Finding a forex broker starts with one simple question: is the company actually regulated where it says it is? A licence number on a broker's site is a claim, not proof. This guide shows how to check that claim on the regulator's own public register before you send any money, and what to look for once you find the entry.
Reasons to Verify the Regulation First
A authorisation from a strong regulator may offer real safeguards, such as segregated client funds and, in some jurisdictions, a compensation scheme. But, authorisations change: firms are sold, rebranded, sanctioned or lose their authorisation. Other firms only hold an offshore company registration, which is not a forex licence at all.
What Protection a Licence Usually Brings
Requirements differ click here by country, but leading regulators generally require brokers to keep client money in separate bank accounts, hold a minimum amount of capital, report to the regulator and follow conduct rules on marketing and leverage. In the UK, eligible clients of a failed firm may be covered by the Financial Services Compensation Scheme. In the European Union, investor compensation funds offer a smaller level of cover. Many offshore jurisdictions offer none of this, so the same brand can give very different protection based on which of its companies opens your account.
Companies Covered on FXSharp
The companies below have an independent review on FXSharp. Most hold licences from recognised regulators, while several also onboard clients through offshore entities with weaker protection. Find out which company would actually open your account, and read the review prior to opening an account.
- Pepperstone
- copyright
- Interactive Brokers
- Saxo Bank
- Charles Schwab
- Webull
- Admirals
- Axi
- Libertex
- RoboForex
- InstaForex
- PU Prime
- StoneX
- Mitrade
- ADSS
- TD365
- Spreadex
- ProRealTime
- GKFX
- AMP Global
Steps to Check a Licence Yourself
Look up the full company name and licence number in the legal section of the broker's site or in its client agreement. Then, go to the regulator's site directly, not through a link from the broker, and search its public register. Look up by company name as well as by number, because some registers do not display licence numbers at all. Compare the company name, licence status, licence type and, if listed, the approved website address.
Red Flags to Watch For
Be careful if the register shows a similar but different company name, a licence marked as revoked, suspended or surrendered, or a website address that is not the one you are using. Fraudsters often copy the name and licence number of a genuine company, so look at the regulator's warning list for clone firms too. Pressure to deposit quickly, promises of guaranteed returns and requests to pay through unusual channels are further warning signs, whatever the website claims about regulation.
Verify Again Over Time
A licence that was active when you opened an account may not stay that way. Brokers merge, sell their client books, move clients to another entity or lose their authorisation. Checking the register again before a large deposit or a withdrawal costs nothing, and supervisors often publish notices when a firm's status changes.
Overall, a couple of minutes on the register may save you from a costly mistake. Trading in forex and CFDs carries a high risk of losing money, and verify first, then you invest.