Trading 212 regulation & licences
Our take
Trading 212 is a UK/Bulgarian fintech founded in 2004. It is authorised by the FCA in the UK and by Bulgaria's FSC in the EU, and it also has CySEC and ASIC-licensed entities.
Best suited to: Beginners who want a simple app for CFDs and investing
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
Trading 212 is a multi-asset broker founded in 2004 and headquartered in United Kingdom.
In our database Trading 212 is matched to 4 licences from ASIC, FCA, CySEC and FSC (BG). At the top of that list, the ASIC (Australia) and the FCA (United Kingdom) are among the regulators we classify as tier 1 — regulators that combine high capital requirements with meaningful retail protections.
Depending on the entity, eligible clients may be covered by FSCS (FCA), Investor Compensation Fund (ICF) (CySEC) and Investor Compensation Fund (FSC (BG)). Negative balance protection is mandatory for retail clients under ASIC, FCA, CySEC and FSC (BG) rules. Retail leverage caps apply at the ASIC, FCA and CySEC-regulated entities (for example 30:1 on major FX pairs at ASIC).
Trading 212 provides access to its own proprietary platform. The advertised minimum deposit starts from about US$1 — minimums often vary by account type and entity.
Regulatory strengths
- FCA-authorised
- Very low minimum deposit
Points to check
- Proprietary platform only
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 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 FSC (BG) | Investor Compensation Fund — 90% up to BGN 40,000 | 30:1 on major FX pairs (ESMA rules) | Required for retail clients | Conciliation Commission for Payment Disputes |
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Trading 212 regulation FAQ
Is Trading 212 regulated?
Yes — in our database Trading 212 is matched to 4 licences: ASIC (Australia), FCA (United Kingdom), CySEC (Cyprus) and FSC (BG) (Bulgaria). 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 Trading 212 a tier-1 regulated broker?
Trading 212 holds 2 licences from regulators we classify as tier 1: ASIC and FCA.
Does Trading 212 accept US clients?
Trading 212 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 Trading 212 generally cannot accept US retail forex clients.
Is my money protected with Trading 212?
Clients of Trading 212's FCA, CySEC and FSC (BG)-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; Investor Compensation Fund — 90% up to BGN 40,000). Clients of other entities rely on segregation of funds and the firm's financial strength.
What is the minimum deposit at Trading 212?
Trading 212's advertised minimum deposit starts from about US$1. It can differ by account type, payment method and the entity you are onboarded to.
How can I verify Trading 212's licence?
Find the company name and licence number in Trading 212'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.