Dukascopy regulation & licences
Our take
Dukascopy Bank is a Geneva-based bank supervised by FINMA, founded in 2004. It runs its own SWFX marketplace and JForex platform, with a Japanese subsidiary licensed by the JFSA and an EU arm authorised in Latvia.
Best suited to: Traders who want an ECN-style Swiss bank
Licences on record 3
1 Tier 1 — top-tier regulation
2 Tier 2 — strong 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
Dukascopy is a trading bank founded in 2004 and headquartered in Switzerland.
In our database Dukascopy is matched to 3 licences from FINMA, JFSA and Bank of Latvia. Most importantly, the FINMA (Switzerland) and the JFSA (Japan) are among the regulators we classify as tier 1 — regulators known for demanding capital and client-money standards and active enforcement.
Depending on the entity, eligible clients may be covered by esisuisse deposit protection up to CHF 100,000 (bank-licensed brokers) (FINMA) and Investor protection (Bank of Latvia). Negative balance protection is mandatory for retail clients under Bank of Latvia rules. Retail leverage caps apply at the FINMA, JFSA and Bank of Latvia-regulated entities (for example Set by the bank; typically up to 100:1 at FINMA).
Dukascopy provides access to its own proprietary platform, MT4 and MT5. The advertised minimum deposit starts from about US$100 — minimums often vary by account type and entity.
Regulatory strengths
- Swiss banking licence
- ECN-style marketplace
Points to check
- Platform and fee structure can be complex
Protection by entity
| Regulator | Compensation | Retail leverage | Negative balance protection | Disputes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 FINMA | esisuisse deposit protection up to CHF 100,000 (bank-licensed brokers) | Set by the bank; typically up to 100:1 for retail | Not a regulatory requirement | Swiss Banking Ombudsman |
| 1 JFSA | No compensation fund, but client funds must be held in a mandatory trust (kubun kanri shintaku) | 25:1 on FX for individual traders | Not a regulatory requirement | FINMAC (Financial Instruments Mediation Assistance Center) |
| 2 Bank of Latvia | Investor protection — up to €20,000 | 30:1 on major FX pairs (ESMA rules) | Required for retail clients | Latvijas Banka |
Trader reviews
No reviews yet. If you've used Dukascopy, share what withdrawals, support and execution were like.
Write a review of Dukascopy
Dukascopy regulation FAQ
Is Dukascopy regulated?
Yes — in our database Dukascopy is matched to 3 licences: FINMA (Switzerland), JFSA (Japan) and Bank of Latvia (Latvia). 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 Dukascopy a tier-1 regulated broker?
Dukascopy holds 2 licences from regulators we classify as tier 1: FINMA and JFSA.
Does Dukascopy accept US clients?
Dukascopy 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 Dukascopy generally cannot accept US retail forex clients.
Is my money protected with Dukascopy?
Clients of Dukascopy's FINMA and Bank of Latvia-regulated entities may be eligible for statutory compensation (esisuisse deposit protection up to CHF 100,000 (bank-licensed brokers); Investor protection — up to €20,000). Clients of other entities rely on segregation of funds and the firm's financial strength.
What is the minimum deposit at Dukascopy?
Dukascopy's advertised minimum deposit starts from about US$100. It can differ by account type, payment method and the entity you are onboarded to.
How can I verify Dukascopy's licence?
Find the company name and licence number in Dukascopy'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.