Halifax regulation & licences
Licences on record 2
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
Halifax is a multi-asset broker founded in 2008 and headquartered in Australia.
In our database Halifax is matched to 2 licences from ASIC and FMA (NZ). Most importantly, the ASIC (Australia) is among the regulators we classify as tier 1 — bodies with strict capital, client-money and conduct rules.
None of the regulators we have matched to Halifax 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. Negative balance protection is mandatory for retail clients under ASIC rules. Retail leverage caps apply at the ASIC-regulated entities (for example 30:1 on major FX pairs at ASIC).
Halifax provides access to MT4 and MT5.
Regulatory strengths
- Licensed by 1 tier-1 regulator (ASIC)
- Operating for about 18 years
- Negative balance protection required at some entities
Points to check
- No statutory compensation scheme at any matched regulator
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) |
| 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) |
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Halifax regulation FAQ
Is Halifax regulated?
Yes — in our database Halifax is matched to 2 licences: ASIC (Australia) and FMA (NZ) (New Zealand). 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 Halifax a tier-1 regulated broker?
Halifax holds 1 licence from regulators we classify as tier 1: ASIC.
Does Halifax accept US clients?
Halifax 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 Halifax generally cannot accept US retail forex clients.
Is my money protected with Halifax?
None of the regulators matched to Halifax in our database runs a compensation scheme for retail forex. Protection depends on client-money segregation and the broker's solvency.
How can I verify Halifax's licence?
Find the company name and licence number in Halifax'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.