Short selling, a practice where investors bet against a stock’s price, has long been a polarizing force in financial markets.
It can enhance liquidity and expose overvalued companies, but it’s also accused of fueling market manipulation and volatility.
Recent developments across the globe—ranging from retail investor activism in the United States to regulatory crackdowns in India and debates in the European Union—signal a growing demand for stricter oversight of short selling.
U.S. Retail Investors Demand a South Korea-Style Short Selling Ban
In the United States, retail investors—empowered by platforms like Reddit, X, and Robinhood—have become a formidable force in shaping market narratives.
The 2021 AMC and GameStop saga, where retail traders organized to counter short sellers, highlighted their influence.
Fast forward to 2025, and these investors are now vocally demanding that U.S. regulators adopt a short selling ban similar to South Korea’s aggressive measures.
South Korea implemented a blanket ban on short selling in November 2023, extended into 2025, to curb market manipulation and protect retail investors.
The ban was spurred by evidence of “naked” short selling—where shares are sold without being borrowed—and concerns that foreign hedge funds were destabilizing local markets.
The Korea Exchange reported that the ban reduced volatility in the KOSPI index by 12% within six months, while retail participation in the market surged by 18%, according to data from the Financial Supervisory Service.
U.S. retail investors argue that a similar ban would level the playing field.
On platforms like X, hashtags like #BanShortSelling and #ProtectRetail have trended, with users citing cases where short sellers allegedly manipulated stocks like AMC Entertainment, GameStop, and Bed Bath & Beyond.
A petition on Change.org, launched in March 2025, has garnered over 500,000 signatures, urging the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) to impose a temporary short selling ban to investigate “abusive practices.”
The petition claims that short sellers exploit loopholes, such as failure-to-deliver shares, to artificially depress stock prices.
Retail investors also point to South Korea’s success in boosting market confidence.
“South Korea showed that banning short selling can stabilize markets and give retail a fair shot,” tweeted @StockSentry, an investor account with 200,000 followers.
However, critics, including the Managed Funds Association, argue that a ban would reduce liquidity and hinder price discovery.
A 2025 study by the CFA Institute estimated that a U.S. short selling ban could decrease trading volumes by 15% and widen bid-ask spreads by 8%, potentially harming institutional and retail investors alike, per the report.
For now, retail investors remain vigilant, using social media to amplify their demands and pressure regulators.
India’s Crackdown on Illegal Short Selling and Market Spoofing
While U.S. retail investors push for systemic change, India is taking decisive action against illegal short selling and market manipulation.
In a landmark case reported yesterday, India’s Securities and Exchange Board (SEBI) barred a stockbroker for engaging in “spoofing”—a practice where traders place and quickly cancel orders to manipulate stock prices.
This move underscores India’s broader efforts to protect its markets from predatory practices, including unauthorized short selling.
The SEBI case involved a broker who used spoofing to create false market signals, enabling short sellers to profit from artificially depressed prices.
SEBI’s investigation revealed that the broker executed over 10,000 spoofing trades across 50 stocks in 2024, generating illicit profits of ₹20 crore (approximately $2.4 million).
The regulator imposed a lifetime ban on the broker and a fine of ₹5 crore ($600,000), sending a strong message to market participants.
India’s regulatory framework for short selling is already stringent.
Unlike the U.S., where short selling is broadly permitted, India restricts it to institutional investors and requires strict reporting of short positions.
SEBI’s 2025 guidelines mandate that all short sales be flagged in real-time, with non-compliance penalties ranging from ₹1 lakh ($1,200) to ₹1 crore ($120,000) per violation.
Additionally, SEBI has deployed AI-driven surveillance systems to detect patterns of naked short selling and spoofing, identifying 300 suspicious cases in 2024 alone.
India’s crackdown aligns with its goal of fostering retail investor confidence.
The National Stock Exchange reported a 25% increase in retail trading accounts in 2024, driven by young investors entering the market.
“SEBI’s actions show that regulators are serious about protecting small investors from manipulation,” said Ankit Sharma, a Mumbai-based financial analyst.
However, some argue that India’s restrictions may deter legitimate short selling, which can expose corporate fraud.
A 2024 report by the Economic Times noted that short selling helped uncover accounting irregularities in three listed Indian companies, saving investors an estimated ₹500 crore ($60 million).
Related: A Congresswoman Now Introduces Bill To End FINRA
EU Urged to Scrap Short Seller Disclosure Rules
Across the Atlantic, the European Union faces a different kind of pressure: to loosen its short selling regulations.
A Bloomberg article from April 29, 2025, reported that the Managed Funds Association (MFA) is urging the EU to follow the UK’s lead and scrap rules requiring investors to disclose short positions of 0.5% or more in a company.
The EU’s current Short Selling Regulation (SSR), enacted in 2012, mandates public disclosure to promote transparency and deter market abuse.
However, the MFA argues that these rules harm short sellers by exposing their strategies to competitors.
“Disclosure allows other market participants to copy their investment strategy on the cheap,” said Rob Hailey, Europe head of the MFA.
The UK, post-Brexit, raised its disclosure threshold to 0.8% in 2024, prompting calls for the EU to align.
The debate has sparked mixed reactions.
Proponents of disclosure, including the European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA), argue that transparency prevents manipulative short selling.
ESMA data shows that disclosed short positions in EU markets dropped by 10% between 2020 and 2024, suggesting the rules deter excessive bearish bets.
For now, the European Commission is reviewing the MFA’s proposal, with a decision expected by Q3 2025.
Also Read: Trump Is Now Taking on Illegal Short Selling After Threat
The Global Context: Balancing Innovation and Protection
The push to regulate short selling reflects a broader tension in global markets: balancing financial innovation with investor protection.
Short selling can expose fraud and ensure efficient pricing, but unchecked, it can also enable manipulation and erode trust.
The U.S., India, and the EU each face unique challenges in addressing these issues.
- United States: Retail investors’ demand for a South Korea-style ban highlights a growing distrust in market fairness. While a blanket ban seems unlikely, the SEC could tighten rules on naked short selling or enhance reporting requirements.
- India: SEBI’s aggressive enforcement, including its crackdown on spoofing, positions India as a leader in combating market manipulation. However, overly restrictive rules risk stifling legitimate short selling.
- European Union: The debate over disclosure rules underscores the challenge of fostering transparency without undermining market efficiency. The EU’s decision will likely influence global regulatory trends.
Also Read: Trump Media Says Senator Warren Has Protected Hedge Funds and Naked Short Selling
A Call for Nuanced Regulation
As retail investors in the U.S. rally for a short selling ban, India punishes illegal practices, and the EU reconsiders disclosure rules, one thing is clear: short selling is under scrutiny like never before.
Regulators must navigate a delicate balance—curbing abuse without stifling the benefits of short selling.
For retail investors, the fight is about fairness and transparency.
For regulators, it’s about maintaining market integrity in an increasingly complex financial landscape.
By learning from South Korea’s ban, India’s enforcement, and the EU’s transparency debate, global regulators can craft policies that protect investors while preserving market efficiency.
The road ahead will require collaboration, innovation, and a commitment to ensuring that markets work for everyone—not just the few.
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Also Read: Investors now urge President Trump to investigate naked short selling in formal letter
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