The Financial Services and Markets Authority (FSMA) warns the public against the activities of unauthorized lenders who offer consumers fake credit.The FSMA has identified 12 new fraudulent lenders who offer fake credit to Belgian consumers via the internet. Consumers come into contact with such providers in a variety of ways: they receive unsolicited messages via email or social media (Facebook, WhatsApp, etc.) or find advertisements online. Given the current economic situation, consumers often search for extra funds in the form of credit, and as a result may come into contact with questionable players.In practice, these involve fake credit that is offered to consumers in order to coax consumers into giving them money. The fraudsters claim to be authorized lenders or registered credit intermediaries, and do not hesitate to use the names or logos of well-known credit institutions. In such cases, this is considered to be a case of ‘cloned firm’ fraud.The fraudsters offer loans at very attractive conditions. For example, the credit provider claims to lend large amounts at a low interest rate. It also claims that there will be no credit check on the consumer to determine whether he or she is a poor payer who has taken out loans in the past which he or she was unable to repay.Consumers who accept the credit offer are asked to pay some costs associated with the credit up front. These may be presented as an insurance premium to cover the lender against default on the loan, file handling costs, administrative costs, etc. But these are all fictitious costs.Once the consumers have paid these so-called costs, the ‘lender’ disappears into thin air and it is nearly impossible to recover the sums paid.The FSMA therefore strongly advises not to take up such credit offers.The illegally operating companies against which the FSMA warns the public are as follows:Dargs Holding (dargs-holding.com)Dienst Plus (dienstplus.com)Finova Group (finovagroup.be)Instant lenen (Instantlenen.com)Kredas Services (kredas-services.com)Kredieten Nu (Kredietennu.com)Krediet voor iedereen (kred-vooriedereen.com)Kingen Inc (kringeninc.com) Cloned firmMohiten (mohiten.com)NV Gevolgd (nvgevolgd.com)Veilig Krediet (veiligkredietnl.com)Rapide Finance/Finance Rapide does not have a website but contacts consumers via social media in order to offer them a fake credit. In doing so, Rapide Finance/Finance Rapide fraudulently uses the identity details of Record Credits.The FSMA has a number of general recommendations to enable you to recognize such fraudulent credit offers:Be suspicious if you are suddenly offered credit out of the blue via the internet or social media.Beware of any offers of credit on very favourable terms (a loan that is very large in relation to the consumer’s financial situation, at a very low interest rate or with an unusually long repayment period, etc.) that would not usually be available from authorized lenders.Be all the more suspicious if the lender makes the credit subject to the payment of a sum of money intended to cover certain costs before the credit will be granted. The justifications given for such a payment can vary: they may be called an insurance premium with a view to insuring the lender against default on the loan, file handling costs, authentication costs, administrative costs, etc. These costs are purely fictitious. Once the money has been paid, the ‘lender’ disappears and the victim never recovers the money transferred.Enquire whether the lender has the necessary authorization or registration. Via the search function on the FSMA’s website, you can easily determine whether this person or company has the necessary authorization or registration. Persons and companies without an authorization or registration may not offer you credit.Consider doing a search for the person or company using the customary search engines. You may find testimonials by people who have already been approached by the same person or company. But remain alert, as sometimes these are falsely positive testimonials posted by the lender itself in order to gain the confidence of consumers.More than ever, prudence is necessary. In case of any doubt, and before making any (more) payments, do not hesitate to contact the FSMA directly using the contact form on its website. As well, please feel free to notify the FSMA of any contact with a suspicious company that has not yet been the subject of a warning by the FSMA.

 The FSMA is receiving increasing numbers of reports of dubious WhatsApp groups, in which fraudsters share so-called exclusive investment tips or promote fraudulent trading apps.  How does the fraud work?Consumers find advertisements on social media (often Facebook or Instagram) for WhatsApp groups where, it is claimed, exclusive analyses of financial markets and profitable investment tips are shared. These advertisements are often published via pages that fraudulently use the name and logo of well-known banks and news services. These are cases of identity theft.Consumers who click on the advertisement are added to WhatsApp groups. These groups are managed by people who pose as prominent economists or CEOs of investment firms. These are also cases of identity theft.In these WhatsApp groups, consumers are encouraged to participate in lotteries. This is most likely a way to obtain consumers’ personal data. In addition, consumers are urged to purchase specific American listed shares. The aim appears to be to manipulate those share prices. This is also known as a 'pump and dump' operation. Lastly, these WhatsApp groups also promote fake applications for trading in cryptocurrencies. Which entities are involved in this scam?The FSMA notes that the fraudsters who manage the WhatsApp groups often pretend to be economists, people from the academic or business world, and well-known figures. For example, the FSMA has received reports of identity theft involving the following people:Colmant BrunoDe Bondt JanDe Bondt WernerGuenter ThomasHendelman SeanLynch PeterMckay RandyNoels GeertPraet PeterRutsaert Nicolas In addition, the fraudsters also claim that they work for authorized (often foreign) financial service providers, in particular: Bolero (KBC Bank NV)Loomis Sayles (Netherlands) B.V.SFM UK Management LLPUniversa Investments LPWilliams Jones Wealth Management LLCWatch out! These are cases of identity theft. The WhatsApp groups have, in fact, no connection whatsoever with authorized institutions. Consumers also reported that they were referred to a company called Nanolite Foundation, which uses the website nanolite-foundationnlf.com.The managers of the WhatsApp groups also try to persuade consumers to download fake applications, such as:BLRKXGS FLUXLSCINVNLF INTSFM VALORSXMKTUNIVLPThe FSMA has added these companies to the list of companies that are operating unlawfully in Belgium. Please note, the list is not exhaustive. In order to determine whether or not a company is authorized to offer financial products and services, please visit the ‘Check your provider’ page. If you have any doubts, feel free to contact the FSMA. I’ve fallen victim. What should I do?If you are a member of such a WhatsApp group, the FSMA advises you to leave it as soon as possible. Also block the telephone number of the WhatsApp group administrator and break off all contact. Do not follow the investment tips and do not download any applications promoted in these WhatsApp groups. Not only are the investments made through these applications completely false, but malware may also be installed through them.Do not transfer any (more) money and contact your bank. Inform your bank immediately if you have transferred money.Report the fraud to the competent authorities. Contact the FSMA and file a complaint with the police.Document all exchanges of information and transactions. Gather all evidence of your exchanges of information with the platform, including emails, messages, account statements and screen shots of the transactions. These items will, of course, be very valuable when you report the fraud.Beware of so-called ‘recovery rooms’: fraudsters contact victims of a scam in the past and offer to help them, for a fee, to recover their lost money. Often these constitute yet another attempt at fraud. For more recommendations on how to avoid investment fraud, please consult the ‘How to recognize and avoid fraud’ page on the FSMA website. Please watch the awareness-raising videos as well (available in French and Dutch only).

The FSMA has published a communication in which it sets out its expectations and recommendations regarding the payout of supplementary pensions. The communication emphasizes, among other things, the importance of using the current address when contacting members, as well as developing a policy of sending reminders if a member should fail to reply.In addition, the communication reviews the various documents that pension institutions request before proceeding to pay the pension. Whether or not such documents are mandatory has, after all, an impact on the statutory payout date and, as thus also on any late payment interest that may become due.Read more in Communication FSMA_2026_09 (available in French - Dutch)

More than half of all Belgians (52%) make a budget. This is the finding of a major survey of 2000 Belgians, on behalf of the Financial Services and Markets Authority (FSMA). The survey also looked at the growing popularity of new modes of payment such as smartphone payments and ‘buy now, pay later’ apps. The results of the survey were published at the beginning of Money Week and point to the importance of good financial education. In the coming week, the FSMA will teach a record 190,000 pupils in primary and secondary schools how to make a budget.This press release is not available in English. Please consult the French or Dutch.

 The Financial Services and Markets Authority (FSMA) is once again drawing the public’s attention to the dangers posed by fraudulent trading platforms. These platforms lure investors online with promises of quick and easy earnings. Their offers look attractive, but they are nothing more than advanced scams that can lead to significant financial losses.  How does a fraudulent trading platform work? (flowchart)Modes of contactFraudsters use various techniques to contact their targets: a fake advertisement which mentions a celebrity;a website intended to ‘recruit’ victims;a fake profile on social media or on a dating app (Tinder, Bumble, Happn, …);a message that you have received allegedly by accident (SMS, WhatsApp, Telegram, …);an invitation to join a trading group (e.g., on WhatsApp or Telegram);an acquaintance invites you to an investment opportunity with high returns. In each case, the platform tries to lure investors by promising them to earn money in a very short time, often well beyond the sorts of gains that are actually achievable.RegistrationInterested investors register on the platform and deposit funds to their trading account. Generally, investors begin with a relatively small sum, such as 250 euros. Sometimes the swindlers offer to help their victims by taking over their device remotely in order to make certain transfers on their behalf. This allows them to install viruses or spyware.Manipulation and pressure tacticsOnce the funds have been deposited by the victim, the platform manipulates the transactions to give the impression that high profits have been achieved. However, these earnings are fictitious and the funds have not really been invested. The fraudsters then put pressure on their victims to invest more money. They do so by means of repeated phone calls, time-limited offers to which investors must respond quickly, or by issuing threats.Withdrawals seem impossibleTo gain victims’ trust, fraudsters sometimes allow them to withdraw several times. However, once an investor wishes to withdraw a larger amount, the fraudsters make excuses to avoid to pay back any money (high costs, taxes, etc.). The FSMA also noted that some platforms used a pyramid structure. The investors are encouraged to recruit new participants. Their investment allows to pay earlier investors. When it becomes impossible to recruit new participants the pyramid collapses.In all cases, the fraudulent platform disappears completely, taking with it all the investors’ money.The FSMA has noted that the following websites were putting consumers in contact with fraudulent trading platforms:Blackrose Finbitnex (blackrosefinbitnex.com, blackrose-finbitnex.com, blackrosefinbitnexai.com) ;Dexlink, Repère Dexlink (repere-dexlink.com) ;FlandrexBit (flandrexbit.com) ;Fyronex Driftor GPT (fyronexdriftor-gpt.com, fyronexdriftor-gpt.net);Pagtrix AI (neo-profit-ai.com, pagtrixaiapp.com, quantum-ai-trading.nl, qumasai.org).The FSMA strongly advises against responding to offers made by the following trading platforms:Blaxton (blaxtongroup.com, vc.blaxtongroup.com);Cyrosalnix (cyrosalnix.com);EQUITY T S PTY LTD (Clone) (equityts.com, live.faralloncapitalgroup.investments, wayatrading.com, wayatrading.trade);Fibovest (fibovest.com);Fintrionyx Capital (fintrionyx-capital.co, webtrader.fintrionyx-capital.cx);FTMX Global (ftmxglobal.com);Galveston Advisory (Clone) (galvestonadvisory.com);Glenstone Advisory (Clone) (glenstoneadvisory.com);Interactive Markets (interactive-market.net);London Bridge (londonbridge.ai);Luxenrise (luxenrise.com, trading.luxenrise.com);MonexaholldingNeoWaySolution (neowaysolution.net);Picktan Capital (Clone) (picktancapital.com);Primeber Group (primebergroup.com);ProTradeAlliance (protradealliance.com);Quantoria Markets (quantoria-markets.net);Richmond Terrace Capital (Clone) (richmondterracecapital.com);Signal-Markets (signal-markets.com);TheAdvisorSynergy (theadvisorsynergy.com).The FSMA added these entities to the list of fraudulent trading platforms. Beware, this list is not complete, but is updated frequently. If you wish to verify whether a company has the necessary authorisations to offer financial services and products, please consult the page ‘Check your provider’. In case of doubt, contact the FSMA. II’ve fallen victim. What should I do?Stop making any transactions and break off all contact with the platform: don’t deposit any more money and don’t provide any additional personal or financial information. Break off all contact with the fraudsters. They may try to manipulate you in order to take even more money from you. If you were added to a trading group, leave it as soon as possible.Contact your bank: inform your bank immediately if you have made any payments to the fraudulent platform.Report the fraud to the competent authorities: Contact the FSMA and file a complaint with the police.Document all exchanges of data and transactions: gather all evidence of your exchanges of data with the platform, including emails, messages, account statements and screen shots of the transactions. These items will, of course, be very valuable when you report the fraud.Beware of ‘recovery rooms’: fraudsters contact victims of a previous scam and offer to help them – for a fee – recover their lost money. Generally this constitutes yet another attempt at fraud.For more recommendations on how to avoid investment fraud, please consult the ‘How to recognize and avoid fraud’ page on the FSMA website. Please watch the awareness-raising videos as well (available in Dutch and French only).

This agreed settlement consists of the payment of 75,000 euros and the publication, by name, on the website of the Financial Services and Markets Authority (FSMA).This press release is not available in English. Please consult the French or Dutch.

These agreed settlements consist of the payment of 75,000 euros and the publication, by name, on the website of the Financial Services and Markets Authority (FSMA).This press release is not available in English. Please consult the French or Dutch.

The International Organization of Securities Commissions (IOSCO) is organizing a Techsprint, in collaboration with the AI Lab of the British Financial Conduct Authority (FCA). The TechSprint will focus on Investor Education and empowering investors to navigate financial markets shaped by new technologies, especially AI (artificial intelligence).The call for applications for this first IOSCO TechSprint was launched today. Applicants will be asked to address one or both of two problem statements related to financial education, leveraging new technologies.The selected teams will work virtually over the next few months, with regular check-ins and mentoring from IOSCO and its members. Finally, the selected teams will meet in person in Madrid, on 8 October 2026, to showcase their projects.IOSCO is looking for diverse teams, with complementary skills and from all corners of the ecosystem: established market participants, start-ups, NGOs, academic institutions, public-sector bodies or innovators seeking to improve the retail investment landscape.Find out more information on the IOSCO website.

ANNOUNCEMENT BY THE FINANCIAL SERVICES AND MARKETS AUTHORITY, PUBLISHED IN APPLICATION OF ARTICLE 78 OF THE LAW OF 21 NOVEMBER 2017Trading in the financial instruments of EKOPAK NV, ISIN BE0974380124 on Euronext Brussels will re-open on 02/03/2026 at 9:00 CET.

The FSMA has published an opinion clarifying which procedures and measures under Belgian law should, in its view, be regarded as ‘restructuring or insolvency proceedings’ for the purposes of the Prospectus Regulation, pending the publication of ESMA’s response to the question concerning the interpretation of these concepts.The interpretation of these concepts is particularly relevant for the application of certain exemptions from the obligation to publish a prospectus, introduced into the Prospectus Regulation by the Listing Act.Read more in this opinion issued by the FSMA (available in French and Dutch only).

ANNOUNCEMENT BY THE FINANCIAL SERVICES AND MARKETS AUTHORITY, PUBLISHED IN APPLICATION OF ARTICLE 78 OF THE LAW OF 21 NOVEMBER 2017Trading in the financial instruments of WHAT'S COOKING GROUP, ISIN BE0003573814, on Euronext Brussels will re-open on 27/02/2026 at 10:00 CET.

This press release is not available in English. Please consult the French or Dutch site.

ANNOUNCEMENT BY THE FINANCIAL SERVICES AND MARKETS AUTHORITY, PUBLISHED IN APPLICATION OF ARTICLE 78 OF THE LAW OF 21 NOVEMBER 2017 Trading in the financial instruments of EKOPAK NV, ISIN BE0974380124 , on Euronext Brussels is suspended on the request of the company from 26/02/2026 at 14:36 CET until the publication of a press release.

ANNOUNCEMENT BY THE FINANCIAL SERVICES AND MARKETS AUTHORITY, PUBLISHED IN APPLICATION OF ARTICLE 78 OF THE LAW OF 21 NOVEMBER 2017 Trading in the financial instruments of WHAT'S COOKING GROUP, ISIN BE0003573814, on Euronext Brussels is suspended from 26/2/2026 at 08:30 CET until the publication of a press release.

ANNOUNCEMENT BY THE FINANCIAL SERVICES AND MARKETS AUTHORITY, PUBLISHED IN APPLICATION OF ARTICLE 78 OF THE LAW OF 21 NOVEMBER 2017Trading in the financial instruments of ABO Group, ISIN BE0974278104 on Euronext Brussels will re-open on 24/02/2026 at 09:00 CET.

The three European Supervisory Authorities (EBA, EIOPA and ESMA – ESAs) have published two factsheets designed to help consumers protect themselves from crypto and other online frauds and scams and explain how fraudsters increasingly use artificial intelligence (AI) to deceive consumers.Fraud and scams are not new, but they have become much more sophisticated. Technologies like AI and blockchain make frauds and scams more convincing and harder to detect. The factsheets provide practical tips to help consumers recognise and avoid different types of frauds and scams. 

These agreed settlements consist of the payment of 54,000 euros and the publication, by name, on the website of the Financial Services and Markets Authority (FSMA).This press release is not available in English. Please consult the French or Dutch.

This agreed settlement consists of the payment of 12,500 euros and the publication, by name, on the website of the Financial Services and Markets Authority (FSMA) for a period of three months.This press release is not available in English. Please consult the French or Dutch page.

In 2025, companies subject to the DORA regulation established a Register of Information (ROI) regarding their agreements with third-party ICT service providers. The FSMA collected these ROIs through a FiMiS survey and forwarded them to the European supervisory authorities ESMA, EIOPA and EBA (the ESAs). Based on this information, the ESAs identified the critical ICT service providers they supervise at European level.In 2026, this exercise will be repeated, but with a more limited scope. Only a limited number of companies will be required to submit their data. If there have been no changes compared to last year, they can simply confirm that the situation remains unchanged. If there are changes, they can either update last year's data or submit a new register. The technical specifications of the FiMiS Survey remain unchanged.This news article is not available in English. Please consult the French or Dutch page.

Have you met someone on an online platform? Has that person invited you to continue your discussion via another channel like WhatsApp or Telegram? Has the person told you he or she has made a fortune and knows someone who can help you make money easily by investing in cryptocurrencies? Beware of scams, especially in the run-up to Valentine’s Day.Some investment scams begin on dating applications (like Tinder, Bumble, Hinge, etc.). After having made a match with their targets, the scammers continue the discussion via another online app. In some cases, the scam begins with a message from an unknown number, a follow request on Instagram or a friend request on Facebook. After developing a relationship with their victims, the fraudsters soon start to talk money. They boast of their so-called fortune and share their secret of getting rich quick and without risk: a trading platform.Like the international organization IOSCO, which is running a campaign on this topic during the week of Valentine’s Day, the FSMA wishes once again to warn the public against this type of fraud. The warning of 10 October 2025, explains how this type of fraud works. Below you will find some advice on how to avoid falling into a trap. How to avoid this kind of fraudDon’t let yourself be duped by someone who boasts of his or her wealth and regularly talks about money or investments. Be suspicious if the person is persistent and offers you an ‘investment opportunity’ with guaranteed returns via a specific trading platform. Never act in haste. If something doesn’t seem quite right or appears to be too good to be true, stop and take time to think about it. Never send money to someone whom you have only met online. If someone directs you to a trading platform, check that it holds an authorization from the FSMA. Also check the date when the website was created, for example via a site that allows you to perform a ‘Whois’ search. If you don’t understand the products or if the offer seems too complex, don’t invest.Avoid revealing too much personal information to your interlocutor, and above all, do not send copies of your identity documents or credit card. The scammers may use these documents to commit fraud. Protect your data on social media as well, by means of your confidentiality settings.Ignore any messages you receive from an unknown number. If you receive a new friend request, check the person’s identity. Artificial intelligence makes it easier to create fake profiles or fake videos. Don’t join any chat or trading groups to which you have been added without asking.As a rule, report these persons and suspicious activities on social media, dating sites or messaging apps.What to do if you have been the victim of such a scam? Stop making any transactions and break off all contact with the fraudsters: don’t make any more payments and don’t provide any additional personal or financial information. Break off all contact with the fraudsters, including with the person who contacted you on the dating app or social media. They may try to manipulate you in order to take even more money from you.Contact your bank: Inform your bank immediately if you have made any payments to the fraudulent platform.Report the fraud to the competent authorities: contact the FSMA and file a complaint with the police.Document all exchanges of data and transactions: Gather all the evidence of your communications with the platform, including emails, messages, account statements and screen shots of the transactions. These items will be valuable when you report the fraud.Be wary of ‘recovery rooms’: fraudsters contact people who are already victims of a scam and offer to help them, for a fee, to recover their lost money. Often this constitutes yet another attempt at fraud.To verify whether or not a provider of financial services and products is authorized by the FSMA or has been the subject of a warning, please visit the website of the FSMA.Does the company hold an authorization? Check that the authorization has not lapsed and be on your guard against identity theft, known as 'cloned firms'. If an entity is not listed on the website of the FSMA, this means it is not authorized to offer such products in Belgium. Is the company named in a warning? In that case, you should under no circumstances respond to an offer they have made to you. But please note: the list of fraudulent companies provided on the FSMA’s website is not exhaustive.For more information, please consult the ‘How to recognize and avoid fraud’ page on the FSMA website. The site provides additional tips to help you avoid investment fraud. Please watch our awareness-raising videos as well (available in French and Dutch only).