Hong Kong SFC Addresses Phishing Surge in Securities Industry

The Hong Kong Securities and Futures Commission (SFC) has launched new guidelines to combat a surge in phishing scams targeting licensed brokers. The move follows reports of fraudulent SMS messages imitating legitimate broker platforms, aiming to steal sensitive customer data for unauthorized trading activities. 😥 🔒 💻 To curb this rising threat, the SFC has prohibited brokers from sending transaction links via SMS, and requires them to report any unauthorized transactions. 🚨 💰 Customers in Hong Kong are experiencing a new wave of phishing attacks that affect crypto ETF assets. 📈 🥶 The SFC’s immediate response is to implement these guidelines prohibiting hyperlinks from electronic communications to prevent data breaches. However, the industry hasn’t yet seen widespread reactions or key opinion leaders responding to this issue. The SFC remains the primary source for these new policy measures. 🧐. The global trend of phishing attacks targeting regulated brokers has become increasingly prevalent in recent years, as highlighted by a recent study. This underscores the urgency of addressing cybersecurity threats in financial markets. 🌎 ⚡️ Despite this increase, Ethereum (ETH) continues to trade at $2,490.27 with a market cap of $300.63 billion. While it saw a 0.96% daily increase, its 7-day performance shows a slight decline. Coincu research anticipates these regulatory changes may lead to enhanced security protocols in the fintech sector. Increased regulations and stricter compliance measures could create a more secure trading environment over time. 🛡️.