CONSOB, Italy’s financial regulator, has ordered the blocking of seven websites engaged in unauthorised investment services and unlawful promotion of financial products, the authority announced on 24 September 2026. The action brings the total number of websites blocked by the Commissione Nazionale per le Società e la Borsa since July 2019 to 1,829, of which 235 relate to cryptocurrency-related activities.
- Total websites blocked since July 2019: 1,829
- Crypto-related sites blocked: 235
- Sites blocked in this action: 7
- Blocked entities: DMAsseteuBV, Spread Markets, Aurora Trade Limited, Lgquantichft, Settecmanagement, Giro Sharing
The blocked websites operated unauthorised investment services and promoted financial products without proper authorisation. Five sites offered investment services and activities related to financial instruments without regulatory approval, while two sites unlawfully promoted and placed financial products using remote communication techniques. CONSOB exercised powers granted under Italy’s Growth Decree to order the takedowns. Internet service providers operating in Italy are in the process of implementing the blocks, with technical delays possible over several days.
The regulator warned that fraudulent schemes are evolving rapidly, increasingly utilising sophisticated deception tactics. Scammers now employ cloned websites, fabricated social media profiles impersonating politicians and celebrities, and artificial intelligence-generated content including synthetic images, voices, and videos to manipulate investor decisions. CONSOB urged savers to exercise caution by verifying that investment operators are authorised before investing and confirming that prospectuses or whitepapers have been formally published for any financial product or crypto-asset offering.
CONSOB maintains a dedicated “Watch out for scams!” section on its website providing guidance on protecting against fraudulent financial schemes and has published an information sheet detailing defences against fraud in the artificial intelligence era. The regulator emphasised that informed investment decisions require diligence and common-sense practices to safeguard savings from increasingly sophisticated online threats.
