EC Markets regulation & licences
Licences on record 4
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
EC Markets is a forex & CFD broker founded in 2011 and headquartered in United Kingdom.
In our database EC Markets is matched to 4 licences from ASIC, FCA, FMA (NZ) and FSCA. Most importantly, the ASIC (Australia) and the FCA (United Kingdom) 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 FSCS (FCA). Negative balance protection is mandatory for retail clients under ASIC and FCA rules. Retail leverage caps apply at the ASIC and FCA-regulated entities (for example 30:1 on major FX pairs at ASIC).
EC Markets offers MT4 and MT5.
Regulatory strengths
- Licensed by 2 tier-1 regulators (ASIC and FCA)
- Operating for about 15 years
- Compensation scheme available at FCA entity
- Negative balance protection required at some entities
Points to check
- No specific concerns from our licence data
Protection by entity
| Regulator | Compensation | Retail leverage | Negative balance protection | Disputes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 ASIC | No statutory compensation fund for OTC derivatives; complaints go to AFCA | 30:1 on major FX pairs for retail clients since March 2021 | Required for retail clients | Australian Financial Complaints Authority (AFCA) |
| 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 FMA (NZ) | No compensation scheme; approved dispute resolution schemes | No fixed statutory cap; conduct and disclosure rules apply | Not a regulatory requirement | Approved dispute resolution schemes (e.g. FSCL, IFSO) |
| 2 FSCA | No compensation scheme; FAIS Ombud handles complaints | No statutory retail leverage cap | Not a regulatory requirement | FAIS Ombud |
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EC Markets regulation FAQ
Is EC Markets regulated?
Yes — in our database EC Markets is matched to 4 licences: ASIC (Australia), FCA (United Kingdom), FMA (NZ) (New Zealand) and FSCA (South Africa). 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 EC Markets a tier-1 regulated broker?
EC Markets holds 2 licences from regulators we classify as tier 1: ASIC and FCA.
Does EC Markets accept US clients?
EC Markets 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 EC Markets generally cannot accept US retail forex clients.
Is my money protected with EC Markets?
Clients of EC Markets's FCA-regulated entity may be eligible for statutory compensation (FSCS — up to £85,000 per eligible client per firm). Clients of other entities rely on segregation of funds and the firm's financial strength.
How can I verify EC Markets's licence?
Find the company name and licence number in EC Markets'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.