Brokers
Forex broker profiles
Who regulates each broker, under which licence numbers, and which platforms you can trade on. Facts come from brokers' legal disclosures and regulators' registers, with the sources listed on every profile.
We may earn a commission when you open an account through links on these pages. It never changes the facts or the order. How FTC makes money
| Broker | Top-tier regulators | Other regulators | Platforms | Retail CFD accounts losing money | Profile |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Interactive Brokers US multi-asset broker with licences in the UK, Ireland, Australia and Singapore | ASIC · CBI · FCA · MAS · NFA | — | Trader Workstation, IBKR Desktop, Client Portal, IBKR Mobile | Not published | View profile |
| AvaTrade Dublin-based broker regulated by the Central Bank of Ireland, ASIC and the FSCA | ASIC · CBI · CySEC | FSCA | MetaTrader 4, MetaTrader 5, AvaTradeGO | Not published | View profile |
| eToro Social and copy-trading platform founded in 2007, licensed by the FCA, CySEC and ASIC | ASIC · CySEC · FCA | FSA (SC) | eToro web platform, eToro app | 51% | View profile |
| Pepperstone Melbourne broker licensed by the FCA, ASIC and CySEC, with MetaTrader, cTrader and TradingView | ASIC · CySEC · FCA | SCB | TradingView, MetaTrader 5, MetaTrader 4, cTrader | 72.9% | View profile |
| Plus500 LSE-listed CFD provider on its own platform, licensed by the FCA, CySEC and ASIC | ASIC · CySEC · FCA | — | Plus500 WebTrader, Plus500 mobile apps | Not published | View profile |
| Exness Multi-entity broker founded in 2008, licensed by CySEC, the FCA and the FSCA among others | CySEC · FCA | FSCA | MetaTrader 4, MetaTrader 5 | Not published | View profile |
| FOREX.com StoneX-owned broker registered with the CFTC and NFA in the US and authorised by the FCA | FCA · NFA | — | FOREX.com web platform, FOREX.com mobile app, MetaTrader 4, MetaTrader 5 | Not published | View profile |
| FxPro Broker founded in 2006 with FCA, CySEC and FSCA licences and a Bahamas company | CySEC · FCA | FSCA · SCB | MetaTrader 4, MetaTrader 5, cTrader, FxPro platform and app | Not published | View profile |
| IC Markets Sydney-founded raw-spread broker on MetaTrader, cTrader and TradingView | ASIC · CySEC | FSA (SC) | MetaTrader 4, MetaTrader 5, cTrader, TradingView | Not published | View profile |
| OANDA US-registered forex dealer since 1996, also authorised by the FCA in the UK | FCA · NFA | — | OANDA web and mobile platforms, MetaTrader 4, TradingView | Not published | View profile |
| Tickmill Broker founded in 2014 with FCA, CySEC and FSCA licences, on MetaTrader and TradingView | CySEC · FCA | FSCA · FSA (SC) | MetaTrader 4, MetaTrader 5, TradingView, Tickmill Trader | Not published | View profile |
| XM Trading Point group brand, licensed in Cyprus since 2010 and in Belize for international clients | ASIC · CySEC | FSC (BZ) | MetaTrader 4, MetaTrader 5 | Not published | View profile |
| CMC Markets London CFD and spread betting provider in the market since 1989 | FCA | — | CMC web platform, CMC app, MetaTrader 4, TradingView | Not published | View profile |
| IG London spread betting and CFD provider founded in 1974, with three FCA-authorised UK companies | FCA | — | IG web platform, IG app, TradingView, MetaTrader 4 | 69% | View profile |
| Saxo Danish bank-owned multi-asset broker with an FCA-authorised UK company | FCA | — | SaxoInvestor, SaxoTrader | 60% | View profile |
CFDs are complex instruments and come with a high risk of losing money rapidly due to leverage. Loss rates are each broker's own published figure for one of its companies; the profile says which.
How profiles are built
Full method- Licences and legal entities come from the broker's disclosures and the regulators' registers.
- Every profile lists its sources and the date it was last checked.
- No star ratings: FTC hasn't tested every broker with a live account, so it doesn't pretend to.
- Brokers with more top-tier licences are listed first. Commissions don't change the order.
Before you open an account
- Find which company your account would be with, and check it on that regulator's register.
- Look at the broker's published share of retail accounts that lose money.
- Read the withdrawal terms and fees before depositing.
- Ignore anyone offering to trade for you or promising fixed returns.
Common questions
Which forex brokers are regulated by the FCA?
Of the brokers profiled on FTC, these have a company licensed by the UK Financial Conduct Authority: Interactive Brokers, eToro, Pepperstone, Plus500, Exness, FOREX.com, FxPro, OANDA, Tickmill, CMC Markets, IG, Saxo. A brand can hold that licence through one company and serve you through another, so check that the company named in your account agreement is the one on the register.
Which forex brokers are regulated by ASIC?
Of the brokers profiled on FTC, these have a company licensed by the Australian Securities and Investments Commission: Interactive Brokers, AvaTrade, eToro, Pepperstone, Plus500, IC Markets, XM. A brand can hold that licence through one company and serve you through another, so check that the company named in your account agreement is the one on the register.
Which forex brokers are regulated by CySEC?
Of the brokers profiled on FTC, these have a company licensed by the Cyprus Securities and Exchange Commission: AvaTrade, eToro, Pepperstone, Plus500, Exness, FxPro, IC Markets, Tickmill, XM. A brand can hold that licence through one company and serve you through another, so check that the company named in your account agreement is the one on the register.
How do I check if a forex broker is regulated?
Find the name and licence number of the company you would deal with in the broker's website footer or client agreement, then look it up on the regulator's own register, such as the FCA Financial Services Register in the UK or ASIC's professional register in Australia. Check that the website listed on the register matches the one you are using: clone firms copy the details of real, authorised companies.
Is an offshore-regulated broker safe?
Offshore licences, such as those issued in Seychelles, the Bahamas or Belize, come with lighter capital rules and fewer client protections than top-tier regulators, and usually allow much higher leverage. Many large brands serve clients in some countries through an offshore company, so check which entity your account would be with before you deposit.