November 2023 Regulatory Updates

The AMF Enforcement Committee fined France Safe Media (FSM), a French tied agent of Cypriot provider VPR Safe Financial Group Limited (Alvexo platform), €300,000 and imposed a 10-year ban from tied agent activities and reception/transmission of orders (RTO) services, while its manager Lior Mattouk received a €100,000 fine and similar 10-year ban, for breaches occurring January 2019–September 2021. This decision, dated 10 November 2023 and upheld by Conseil d'Etat on 16 June 2025, underscores AMF's strict enforcement of professional obligations for tied agents marketing high-risk CFDs, emphasizing staff qualifications, client assessments, risk warnings, disclosures, and diligence. It matters for cross-border intermediaries as it highlights personal liability for managers and the finality of sanctions post-appeal, signaling heightened scrutiny on CFD promotion and tied agent compliance in France. #

The AMF Enforcement Committee fined two individuals for insider dealing breaches, highlighting the regulator's focus on prohibiting the use of non-public, price-sensitive information in securities transactions. This enforcement action underscores the AMF's rigorous application of market abuse rules under the Market Abuse Regulation (MAR), serving as a deterrent and educational tool for market participants. Compliance teams should note it as evidence of ongoing scrutiny, with fines reflecting the severity of breaches involving direct trading on inside information. #