Octa regulation & licences
Our take
Octa (formerly OctaFX) was founded in 2011 and holds a CySEC licence for its EU business, plus FSCA and FSC Mauritius licences. It has faced regulatory scrutiny in India, where the Enforcement Directorate took action in 2023–2024.
Best suited to: Emerging-market traders who want low deposits
Licences on record 3
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
Octa is a forex & CFD broker founded in 2011 and headquartered in Cyprus. Formerly OctaFX.
In our database Octa is matched to 3 licences from CySEC, FSCA and FSC (MU). Its strongest licences come from the CySEC and the FSCA, which we rate tier 2: credible supervision, but with fewer safeguards than the very strictest regulators.
Like many international brands, Octa combines onshore and offshore entities. Clients in the UK, EU or other markets where it holds a strong licence are usually onboarded there, while clients elsewhere may be placed with its FSC (MU)-licensed company. The protections differ substantially, so check which company is named in your client agreement.
Depending on the entity, eligible clients may be covered by Investor Compensation Fund (ICF) (CySEC). Negative balance protection is mandatory for retail clients under CySEC rules. Retail leverage caps apply at the CySEC-regulated entities (for example 30:1 on major FX pairs at CySEC).
Octa supports MT4, MT5 and its own proprietary platform. The advertised minimum deposit starts from about US$25 — minimums often vary by account type and entity.
Regulatory strengths
- CySEC-licensed EU entity
- Low minimum deposit
Points to check
- Regulatory issues in India
- Global clients mostly via offshore entities
Protection by entity
| Regulator | Compensation | Retail leverage | Negative balance protection | Disputes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 CySEC | Investor Compensation Fund (ICF) — up to €20,000 | 30:1 on major FX pairs (ESMA rules) | Required for retail clients | Financial Ombudsman of Cyprus |
| 2 FSCA | No compensation scheme; FAIS Ombud handles complaints | No statutory retail leverage cap | Not a regulatory requirement | FAIS Ombud |
| 3 FSC (MU) | No compensation scheme | No statutory cap | Not a regulatory requirement | Office of the Ombudsperson for Financial Services |
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Octa regulation FAQ
Is Octa regulated?
Yes — in our database Octa is matched to 3 licences: CySEC (Cyprus), FSCA (South Africa) and FSC (MU) (Mauritius). 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 Octa a tier-1 regulated broker?
No. None of the licences we have matched to Octa is from a tier-1 regulator. Its strongest licence is tier 2.
Does Octa accept US clients?
Octa 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 Octa generally cannot accept US retail forex clients.
Is my money protected with Octa?
Clients of Octa's CySEC-regulated entity may be eligible for statutory compensation (Investor Compensation Fund (ICF) — 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 Octa?
Octa's advertised minimum deposit starts from about US$25. It can differ by account type, payment method and the entity you are onboarded to.
How can I verify Octa's licence?
Find the company name and licence number in Octa'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.