CONSOB, Italy’s financial market regulator, has ordered the blocking of five websites engaged in unauthorised investment and cryptocurrency services. The action, announced on 23 October 2026, targeted three sites offering illegal investment services and two providing unauthorised crypto-asset services to Italian investors.
- Websites blocked: RLMAsstStrategy, Ava Invest, GMTrade, Brelliozo IA, and IncomeMax
- Cumulative blocks since July 2019: 1,853 websites
- Crypto-related blocks: 242 of the 1,853 total
- Legal authority: Growth Decree and MiCAR framework (EU Regulation and Legislative Decree No. 129/2024)
CONSOB enforced the blocks under powers granted by Italy’s Growth Decree and the MiCAR regulatory framework governing cryptocurrency services. Internet service providers operating in Italy are implementing the measures, though technical implementation may take several days to complete. The regulator emphasized that investors must verify operator authorisation before engaging with investment platforms and check for published prospectuses or whitepapers before committing capital.
The regulator highlighted a shift in scam tactics, noting increased use of sophisticated fraud methods including cloned websites, artificially generated images and videos, fake social media profiles impersonating politicians and celebrities, and AI-generated audio content designed to manipulate investment decisions. CONSOB urged savers to exercise heightened diligence and directed investors to its “Watch out for scams!” section on its website for guidance on protecting themselves against financial fraud in an era of advanced deceptive technologies.
