STRK — Editorial Policy

Last Updated: February 2026

1. Purpose

This Editorial Policy sets out the standards and principles that govern all content published by STRK on strk.com, the STRK blog, social media channels, and any other official STRK communications. It ensures that our content is accurate, fair, transparent, and compliant with applicable regulations.

2. Scope

This policy applies to:

All pages on strk.com (including product pages, landing pages, and programmatic SEO pages)
Blog posts published at strk.com/blog
Social media posts on official STRK accounts
Email communications (marketing, transactional, and support)
In-app messaging and notifications
Any other content published or distributed under the STRK brand

3. Editorial Principles

3.1 Accuracy

All content must be factually accurate and current at the time of publication. Claims about products, services, features, fees, and performance must be substantiated and verifiable. If information becomes outdated, it must be updated or removed promptly.

3.2 Fairness and balance

Benefits and risks must receive equal prominence. Risk information must not be hidden in fine print, presented in smaller font, or de-emphasised through design.
Comparisons with competitors must be factual, fair, and verifiable. We do not make claims we cannot substantiate.
We do not use misleading headlines, clickbait, or sensationalist language.

3.3 Transparency

STRK's role as a facilitator (not a direct provider of regulated services) must be clear wherever relevant.
The identity of regulated service providers (Equals Money PLC, Safeheron, 28 STRK Limited) must be disclosed where required.
Safeguarding and FSCS limitations must be prominently stated on every page that references regulated products or services.
Sponsored content, partnerships, and influencer collaborations must be clearly labelled.

3.4 Clarity

Content is written in plain English.
Financial jargon is explained on first use.
We use the active voice, second person ("you"), and short sentences.
We avoid vague or ambiguous terms. Specific, concrete language is always preferred.

3.5 Inclusivity

Content does not discriminate on the basis of race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, disability, religion, age, or any other protected characteristic.
We use gender-neutral language.
Content is designed to be accessible to users with disabilities (WCAG 2.1 AA compliance target).

4. Regulatory Compliance

4.1 FCA Financial Promotions Guidance

All content that constitutes a financial promotion must comply with the FCA's financial promotions rules and the guidance provided by Equals Group PLC's Regulatory Compliance Team. This means:

Content must be fair, clear, and not misleading.
Risk warnings must have equal visual prominence to benefit claims (same font size, contrast, and placement weight).
No claims of guarantees, risk-free returns, or FSCS protection for e-money accounts.
All factual claims must be substantiated and current.

4.2 Prohibited language

The following terms are prohibited across all STRK content:

"Guaranteed," "risk-free," "100% safe"
"Instant" (unless always true without exception)
"FSCS protected" or "deposit protected" (e-money is NOT FSCS-covered)
"Bank account" (STRK provides e-money accounts)
"Act now," "Don't miss out" (unless urgency is genuine and evidenced)
"Best rates," "market leading" (unless independently substantiated)
"Free" (unless genuinely unconditional)
"Safe investment" (cryptoassets are not safe investments)

4.3 Required disclaimers

The following disclaimers must be included where relevant, but need not appear on every page:

Safeguarding statement (required on product pages, account opening pages, and pages that prominently feature regulated services):

Your funds are safeguarded in accordance with the FCA's safeguarding requirements for e-money and payment services. This means your money is held in segregated bank accounts and protected in case of insolvency. Please note: your funds are not covered by the Financial Services Compensation Scheme (FSCS).

Crypto risk warning (required on all pages that mention cryptoassets, crypto features, or crypto-related services):

⚠️ Cryptoasset values can go down as well as up. You could lose some or all of your money. Cryptoassets are not covered by the Financial Services Compensation Scheme (FSCS).

Placement guidance:

Disclaimers should be prominently placed and easily visible
They should have equal visual prominence to benefit claims
They may appear in footers, sidebars, or dedicated sections depending on page layout
Informational or educational pages that only briefly mention services may link to full disclaimers rather than including them inline

4.4 Approval workflow

All pages and content changes that constitute financial promotions must be submitted to the Equals Group Regulatory Compliance Team for approval before publication. SLA: 5 working days for websites; 3 working days for 2 or fewer items. Subsequent amends: 4 working days.

5. Content Categories and Standards

5.1 Product pages

Must accurately describe the features, eligibility requirements, and limitations of the relevant Service.
Must include applicable disclaimers and risk warnings.
Must not overstate capabilities or omit material restrictions.
Fees and exchange rate information must direct users to the Fees Schedule or in-app disclosure.

5.2 Blog content

Informational and educational in nature. Blog posts are not financial, investment, or tax advice.
All factual claims must be sourced. Sources should be credited where appropriate.
Blog posts that reference STRK products must include relevant disclaimers.
Each blog post must include a disclaimer footer: "This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial, investment, or tax advice. You should seek independent professional advice before making financial decisions."

5.3 Social media

All social media posts promoting regulated services must comply with the FCA financial promotions rules.
Character-limited posts (e.g., tweets, TikTok captions) must include a clear link to full information.
Influencer and sponsored content must be clearly labelled (e.g., #ad, #sponsored, #partnership) and submitted for compliance review before publication.
Social media content must not make claims that cannot be substantiated within the post or via an immediate link.

5.4 Email communications

Marketing emails require prior opt-in consent (GDPR/ePrivacy compliance).
Every marketing email must include an unsubscribe link.
Transactional emails (e.g., transaction confirmations, security alerts) do not require marketing consent but must not include promotional content unless the user has opted in.

5.5 User-generated content

If STRK features or republishes user-generated content (testimonials, reviews, social media reposts):

The content must be genuine and not incentivised in a way that creates a misleading impression.
We must have the user's consent.
If the content constitutes a financial promotion, it must be reviewed for compliance before use.
Testimonials must be representative and must not cherry-pick atypical outcomes.

6. Content Review and Governance

6.1 Editorial review

All content published on strk.com is reviewed by at least one authorised person before publication. Content that constitutes a financial promotion is additionally reviewed for regulatory compliance.

6.2 Content ownership

The editorial team is responsible for ensuring all content meets the standards set out in this policy. Ultimate responsibility lies with the leadership of Empyrean Cards - IT Solutions Unipessoal Lda.

6.3 Regular audits

Published content is audited at least quarterly to ensure ongoing accuracy and compliance. Outdated or non-compliant content is updated or removed.

6.4 Error correction

If we identify an error in published content, we will correct it promptly. Significant corrections will be noted (e.g., "Updated [date]: [description of change]").

7. Separation of Editorial and Commercial Content

Editorial content (blog posts, educational articles) is clearly separated from product pages and promotional content. Blog posts are written to inform and educate, not to sell. Where a blog post includes links to STRK product pages, this is for user convenience and clearly presented — not disguised as editorial recommendation.

8. AI-Generated Content

Where content is created or substantially assisted by artificial intelligence tools:

It is reviewed and verified by a human editor before publication.
Factual claims are independently checked.
AI-generated content is held to the same accuracy, compliance, and editorial standards as human-written content.
We do not currently label content as AI-generated, but all content — regardless of how it is produced — meets the standards in this policy.

9. Cryptoasset Content Standards

Content related to cryptoassets is held to a higher editorial standard due to the risks involved:

Every mention of cryptoassets must be accompanied by the crypto risk warning (see Section 4.3).
We do not provide investment advice or make predictions about cryptoasset prices.
We do not endorse specific cryptoassets for investment purposes.
Educational content about cryptoassets must clearly state that it is for informational purposes only.
Crypto content must not create an impression that gains are likely, easy, or guaranteed.

10. Corrections, Complaints, and Feedback

If you believe any content on strk.com is inaccurate, misleading, or non-compliant, please contact us:

Email: editorial@strk.com
Post: Editorial Team, Empyrean Cards - IT Solutions Unipessoal Lda, Rua do Miradouro, nº 19, Belém, Lisboa, 1400-250, Portugal

We will review all reports promptly and take corrective action where warranted.

11. Internal Brand Rules

The following brand rules are enforced across all content:

STRK is the public-facing brand name and a trademark. Empyrean Cards - IT Solutions Unipessoal Lda has the right to use the STRK trademark.
STRK's role as a facilitator (not direct provider) of regulated services must be accurately represented wherever relevant.

12. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Editorial Policy from time to time. Material changes will be reflected in the "Last Updated" date at the top of this document.