Directory
Forex broker directory: licences A–Z
A listing of all 20 forex brokers in our data with the 152 licensed or registered companies behind them. 128 of those companies were matched on the regulator’s register (latest check 20 Oct 2026); the rest are shown as the broker publishes them. Alphabetical, not ranked.
- 19 Oct 2026latest broker data check
Low Spread Brokers does not give personal investment advice.
Quick answer
How do you check a forex broker’s licence?
Find the company name and licence number in the footer of the broker’s website, then search that number on the regulator’s own register: the FCA Register in the UK, ASIC’s Professional Registers in Australia, CySEC’s list of investment firms in the EU. The name, status and contact details there must match the company on your account application. A licensed forex broker is a company, not a brand: Plus500 alone has 14 companies in our data.
- 128 of 152 companies in our data were matched on the registers; the rest are labelled “as published by the broker”.
- 17 of 20 brands also run an offshore company, where leverage is higher and the FCA, CySEC and ASIC retail rules do not apply.
- Licences that do not open retail accounts in our data: Exness (CySEC), Exness (FCA), FXCM (FCA), FXCM (ASIC) and Tickmill (DFSA).
All brokers A–Z
Every broker in our data, alphabetically, with a chip for each regulator it works under. Click a chip to open that company’s register entry where we have one. Broker data up to 19 Oct 2026.
Alphabetical order, not a ranking. We have no affiliate or advertising agreements with brokers, so no place in this table is paid.
| Broker | Regulators | Min. deposit | Platforms | Score | Review |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admirals (Admiral Markets) | CySECFCAFSA SeychellesASICFSCA | €100 | MT4, MT5, proprietary | 7.8 | Not published |
| AvaTrade | Central Bank of IrelandASICJFSAADGM FSRACySECFSCACMA KenyaBVI FSC | $100 | MT4, MT5, TradingView, proprietary | 7.4 | Not published |
| CMC Markets | FCAFCABaFinASICFMAMASCIRODFSA | £0 | MT4, TradingView, proprietary | 7.9 | Not published |
| eToro | FCACySECASICFSA SeychellesFSRAMASSEC / FINRAFinCEN | Not published | proprietary | 6.0 | Read review |
| Exness | FSA SeychellesCBCSBVI FSCFSC BelizeFSC MauritiusFSCACMA KenyaJSCCySECFCA | Not published | MT4, MT5, proprietary | 5.0 | Not published |
| FP Markets | ASICCySECFSCAFSA Seychelles | $50 | MT4, MT5, cTrader, TradingView, proprietary, Iress | 8.0 | Not published |
| FXCM | FCACySECASICFSCAUnregulatedISACIRO | $50 | MT4, TradingView, proprietary, API | 6.4 | Not published |
| FxPro | FCACySECFSCASCB | Not published | MT4, MT5, cTrader, TradingView, proprietary | 7.6 | Not published |
| IC Markets | ASICCySECFSA SeychellesSCB | $0 | MT4, MT5, cTrader, TradingView, proprietary | 8.1 | Read review |
| IG | FCAFCAFCABaFinASICFMAFINMAMASDFSAJFSAFSCABMACFTC/NFA | £1 | MT4, MT5, TradingView, proprietary, API, ProRealTime, L2 Dealer | 8.0 | Read review |
| Interactive Brokers | SEC / CFTCFCADFSACentral Bank of IrelandASICCIROMASJFSASFC Hong Kong | $0 | proprietary | 6.2 | Read review |
| OANDA | CFTC / NFAFCAKNFASICCIROMASJFSABVI FSC | $0 | MT4, MT5, TradingView, proprietary | 8.1 | Read review |
| Pepperstone | FCACySECBaFinASICDFSACMA (UAE)CMA KenyaSCB | £10 | MT4, MT5, cTrader, TradingView, proprietary | 8.6 | Read review |
| Plus500 | FCACySECFinantsinspektsioonASICFMAFSCAMASDFSASCAJFSACIROFSA SeychellesSCBIsrael (regulator not named) | A$100 | proprietary | 6.3 | Not published |
| Saxo | Danish FSAFCAMASFINMAJFSA | £0 | TradingView, proprietary, API | 7.4 | Read review |
| ThinkMarkets | FCACySECASICASICDFSAFSCAFSA SeychellesCIMAFMAUnregulated | $10 | MT4, MT5, TradingView, proprietary | 7.6 | Not published |
| Tickmill | FCADFSACySECFSCAFSA Seychelles | $100 | MT4, MT5, TradingView, proprietary, CQG, Trading Technologies | 7.8 | Not published |
| Vantage | FCAASICFSCACIMAVFSCFSC Mauritius | $50 | MT4, MT5, TradingView, proprietary | 8.0 | Read review |
| XM | CySECDFSAFSCAFSC BelizeFSA SeychellesFSC MauritiusBVI FSCCMA KenyaSCA/CMA | $5 | MT4, MT5, TradingView | 7.2 | Not published |
| XTB | KNFFCACySECFSC BelizeDFSASCAFSA SeychellesCMF ChileBappebti | $0 | proprietary | 7.2 | Read review |
What the score is
A preliminary desk score from published terms: costs, platforms, regulation and accounts. No live account has been tested yet.
Where the licences come from
Each company and number as the broker publishes it, matched on the regulator’s register where a date is shown. Broker data up to 19 Oct 2026.
No bonuses listed
FCA, CySEC and ASIC rules bar incentives to trade CFDs for retail clients, and we list no bonus for any company.
Check a forex broker licence before you deposit
On the regulator’s own register, not through a link the broker sends you. Links opened 21 Oct 2026.
- 1Copy the company name and licence number from the broker’s website footer
- 2Search the number on the regulator’s register
- 3Match the company name, status, permissions and contact details
- 4Check the regulator’s warnings for clones of the firm
Registers
- FCA Financial Services Register
- ASIC registers (Professional Registers, banned and disqualified)
- CySEC: Cypriot investment firms
- CySEC non-approved domains
Spot a clone firm
The FCA describes clones as scammers using a genuine firm’s name, address or reference number, or a copy of its website with small changes. Contact a firm only through the details on the register.
FCA, CySEC and ASIC: the same leverage caps, different safety nets
All three cap retail leverage at 30:1 on major currency pairs and require negative balance protection. They differ on what happens if the firm fails: the UK has the FSCS, Cyprus the Investor Compensation Fund, and Australia no scheme for CFD accounts.
- Tier 1Our class for regulators such as the FCA, ASIC and CySEC, with retail leverage caps and negative balance protection
- Tier 2Our class for regulators such as the FSCA (South Africa); protections vary
- OffshoreOur class for regulators such as the FSA Seychelles; higher leverage never adds to a score
One brand, several companies
Plus500 has 14 companies in our data. Your country of residence decides which one opens your account.
A number you can check
FCA firm reference number, ASIC AFSL, CySEC CIF licence: each is searchable on the regulator’s own site.
Open the FCA RegisterProtections follow the company
Leverage caps, negative balance protection and compensation come from the regulator of the company that holds your account.
Retail access is a separate fact
A licence can exist without retail accounts: Exness (CySEC), Exness (FCA) and FXCM (FCA) are examples in our data.
Three Tier 1 regulators side by side
Tier is our own class. Leverage, compensation and complaints rules are from each regulator’s or scheme’s own pages, opened 21 Oct 2026.
| Tier | Regulator | What it gives a retail client | Max. retail leverage, major FX | Register |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tier 1 | FCA · United Kingdom | Negative balance protection, 50% close-out, FSCS up to £85,000 per person per firm, Financial Ombudsman Service | 30:1 | FCA Register |
| Tier 1 | CySEC · Cyprus and the EU | Negative balance protection, 50% close-out, ICF: lower of 90% of the claim and €20,000, Financial Ombudsman of Cyprus | 30:1 | CySEC investment firms |
| Tier 1 | ASIC · Australia | Negative balance protection, standardised close-out, no compensation scheme for CFDs, AFCA complaints | 30:1 | ASIC registers |
What all three give a retail client
Leverage caps
30:1 on major currency pairs, down to 5:1 on shares.
Negative balance protection
Losses are limited to the funds in the CFD account.
Margin close-out
At 50% of required margin under FCA and CySEC rules; ASIC sets a standardised close-out.
No inducements
Firms may not offer cash or other incentives to trade CFDs.
Professional clients give up these protections; offshore companies of the same brands are not bound by them.
Retail leverage caps
| Underlying | FCA (UK) | CySEC (EU) | ASIC (AU) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Major currency pairs | 30:1 | 30:1 | 30:1 |
| Minor pairs, gold, major indices | 20:1 | 20:1 | 20:1 |
| Other commodities, minor indices | 10:1 | 10:1 | 10:1 |
| Individual shares | 5:1 | 5:1 | 5:1 |
| Cryptoassets | Banned for retail | 2:1 | 2:1 |
Sources: FCA PS19/18 (COBS 22.5.11) and the FCA ban on crypto derivatives (from 6 Jan 2021); CySEC national measures of 27 Sep 2019; ASIC CFD product intervention order (from 29 Mar 2021, extended to 23 May 2027). Opened 21 Oct 2026.
No bonuses on this site
FCA, CySEC and ASIC rules bar incentives to trade CFDs for retail clients.
We list no sign-up bonus, cashback or deposit offer for any company.
Published loss rates of brokers in this directory
Listed alphabetically · scale 0–100%
Source: each broker’s published risk warning, latest check 19 Oct 2026.
Whose figure this is
Each figure belongs to one company of the brand. The company that would hold your account may publish a different figure, and no figure here is a verdict on quality.
Compensation and complaints
UK: FSCS up to £85,000 per eligible person per firm if an investment firm fails; the Financial Ombudsman Service takes complaints within 6 months of the firm’s final response. Cyprus: the Investor Compensation Fund pays the lower of 90% of covered claims and €20,000; complaints go to the Financial Ombudsman of the Republic of Cyprus. Australia: no compensation scheme covers derivatives trading; complaints go to the firm, then to AFCA.
Something went wrong?
- 1Complain in writing to the company that holds your account
- 2Escalate to the ombudsman or complaints body named for that company
- 3Report a firm you think is unauthorised to the regulator
Spot a clone
Clones copy a real firm’s name and licence number onto a new website. CySEC publishes a list of domains no authorised Cypriot firm owns; the FCA keeps a Warning List of unauthorised firms.
Regulator rules checked 21 Oct 2026 · broker data up to 19 Oct 2026
Sources:FCA PS19/18: restricting CFD products sold to retail clients (COBS 22.5)FSCS: investments, what we coverCySEC press release, 27 September 2019: national measures restricting CFDsCySEC: Investor Compensation Fund, information for investorsASIC 20-254MR: product intervention order strengthens CFD protectionsCompensation Scheme of Last Resort: who can make a claim
Forex broker checklistWhere to go next
Risk warning:
CFDs are complex instruments and come with a high risk of losing money rapidly due to leverage. Most retail investor accounts lose money. Consider whether you understand how CFDs work and whether you can afford the high risk of losing your money.
Low Spread Brokers does not give personal investment advice.
FAQ
Forex broker directory: questions
Short answers from the regulators’ own pages (opened 21 Oct 2026) and from broker data collected up to 19 Oct 2026. Rules and licences change: check the register before you open an account.
Ask a questionWe cannot give personal investment advice.
1What is a licensed forex broker?
A company authorised by a financial regulator, listed on that regulator’s public register with a number you can search: an FRN on the FCA Register, an AFSL in ASIC’s records, a CIF licence number in CySEC’s list. A brand can run several such companies; Plus500 has 14 in our data.
Rules checked 21 Oct 2026 · broker data up to 19 Oct 2026
2How do I check a forex broker licence?
Search the licence number on the regulator’s own register and check that the company name, status and contact details match the website and your account application. Then search the regulator’s warnings: the FCA Warning List, CySEC’s non-approved domains list. If you cannot find a UK firm, the FCA’s consumer line is 0800 111 6768.
Rules checked 21 Oct 2026 · broker data up to 19 Oct 2026
3Why does one broker have several licences?
Brands run separate companies for different regions. Plus500 has 14 companies in our data; the one that opens your account depends on where you live.
Rules checked 21 Oct 2026 · broker data up to 19 Oct 2026
4Does a licence mean the broker takes retail clients?
No. In our data Exness (CySEC), Exness (FCA), FXCM (FCA), FXCM (ASIC) and Tickmill (DFSA) hold licences that do not open retail accounts.
Rules checked 21 Oct 2026 · broker data up to 19 Oct 2026
5Is an offshore licence as safe as an FCA, ASIC or CySEC licence?
Not in what it gives a retail client: the leverage caps and negative balance protection on this page come from FCA, CySEC and ASIC rules. 17 of the 20 brands in our data also run an offshore company, and its higher leverage never adds to a score here.
Rules checked 21 Oct 2026 · broker data up to 19 Oct 2026
6Do brokers pay to appear in this directory?
No. We have no affiliate or advertising agreements with brokers, and the order is alphabetical.
Rules checked 21 Oct 2026 · broker data up to 19 Oct 2026