To check if a forex broker is regulated, find the name of the legal entity in the footer of its website, search that name or its licence number on the regulator’s official register, and confirm that the register shows the same company, the same website and permission to deal with retail clients.
What do I need before I start?
You need the exact legal name of the company and the regulator it names. Both should appear in the footer of the broker’s website and in the client agreement. A brand name such as a logo or domain is not enough, because one brand usually runs several companies.
How do I check the licence, step by step?
- Write down the legal entity name and licence number from the broker’s website.
- Go to the regulator’s register by typing its address yourself or using our regulator pages. Do not follow a link supplied by the broker.
- Search for the number or the name.
- Compare the registered name, address and website with the ones you were given.
- Read the permissions: the firm must be allowed to deal with retail clients in the product you want.
What are the warning signs?
Treat any mismatch as a warning. Common signs are a web address that differs from the one on the register, a licence number that belongs to a different company, a firm that is “registered” in a jurisdiction that does not regulate forex, and pressure to deposit quickly.
Is a licence anywhere good enough?
No. A licence only protects you if it belongs to the entity that holds your account, and regulators differ widely in what they require. Read our guide to regulator tiers and use Broker Check to see which entity would serve your country.