Tencent has introduced new rules for financial content creators on its short-video platform WeChat Channels, tightening oversight of investment-related posts as regulators and platforms move to rein in risks to users.

The financial industry convention, released by WeChat Channels and effective on Wednesday, sets out rules aimed at fostering what the platform described as a more "authoritative and reliable" ecosystem for financial knowledge, while reducing risks tied to retail investing and protecting users’ assets.

Under the new guidelines, owners of accounts presenting themselves as professionals — using titles such as "fund manager," "fund company", or "securities firm" in videos, usernames or profiles — must complete formal verification. This includes either professional certification or institutional authentication, with supporting documentation submitted through the platform.

For creators already certified with personal professional credentials, the rules require that the individual appearing in investment-related content matches the verified identity.

The convention also targets the misuse of qualifications, explicitly banning the buying, selling, lending or unauthorized affiliation of professional credentials.

Creators are prohibited from bypassing platform checks by renting licenses, falsifying documents or using third-party certifications. Account owners must promptly update or revoke their verification if their employment status changes, or if their credentials expire or are removed.

On content standards, the platform is encouraging creators to produce neutral, professional and evidence-based financial information, with clear risk disclosures and standardized terminology. It is also promoting macroeconomic analysis and industry-level insights over speculative tips.

The rules draw a red line under eight categories of prohibited content - stock-picking recommendations, guaranteed-return claims, market manipulation narratives, promotion of unlicensed financial services, fabricated endorsements, low-quality repetitive content, marketing of high-risk products such as non-fungible tokens (NFTs), and attempts to divert users off-platform for transactions.