ASCI Updates Qualification Requirement For Financial And Health Influencers

In a welcome relief for finance and health influencers, the Advertising Standards Council of India (ASCI) has revised its Influencer Advertising Guidelines. 

The updated rules now clearly distinguishes between generic promotions and the endorsement of technical aspects of products and services.

According to the revised guidelines, influencers are no longer required to hold professional qualifications or certifications to share information about financial or health-related products and services, provided the content remains generic and does not delve into technical aspects.

“Influencers who do not have the required qualifications can share generic information about products or services that are not in the nature of technical advice,” ASCI’s updated guidelines say.

That means, influencers sharing technical specifications of such products and services are still required to have necessary qualifications and certifications. 

“Now influencers need to be qualified and declare such qualifications only where technical information and advice are provided,” said ASCI.

ASCI also cited examples, such as an insurance company using an influencer to talk about the importance of annual health check-ups, or a health food company collaborating with a chef or food blogger to promote a meal service.

In both cases, the influencers are not required to be certified professionals, since the messaging remains non-technical.

Manisha Kapoor, CEO and Secretary General of ASCI, said in a press statement on April 28, 2025: "Influencer marketing has matured beyond simple endorsements and now often involves strategic partnerships for various aspects of brand communication. The updated guidelines bring in the required nuance for influencers operating in the BFSI and Health & Nutrition space.”

ASCI Influencer Guidelines On Health, BFSI

For content related to stocks or investments, influencers need to be registered with the Securities and Exchange Board of India (Sebi). 

The guidelines mandates influencers to clearly mention their Sebi registration number along with their name and qualifications in their content.

For other types of financial advice, influencers need to have suitable qualifications such as an Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (Irdai) license for insurance, or be a Chartered Accountant, Company Secretary or similar professional.

For health and nutrition-related content, influencers need o have relevant medical or health-related qualifications, such as a medical degree, or be a certified nurse, nutritionist, dietician, physiotherapist, psychologist etc., depending on the type of advice they are giving.

Further, influencers also have to follow all disclosure rules set by financial and health regulators from time to time.

The guidelines mandate influencers to clearly mention their qualifications and certifications when promoting technical content. 

• In videos, this should appear upfront—either superimposed on the screen or stated at the beginning. 

• In blogs or text posts, it should be mentioned right at the top, before the reader gets into the content. 

• For podcasts or audio content, it should be said at the very start of the ad.

With the rise in adoption of smartphones, there has been a huge growth in the number of individuals actively creating and sharing content across various social media platforms. Brands have been increasingly leveraging these creators for creating brand awareness, product promotion, and for customer engagement.