How to check a forex broker’s licence in a regulator’s register

Brokers are companies, not brands

A broker’s brand usually covers several companies in different countries, each with its own licence. The one that matters is the company that opens your account, and it depends on where you live. You find it in the account-opening documents, the client agreement and the website footer.

Step 1: write down the legal details

From the broker’s website, note:

• the full legal name of the company, for example “… Ltd”;
• the regulator and the licence or registration number;
• the registered address.

If a website shows a regulator’s logo but no licence number, treat it as a warning sign.

Step 2: search the official register

Go to the regulator’s own website — type the address yourself instead of following a link from the broker — and search its public register by licence number and by company name. Some of the registers we use:

• United Kingdom: the FCA’s Financial Services Register;
• Cyprus (EU): the list of regulated entities published by CySEC;
• Australia: ASIC’s professional registers;
• South Africa: the FSCA’s register of financial service providers;
• Kenya: the Capital Markets Authority’s list of licensees;
• Dubai International Financial Centre: the DFSA’s public register.

Step 3: check that the details match

• The legal name, licence number and address match what the broker shows.
• The status is active (authorised or licensed), not revoked, suspended or expired.
• Where the register lists websites, the broker’s domain is among them. Fraudsters copy the names and numbers of real firms (“clone firms”); a different domain, phone number or email address gives them away.
• The licence covers the activity you need, such as dealing in CFDs — not only giving advice or introducing clients.

Step 4: understand what the licence protects

Licences are not equal. Strong regulators require client money to be kept separate from the company’s own money, limit leverage for retail clients and run compensation schemes. The UK’s Financial Services Compensation Scheme covers eligible investment claims up to £85,000 per person per firm, and Cyprus’s Investor Compensation Fund up to €20,000. Offshore licences usually offer much less protection, even when the same brand holds a stronger licence elsewhere.

If you cannot find the company, or the details do not match, do not deposit.