you should be prepared to lose all your money,” Randell warned.

“The hype around them generates a powerful fear of missing out from some consumers who may have little understanding of their risks,” he continued. “There is no shortage of stories of people who have lost savings by being lured into the crypto bubble with delusions of quick riches, sometimes after listening to their favourite influencers, ready to betray their fans’ trust for a fee.”

FCA regulation in crypto’s future?

Randell also criticised the cryptocurrency industry, implying that it might soon be put under greater regulatory scrutiny. He also signalled that the FCA intended to bring cryptocurrency tokens fully under its scope in the future.

“One thing is clear,” Randell continued. “Because of the decentralised way that these speculative tokens are created, any effective system of regulation would require a business seeking registration or authorisation with the FCA to bring itself firmly within our reach, with people and resources that we could access in order to supervise and enforce our requirements. We are not going to award FCA registration or authorisation to businesses which won’t explain basic issues, such as who is responsible for key functions or how they are organised. That would be token regulation in the worst sense.”

The FCA has urged consumers to undertake thorough research before investing in any cryptocurrency – even Bitcoin. He also added that the FCA needs to better inform consumers that crypto is not regulated and comes without any financial protection, making it a poor investment.

What should we take from this?

“The FCA is singing from the same song sheet as many other international regulators,” said Streeter. “It sees investing in cryptocurrencies as extremely high risk.” 

The watchdog had already warn investors they risked losing all their money if they indulge in cryptocurrency trading. It’s worried that too many financially vulnerable people are being lured into get rich quick schemes, with 14% getting into debt to speculate in cryptoassets. If it brings cryptocurrencies into the regulatory sphere, however, the FCA risks lending more legitimacy to the currencies.

Now the UK authority appears to be throwing its weight behind recommendations made by the influential Basel committee which brings together banking regulators from around the world. “If banks and other regulated financial institutions dabble in crypto, the committee is considering making them put aside enough capital to cover 100% of potential losses,” said Streeter. “Giving speculative tokens a high risk price tag is likely to make cryptocurrency dealing and investment very expensive and could limit the number of new institutional entrants into the crypto world.

“It's likely lower financial buffers would be needed for stable coins, which are seen as less volatile as they are pegged to currencies like the dollar. It is clear the FCA wants to push the financial industry towards these digital assets, seeing them as a useful way to improve the payments market away from the crypto Wild West.’’

The FCA has repeatedly warned about the risk of holding speculative tokens. However, 2.3m Britons currently hold these types of cryptoassets. Worryingly, 14% of them also use credit to purchase them, thereby increasing their exposure to potential losses.

Replies (12)

Please login or register to join the discussion.

Ivor Windybottom
By Ivor Windybottom
07th Sep 2021 15:54

FCA is rather toothless against this sort of unregulated financial promotion.

I would like to see laws capable of financially penalising those who benefit from this after the investments fail and also ways to prevent UK currency being used to buy these unregulated assets.

Thanks (0)
By Duggimon
09th Sep 2021 09:18

It is sad to see we're at a point as a society where we need to have a government agency advise people not to take investment advice from billionaire social media influencers and reality TV stars.

That said, it's a pointless statement, the Venn diagram of people who hear Kim Kardashian's advice and the FCA's advice is two circles separated by a wide chasm.

Thanks (3)
avatar
By Mike White 2
09th Sep 2021 09:34

Well clearly nanny knows best

Blockchain technology is here to stay and Bitcoin is the hardest money the human race has ever created. It is divisible, durable, divisible, portable and scare. It emerged after the 2008 financial debacle as a form of money which was decentralised and not subject to the control of any government or institution. Bitcoin has been here 12 years and has never been hacked despite thousands of attempts. This is due to the ' proof of work ' system it uses.

M2 money expansion has accelerated at an alarming rate ... this includes all the major central banks. This is reflected in massive increases in all asset prices.
Do your own due dililence on this ....
Everybody should own some Bitcoin .... not financial advice !

Thanks (1)
Replying to Mike White 2:
By Duggimon
09th Sep 2021 11:46

Of course neither the article you're replying to nor the statements it's reporting on are in any way about Bitcoin, rendering your post rather redundant.

Unregulated speculative cryptocurrencies are inherently problematic without rigorous specification and openness about their backing. eMax (which was the specific cryptocurrency talked about, in case you missed it) isn't even a proof-of-work system. Not that that's an inherent problem, it's just not even in the same category of cryptoassets that you're lauding.

Thanks (3)
avatar
By Paul Crowley
09th Sep 2021 12:12

Did Kim realy need the money? It is doubtful that she understood the risks.
But then why does a Dragon need to advertise accouting software.

Thanks (0)
Replying to Paul Crowley:
avatar
By Hugo Fair
09th Sep 2021 12:23

There are people for whom "enough" is never enough ... and hardly surprisingly they tend to be the uber rich (as they parked any scruples a long time ago).

Thanks (2)
Replying to Paul Crowley:
By Duggimon
09th Sep 2021 13:39

Paul Crowley wrote:

Did Kim realy need the money? It is doubtful that she understood the risks.
But then why does a Dragon need to advertise accouting software.

He career is literally as an advertiser, it's what she does. Her brand is specifically created to add as much weight as possible to her endorsements.

Did she need the money? No, but her career, her profession, is endorsing things for money. At what point should people retire because they have enough, and why should that only apply to some people?

I'm not in defence of her or her endorsement, I know very little about either Etherium Max or Kim Kardashian, but you are complaining about a wealthy person still doing the job that made them wealthy. You could apply the same argument to every single non-retired multi-millionaire.

Thanks (0)
Profile
By indomitable
09th Sep 2021 14:41

What a world we are living in now!

FCA has to warn people not to take such advice from such celebrities.

As Einstein once said
"the difference between genius and stupidity is that there are limits to genius"

Thanks (1)
avatar
By BrianL
09th Sep 2021 18:26

I know nothing about this person but is that a waxworks dummy in the photo or a real human?

Thanks (1)
Replying to BrianL:
By Duggimon
10th Sep 2021 08:07

BrianL wrote:

I know nothing about this person but is that a waxworks dummy in the photo or a real human?

Well if you know nothing about her best play it safe and attack her appearance.

Thanks (0)
avatar
By Mr J Andrews
10th Sep 2021 09:39

Celebrity , TV Media Star , Social Media Influencer, Cryptocurrency Glamouriser........There's no beginning to some peoples talent.

Thanks (1)
avatar
By Smbfrommars
31st Dec 2021 10:02

Now cryptocurrency, according to the publication, is like the Wild West. There are few rules, no regulator yet, but the consequences for investors are tangible - especially for those who invest in fraudulent schemes. And altcoins are not only promoted by bloggers - they were promoted by boxer Floyd Mayweather and Elon Musk.
Millionaire investor and Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban published a post on his blog on June 13, which made sales of two altcoins soar. One of them was Titan, and its price at its peak was $65. Four days later, the price dropped and is now worth less than a cent. In an interview with Bloomberg & tradecrypto.com, Cuban admitted that he himself lost money - he was "too lazy to do the math.

Thanks (0)