Google said on October 20 that it will bring its Financial Services Verification program for Google Ads to the United States and Canada in early 2027. Advertisers who run certain financial ads in those countries will have to show they’re authorized by a relevant regulator or recognized registry before the ads can serve, on top of the identity verification Google already requires.
What’s new
- A second check for financial advertisers. Google’s post, by Keerat Sharma, VP and General Manager for Ads Privacy and Safety, says the program validates an advertiser’s credentials against regulators or registries to stop brand impersonation and scam ads.
- Bank verification through industry groups. In the US, Google says it’s working with the American Bankers Association and its registry to verify banks. In Canada it’s working with the Canadian Bankers Association ahead of launch.
- Guidance before enforcement. Google says it will publish country-specific details, including accepted registries, required credentials and onboarding steps, before the rollout. Advertisers will be told if and when they need to complete verification.
Google first required this kind of check in the United Kingdom in 2021 and has since expanded it across the European Union.
Who it affects
Any business advertising regulated financial products on Google Ads in the US or Canada. Think banks and credit unions, lenders, credit card issuers, and likely other regulated financial services once Google publishes the country rules. Google hasn’t yet listed exactly which ad categories are covered in North America, so brokers, advisors and fintech startups should watch for the detailed policy page.
Most other small businesses won’t need to do anything. If you sell furniture with a buy-now-pay-later option, for example, this probably doesn’t apply to your ads, though the detailed policy will settle that.
Our take
For legitimate financial advertisers this is paperwork with a long runway, and the cost of ignoring it is ads that stop serving. We’d do two things now. Confirm your Google Ads identity verification is complete and the legal business name matches your license or registration exactly. Then collect your license numbers and registry listings in one place so you can finish verification on the first day it opens instead of losing traffic while you search for documents.
Our PPC management team can check your account setup before the 2027 deadline, or start with a free audit of your site and search presence.
Source: Google, Expanding our defenses against financial scam ads
