Italy’s Companies and Exchange Commission (CONSOB) has ordered the blocking of access to six new websites that offer financial services illegally.

The websites targeted by the latest set of orders are:

• “Bit-matic” (website https://bit-matic.com);
• C B Financial Services Limited (website www.onefinancialmarket.com and related page https://account.onefinancialmarket.com);
• “Interactive (website https://inter-active.io and related page https://inter-active.solutions);
• Forexelite Limited ed Elite Trading Academy (website https://forexelite.co and related pages https://clientzone.forexelite.co e https://wt.forexelite.co);
• “Degirocfd Group” (website https://degirocfd.com and related page https://client.degirocfd.com);
• Billionaire Trade Limited (website https://billionaire-trade.co and related pages https://panel.billionaire-trade.co and https://trading.billionaire-trade.co).

In issuing the orders the Authority availed itself of the powers deriving from the “Decreto crescita” (“Growth Decree”; Law no. 58 of 28 June 2019, Article no. 36, paragraph 2-terdecies), on the basis of which Consob can order Internet service providers to block access from Italy to websites offering financial services without the proper authorization.

The number of websites blacked out since July 2019, when Consob got the power to order that the websites of fraudulent financial intermediaries be blacked out, has thus risen to 989.

The black-out of these websites by Internet service providers is ongoing. For technical reasons, it can take several days for the blocking to be implemented.