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The International Organization of Securities Commissions (IOSCO) concluded the fifth World Investor Week (WIW) on 10 October, with a strong and enthusiastic participation of supporters around the globe. Some jurisdictions may also conduct WIW-related activities during October or November to accommodate the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on their local markets and investors.
The large number of jurisdictions and the diversity of the stakeholders participating in the campaign underscores the growing importance of investor education and protection throughout the world. Moreover, this growth comes against a backdrop of a global pandemic and the increasing digitalization of services and products available to retail investors.
In this regard, the key messages of the IOSCO WIW campaign focused on two themes: 1) sustainable finance, and 2) frauds and scams prevention. These messages complement those of previous IOSCO WIW editions regarding online investing, digital learning, and the basics of investing, all of which were reiterated during the 2021 campaign.
Ashley Alder, Chair of the IOSCO Board and the Chief Executive Officer of the Hong Kong Securities and Futures Commission, said, “Investor protection is one of the core objectives of IOSCO’s work. Once again, the WIW has played a key role in helping investors become better informed and thus enhancing investor protection in a changing environment. I would like to thank all the IOSCO members and stakeholders who participated in the 2021 WIW, and look forward to their continuing participation in future WIW events.”
Martin Moloney, Secretary General of IOSCO, said, “Retail investors need to understand the products in which they invest, and they must be prepared to identify potential frauds or scams. The IOSCO WIW helps raise awareness of these and other issues that may require action from an investor education perspective. This is especially relevant for new and young investors. We look forward to next year’s edition of the IOSCO WIW to continue supporting retail investors’ knowledge and confidence in the markets.”
Pasquale Munafò, Chairman of the IOSCO Committee on Retail Investors (Committee 8), said, “With every new edition of the WIW, IOSCO is placing an additional building block for enhancing a solid and reliable environment for retail investors buying and selling in the capital markets, while fostering their understanding of emerging trends and new challenges, like sustainable finance.”
Jose Vasco, Committee 8 WIW Working Group coordinator, said “The IOSCO WIW is now an established platform for disseminating key messages on investor protection and financial literacy on a global level. This involves a joint effort of dozens of jurisdictions and the efficient collaboration of an international network of investor protection and financial education offices. We are grateful to all participants for their contribution to WIW 2021, with special thanks to IOSCO WIW Working Group members, who devoted time, energy and resources to plan and execute the campaign with the support of the IOSCO Secretariat.”
As in previous years, IOSCO will present the results of the campaign in a public report, which is an additional source of information for those jurisdictions and stakeholders who may wish to learn and benefit from the experience of IOSCO members and related stakeholders regarding financial education and investor protection.
