ThinkMarkets regulation & licences
Our take
ThinkMarkets was founded in 2010 and is licensed by ASIC, the FCA, CySEC, the FSCA, the JFSA and CIMA.
Best suited to: Traders who want a broker with both ASIC/FCA and Japanese licences
Licences on record 6
1 Tier 1 — top-tier regulation
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
ThinkMarkets is a forex & CFD broker founded in 2010 and headquartered in Australia.
In our database ThinkMarkets is matched to 6 licences from ASIC, FCA, JFSA, CySEC, FSCA and CIMA. At the top of that list, the ASIC (Australia), the FCA (United Kingdom) 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.
Be aware that a single ThinkMarkets website can front several legal entities. Its ASIC and FCA-regulated companies serve local residents, while international clients are frequently handled by entities supervised by CIMA, which offer much weaker safeguards.
Depending on the entity, eligible clients may be covered by FSCS (FCA) and Investor Compensation Fund (ICF) (CySEC). Negative balance protection is mandatory for retail clients under ASIC, FCA and CySEC rules. Retail leverage caps apply at the ASIC, FCA and JFSA-regulated entities (for example 30:1 on major FX pairs at ASIC).
ThinkMarkets offers MT4, MT5, its own proprietary platform and TradingView. The advertised minimum deposit starts at zero (no minimum) — minimums often vary by account type and entity.
Regulatory strengths
- Licensed in Japan, UK and Australia
Points to check
- International clients may be held in Cayman entity
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) |
| 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 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 CIMA | No compensation scheme | No statutory cap | Not a regulatory requirement | CIMA |
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ThinkMarkets regulation FAQ
Is ThinkMarkets regulated?
Yes — in our database ThinkMarkets is matched to 6 licences: ASIC (Australia), FCA (United Kingdom), JFSA (Japan), CySEC (Cyprus), FSCA (South Africa) and CIMA (Cayman Islands). 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 ThinkMarkets a tier-1 regulated broker?
ThinkMarkets holds 3 licences from regulators we classify as tier 1: ASIC, FCA and JFSA.
Does ThinkMarkets accept US clients?
ThinkMarkets 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 ThinkMarkets generally cannot accept US retail forex clients.
Is my money protected with ThinkMarkets?
Clients of ThinkMarkets's FCA and CySEC-regulated entities may be eligible for statutory compensation (FSCS — up to £85,000 per eligible client per firm; 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 ThinkMarkets?
ThinkMarkets advertises no fixed minimum deposit on its standard account, although some account types, payment methods or entities may require one.
How can I verify ThinkMarkets's licence?
Find the company name and licence number in ThinkMarkets'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.