Why Crypto and Fintech Brands Can't Run Traditional Ads Anymore and What They're Doing Instead

As crypto and fintech brands struggle to run traditional ads, they find themselves facing significant obstacles. Over the past two years, platforms have formalized ad restrictions into explicit policies, making it increasingly difficult for these fast-growing digital advertising categories. Meta's compliance requirements for cryptocurrency advertising have expanded, requiring ad submission of regulatory licensing documentation before campaigns can launch.

Additionally, finance-related categories on platforms like TikTok face high ad account restriction rates, with industries such as investment and financial services experiencing restriction rates much higher than most other verticals.

The issue lies in the nature of the advertising material. Crypto and fintech brands rely on polished, claims-heavy creative, which has become the most challenging material to get approved. Street Poller Media, founded by Shane Ginsberg, has been building expertise in these restricted categories, including crypto, fintech, GLP-1, pharmaceutical, and THC and CBD brands.

Ginsberg attributes their success to two main factors: relationships and format. Years of experience operating in restricted categories have allowed them to establish direct contact with platforms, providing insights into how rules are actually enforced rather than just written. Moreover, the format itself, such as street interviews, is less likely to be rejected compared to produced, claims-driven advertisements.

This distinction makes a substantial difference during reviews, as rejection is often triggered not by the product being advertised but by the specific claims made about it.

The shift in advertising strategies for these categories is now centered around which formats consistently pass review and which partners have the necessary experience to avoid account restrictions. A disabled ad account is not just a delay; it can lead to the loss of accumulated pixel data, audience targeting history, and optimization signals, resulting in a more significant setback than the immediate media spend.

Ginsberg argues that the agency's positioning in these categories is not primarily creative but operational. While any agency can produce a street interview, fewer have the experience in restricted categories to predict which questions, phrasings, and creative structures will survive review. For brands in an increasingly regulated environment, accumulated knowledge has become a valuable asset that is harder to source than creative talent.