How do you check whether a forex broker is CFTC regulated?

The National Futures Association runs BASIC, a free search that lets anyone research firms and individuals in the derivatives industry. You can search a firm by name or by its NFA ID (NFA BASIC). It is the place to check the registration of a US-facing firm, and the Commodity Futures Trading Commission is the regulator behind it.

A simple check takes three steps:

1. Take the exact legal name of the company that will hold your account from the account agreement, not only the brand name on the website.
2. Search that name, or the NFA ID if the broker gives one, in BASIC, and compare the entry with the name in the agreement.
3. If the company does not appear, treat that as a question to put to the broker before you deposit.

The how to check whether a forex broker is regulated guide covers the same steps for other regulators. Offshore vs top-tier regulation explains what the difference means for you. An earlier discussion, how did you verify your broker's regulation?, is worth reading too.

Questions for members:

1. Which name did you find on the website, and which name did the account agreement use?
2. Did you check BASIC or another register before your first deposit? What did you find?
3. What would you accept as proof that a firm serving US clients is registered?