About ads for financial products and services on Meta
Meta’s help article “About ads for financial products and services” only loads with JavaScript. Here it is in plain words: who must declare the category, which ads it covers and what changes, from Meta’s help center as read on October 9, 2026.
On this page · 8 sections
- What does Meta’s page on ads for financial products and services say?
- Who has to declare the financial Special Ad Category?
- Which ads count as financial products and services?
- Which ads are not covered?
- What targeting do you lose in this category?
- How do you choose the Special Ad Category in Ads Manager?
- What should you do if your financial ad is rejected?
- How does Adwize help with financial ads?
Since January 21, 2025, Meta requires the Special Ad Category Financial products and services for financial campaigns run by advertisers based in the United States, or shown to people in the United States. It replaced the older Credit category, and ads may be rejected if you do not choose it. In the US it covers credit cards, loans, banking services such as checking and savings accounts, prepaid cards, investment services, pension funds, insurance, consumer payment services and 0% APR installment plans, including buy now, pay later. Credit offers also require the category when they target Canada or certain parts of Europe. Gift cards, store rewards, business-to-business financial products and tax or accounting services are not covered. Once declared, the campaign loses or gets limited targeting options: age, gender, postal codes, exclusions, lookalike and saved audiences, and some interests. Declaring the category does not slow down ad review.
TL;DR
- Since January 21, 2025, US-based advertisers and ads shown in the US must use the Financial products and services category.
- It covers credit, banking, prepaid cards, investments, pensions, insurance, payment services and 0% APR or buy now, pay later plans.
- Gift cards, store rewards, B2B-only financial products and tax or accounting services are not covered.
- You lose or get limited age, gender, postal code, exclusion, lookalike and saved audience targeting.
- Adwize launches nothing until you approve, so you can check the category on every campaign first.
What does Meta’s page on ads for financial products and services say?
It says that financial ads now have their own Special Ad Category, called Financial products and services. Meta introduced it to promote fairness and prevent discrimination, under its Discriminatory Practices advertising policy. Since January 21, 2025, using it is required for financial campaigns from US-based advertisers or aimed at people in the US.
The new category replaced the older Credit Special Ad Category. Credit is now a subset of financial products and services, and the rules for credit ads did not change: they still apply to advertisers in the US and to ads reaching the US, Canada or certain parts of Europe.
The consequence is practical. If your campaign should be in the category and you do not choose it, your ad may be rejected.
Who has to declare the financial Special Ad Category?
You need to choose the category when you create the campaign if you are an advertiser based in the United States, if your audience is in the United States, or if you run ads for credit opportunities in the US, Canada or certain parts of Europe, or reach audiences there.
Note the two different scopes. For financial products and services in general, the trigger is the United States: where you are based, or where your audience is. For credit, a subset, the trigger is wider and includes Canada and certain European countries.
Example. A Canadian fintech advertises a savings account to Canadians only. The broad financial rule is about the US, so it does not apply. If the same company advertises a personal loan in Canada, the credit rule applies, and it must declare the category.
- Based in the US
- = category required
- Audience in the US
- = category required
- Credit ads in Canada or parts of Europe
- = category required
- Other finance, outside the US
- = not required
Which ads count as financial products and services?
Any ad that promotes or links directly to a financial product or service offer, including credit. Meta lists credit offers that are covered in the US, Canada and certain parts of Europe, then wider financial offers that are covered in the US.
Credit offers, covered in the US, Canada and certain parts of Europe:
- Credit cards, including brand ads for credit cards, whatever the offer.
- Loans, such as auto, mortgage, personal or business loans.
- Long-term financing, debt recovery, debt consolidation and relief.
Other financial offers, covered in the US:
- Banking services, including checking and savings accounts, and brand ads for financial products and services, whatever the offer.
- Prepaid cards, investment services, pension or retirement funds and insurance products.
- Consumer payment services and 0% APR installment payments, including buy now, pay later and in-house installment plans.
Meta’s lists end with “and more”: they are examples, so similar offers fall under the same rule.
Which ads are not covered?
Meta names four kinds of offers that are outside the category: gift cards, store rewards, financial products and services sold only to businesses, and tax and accounting services. An ad for these does not need the financial Special Ad Category.
Example. A clothing store promoting its loyalty points is selling store rewards, so it stays a normal campaign. The same store promoting its own installment plan at 0% APR to US shoppers falls under the category, because in-house installment payments are on Meta’s list.
When in doubt, compare your offer with the examples of covered ads on Meta’s page, then read its Discriminatory Practices policy, which sets the rule behind them.
| Offer | US | Canada and certain parts of Europe |
|---|---|---|
| Credit cards | Covered | Covered |
| Auto, mortgage, personal or business loans | Covered | Covered |
| Debt recovery, consolidation and relief | Covered | Covered |
| Checking and savings accounts | Covered | Not listed |
| Insurance, investments, pension funds | Covered | Not listed |
| Buy now, pay later and 0% APR plans | Covered | Not listed |
| Gift cards and store rewards | Not covered | Not covered |
| B2B-only finance, tax and accounting | Not covered | Not covered |
What targeting do you lose in this category?
Several audience options become limited or unavailable: age, gender, ZIP or postal code, audience exclusion targeting, lookalike audiences, saved audiences and some interests. This applies to advertisers based in the US or US territories, and to those showing ads in the US, Canada and certain European countries.
Location changes too. Audiences built on a city or a pin drop include an expanded radius. Meta Advantage+ catalog ads follow the same limits, and campaigns in a Special Ad Category cannot use Advantage+ audience. If you use a saved audience, Meta updates it to comply.
Meta’s advice is to broaden rather than restrict your audience. Its page also stresses that declaring the category does not shrink your audience to people interested in finance: the restrictions protect people from discrimination, they do not narrow your market to an interest.
How do you choose the Special Ad Category in Ads Manager?
Open Meta Ads Manager and create a campaign, or open an existing one. Select Special Ad Categories, choose the category that applies under Categories, then choose the country or countries where you want to run the campaign under Countries. Do it at the start, before you build the audience.
Then build the audience. In the ad set, scroll to Audience controls and create a new custom audience if you need one, then refine it with the criteria still available. Meta notes that some options, such as custom audiences, may only be available in Ads Manager.
Good news on timing: Meta says choosing a Special Ad Category does not change how long it takes to review your ads.
- Open Ads Manager and create the campaign
- Select Special Ad Categories
- Choose Financial products and services
- Choose the countries where it runs
- Build the audience within the limits
What should you do if your financial ad is rejected?
First check the category. Meta warns that a covered offer run without the Financial products and services category may be rejected. If that is your case, recreate the campaign with the right category and an audience that respects the limits above.
If you believe the rejection is wrong, for example because your offer is a gift card or a B2B service, Meta says you can request a review in Business Support Home. Meta also publishes a video with tips to fix ads rejected under this policy.
Keep records of why you think the offer is or is not covered. It makes a review request faster to write and easier to judge.
How does Adwize help with financial ads?
Adwize prepares your Meta campaign from one sentence and shows it to you before anything goes live. For a financial offer, that is the moment to check that the campaign is declared in the right Special Ad Category and that the audience fits its limits. Meta holds the advertiser responsible, and Adwize launches nothing without your approval. See the Launch page.
Once the campaign runs, Adwize reads the results each day and explains them in plain words, including when a broad audience costs more than expected. Any change it proposes waits for your yes. See the Optimize page.
Adwize works with Meta ads only, on Facebook and Instagram, inside your own ad account. It does not bypass Meta’s rules: it builds within them.
Frequently asked questions
When did the financial products and services category become mandatory?
On January 21, 2025, for advertisers based in the United States and for financial campaigns shown to people in the United States. Ads may be rejected if the right Special Ad Category is not chosen.
Does buy now, pay later count as a financial product on Meta?
Yes, in the US. Meta lists 0% APR installment payments, including buy now, pay later and in-house installment plans, among the financial products and services that require the category.
Can I target by age or gender in a financial campaign?
Not freely. Age, gender, postal code, exclusion targeting, lookalike and saved audiences and some interests are limited or unavailable for advertisers based in or reaching the US, and those reaching Canada and certain European countries.
Does the Special Ad Category slow down ad review?
No. Meta says choosing a Special Ad Category does not affect how long it takes to review your ads.
Does Adwize choose the Special Ad Category for me?
The declaration is the advertiser’s responsibility under Meta’s rules. Adwize shows you the campaign before launch and launches nothing until you approve, so you can check the category first.
Sources
- Meta Business Help Center, About ads for financial products and servicesAccessed 10/09/2026
- Meta Business Help Center, About audiences for housing, employment or financial products and services campaignsAccessed 10/09/2026
- Meta Business Help Center, How to choose a Special Ad CategoryAccessed 10/09/2026
- Meta Business Help Center, About Audience controls and Audience suggestions in Advantage+ audienceAccessed 10/09/2026
