FTC Disclosure Checklist for Finance Creators

Finance creators earn because the products convert. They also sit in a brighter spotlight: FTC endorsement rules, platform policies, and broker compliance teams all care how you talk about trading apps. Disclosure is not a vibe. It is a shipping requirement.

What must be disclosed

If you have a material connection to a brand — CPA, revshare, free premium access, deposit bonuses, gifted hardware, equity, or anything else of value — say so. The audience should understand that you may benefit when they click or sign up. "I like this app" without context is not enough when a tracking link pays you.

That rule covers YouTube, TikTok, Instagram, newsletters, Discord, podcasts, and blog reviews. Format changes. The duty does not.

Clear and conspicuous — practical meaning

Put the disclosure where people look first, not under a fold, not after a "show more," not buried in hashtag soup.
Use plain language: paid partnership, affiliate link, I may earn a commission.
On video: say it early and show it on screen and place it in the description above the fold.
On short social posts: lead with the disclosure before the pitch.
Repeat it when the endorsement repeats. One site-wide footer is not a free pass for every video.

Platform native toggles help. They do not replace your own words in the content.

Finance-specific extras

Trading and investing products add risk language on top of FTC basics:

No guaranteed returns, no "risk-free," no implying past screenshots are typical results
Make clear that paper or education tools are not brokerages (when they are not)
Keep claims about fills, uptime, and funding bonuses tethered to what the brand actually offers
Separate your opinion from the brand's required disclosures when you read a script

Brands are increasingly liable for affiliate behavior. Expect contracts that demand disclosure templates, pre-approval on certain claims, and the right to claw back if you go off-script. That is not personal — it is how fintech programs survive regulators.

AFF/INF shipping checklist

Before you publish a monetized finance piece:

Disclosure in the first screenful / first 15 seconds
Disclosure in description / show notes above the fold
Affiliate link labeled near the CTA
Risk reminder near performance talk
No earnings promises
UTM or network click ID verified in a private test click
Screenshot of the live disclosure saved to your compliance folder

If any box is unchecked, the draft is not done.

Why soft CTAs help compliance and EPC

Hard "deposit now" pitches attract the wrong scrutiny and the wrong users. Soft CTAs into a free paper-trading loop let viewers rehearse before they fund — and they give you a cleaner story: try the workflow, then decide. Route that soft path to Stock Picks when the product fit is practice-first. Your disclosure still applies; the claim surface stays smaller.

Operators: monitor, do not just indemnify

If you run a program, written affiliate rules are table stakes. Spot-check creators monthly. Send take-down templates for missing disclosures. Keep a log. Indemnification clauses matter after a failure; monitoring reduces how often you need them.

Bottom line

Disclosure is part of the creative kit, same as thumbnails and hooks. Build it into the template so you never "forget" under deadline. Audiences forgive ads they can see. Regulators and platforms do not forgive ads that pretend to be pure opinion.

This checklist is practical guidance for creators and operators — not formal legal advice. When in doubt, tighten the language and talk to counsel who knows fintech marketing.