Message apps pose growing risk for China securities regulator

TREASURE: WeChat is the jewel in Tencent's crown.

SHANGHAI/NEW YORK: A growing number of China's retail investors are opening trading accounts on messaging and social media app WeChat, and some institutional investors are even using it to instruct brokers, making it harder for regulators to monitor trades and spot illegal activity, traders and investors told Reuters. 

While using mobile messaging and social media apps for trading is not unlawful in China, regulations require reliable monitoring and recording of trades to prevent activities such as insider trading or market manipulation, and to keep on top of threats to market stability such as excessive margin trading.