ActivTrades regulation & licences
Our take
ActivTrades was founded in 2001 and is authorised by the FCA, with further entities in The Bahamas and Portugal.
Best suited to: UK and European traders wanting additional insurance cover
Licences on record 3
1 Tier 1 — top-tier regulation
2 Tier 2 — strong regulation
3 Tier 3 — moderate regulation
Licences are matched from public sources and regulator registers, and entities change over time. A licence held by one company in a group does not cover clients of another. Always confirm on the official register.
Regulatory profile
ActivTrades is a forex & CFD broker founded in 2001 and headquartered in United Kingdom.
In our database ActivTrades is matched to 3 licences from FCA, CMVM and SCB. Most importantly, the FCA (United Kingdom) is among the regulators we classify as tier 1 — regulators that combine high capital requirements with meaningful retail protections.
Be aware that a single ActivTrades website can front several legal entities. Its FCA and CMVM-regulated companies serve local residents, while international clients are frequently handled by entities supervised by SCB, which offer much weaker safeguards.
Depending on the entity, eligible clients may be covered by FSCS (FCA) and Investor Compensation Scheme (SII) (CMVM). Negative balance protection is mandatory for retail clients under FCA and CMVM rules. Retail leverage caps apply at the FCA and CMVM-regulated entities (for example 30:1 on major FX pairs at FCA).
ActivTrades supports its own proprietary platform, MT4, MT5 and TradingView. The advertised minimum deposit starts at zero (no minimum) — minimums often vary by account type and entity.
Regulatory strengths
- FCA-authorised
Points to check
- Smaller global footprint
Protection by entity
| Regulator | Compensation | Retail leverage | Negative balance protection | Disputes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 FCA | FSCS — up to £85,000 per eligible client per firm | 30:1 on major FX pairs for retail clients (20:1 minors, gold and major indices) | Required for retail clients | Financial Ombudsman Service (FOS) |
| 2 CMVM | Investor Compensation Scheme (SII) — up to €25,000 | 30:1 on major FX pairs (ESMA rules) | Required for retail clients | CMVM complaints service |
| 3 SCB | No compensation scheme | No statutory cap | Not a regulatory requirement | SCB |
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ActivTrades regulation FAQ
Is ActivTrades regulated?
Yes — in our database ActivTrades is matched to 3 licences: FCA (United Kingdom), CMVM (Portugal) and SCB (Bahamas). Which of these protects you depends on the legal entity you open an account with. Always confirm the licence on the regulator's official register.
Is ActivTrades a tier-1 regulated broker?
ActivTrades holds 1 licence from regulators we classify as tier 1: FCA.
Does ActivTrades accept US clients?
ActivTrades is not matched to a CFTC/NFA registration in our database. Only CFTC-registered, NFA-member firms may offer retail forex to US residents, so ActivTrades generally cannot accept US retail forex clients.
Is my money protected with ActivTrades?
Clients of ActivTrades's FCA and CMVM-regulated entities may be eligible for statutory compensation (FSCS — up to £85,000 per eligible client per firm; Investor Compensation Scheme (SII) — up to €25,000). Clients of other entities rely on segregation of funds and the firm's financial strength.
What is the minimum deposit at ActivTrades?
ActivTrades advertises no fixed minimum deposit on its standard account, although some account types, payment methods or entities may require one.
How can I verify ActivTrades's licence?
Find the company name and licence number in ActivTrades's client agreement or website footer, then search it on the regulator's official register (linked from each licence on this page). Confirm that the website domain you use is listed on the register, and check the regulator's warning list for clones.