Charles Schwab regulation & licences
Licences on record 1
1 Tier 1 — top-tier 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
Charles Schwab is a multi-asset broker founded in 1971 and headquartered in United States. Its parent company is publicly traded (NYSE:SCHW), which means audited financial statements are published regularly — a meaningful transparency advantage. Forex via Charles Schwab Futures and Forex LLC.
In our database Charles Schwab is matched to 1 licence from CFTC / NFA. Most importantly, the CFTC / NFA (United States) is among the regulators we classify as tier 1 — regulators known for demanding capital and client-money standards and active enforcement.
None of the regulators we have matched to Charles Schwab operates a statutory compensation scheme covering retail forex, so the safety of your deposit relies mainly on segregation of client funds and the broker's own financial strength. Retail leverage caps apply at the CFTC / NFA-regulated entities (for example 50:1 on major FX pairs, 20:1 on other pairs at CFTC / NFA).
Charles Schwab offers its own proprietary platform. The advertised minimum deposit starts at zero (no minimum) — minimums often vary by account type and entity.
Regulatory strengths
- Licensed by 1 tier-1 regulator (CFTC / NFA)
- Publicly listed group (NYSE:SCHW) with audited accounts
- Operating for about 55 years
Points to check
- No statutory compensation scheme at any matched regulator
Trader reviews
No reviews yet. If you've used Charles Schwab, share what withdrawals, support and execution were like.
Write a review of Charles Schwab
Charles Schwab regulation FAQ
Is Charles Schwab regulated?
Yes — in our database Charles Schwab is matched to 1 licence: CFTC / NFA (United States). 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 Charles Schwab a tier-1 regulated broker?
Charles Schwab holds 1 licence from regulators we classify as tier 1: CFTC / NFA.
Does Charles Schwab accept US clients?
Charles Schwab is matched to a CFTC/NFA registration in our database, so a US-regulated entity exists. US accounts are subject to 50:1 leverage caps, FIFO and no-hedging rules.
Is my money protected with Charles Schwab?
None of the regulators matched to Charles Schwab in our database runs a compensation scheme for retail forex. Protection depends on client-money segregation and the broker's solvency.
What is the minimum deposit at Charles Schwab?
Charles Schwab advertises no fixed minimum deposit on its standard account, although some account types, payment methods or entities may require one.
How can I verify Charles Schwab's licence?
Find the company name and licence number in Charles Schwab'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.