Guides to forex regulation and broker safety
Written by our research team in plain English, with links to the primary sources — the regulators themselves.
Country guides
Choosing a Forex Broker in South Africa: FSCA, FSP and ODP Explained
How South African forex regulation works, what an ODP licence means and how to check an FSP number.
7 min read · Updated 2026-09-24US Forex Regulation: NFA, FIFO, Hedging and Why Few Brokers Accept Americans
How the CFTC and NFA regulate retail forex in the United States and what it means for traders.
6 min read · Updated 2026-08-18Regulation
Is Forex Trading Legal in My Country? A Global Overview
Country-by-country summary of how retail forex trading is regulated, from the US and EU to India, Nigeria and South Africa.
9 min read · Updated 2026-09-22Forex Regulator Tiers Explained: Tier 1 vs Tier 2 vs Offshore
Why a licence from the FCA and a licence from Vanuatu are not the same thing — and how ForexLicenses.com groups regulators into four tiers.
7 min read · Updated 2026-09-18Onshore vs Offshore: Which Broker Entity Holds Your Account?
Big forex brands run several companies under different regulators. How to tell which one you signed up with and why it matters.
6 min read · Updated 2026-09-02Forex Leverage Limits by Country (2026)
Maximum retail leverage on major currency pairs in the UK, EU, US, Australia, Japan, Singapore and elsewhere — and why they exist.
6 min read · Updated 2026-09-15Retail vs Professional Client Status: What You Give Up
The criteria for opting up to professional status in the UK, EU and Australia, and which protections you lose.
5 min read · Updated 2026-08-05Safety
How to Verify a Forex Broker Licence in 5 Minutes
A step-by-step method to confirm that a forex broker is really licensed — and that you are dealing with the licensed entity, not a clone.
8 min read · Updated 2026-09-20Clone Firm Scams: How Fraudsters Copy Real Broker Licences
Clone firms borrow the name and licence number of a genuine regulated broker. Here is how they work and how to spot one.
6 min read · Updated 2026-09-12How to Complain About a Forex Broker (and Actually Get Results)
The escalation path from the broker's complaints team to the ombudsman and regulator, with links for each major jurisdiction.
6 min read · Updated 2026-08-22Protection
Investor Compensation Schemes Compared: FSCS, ICF, CIPF and More
What happens to your money if a regulated broker fails? A comparison of statutory compensation limits by country.
7 min read · Updated 2026-09-10Negative Balance Protection: What It Is and Who Must Offer It
Can you lose more than you deposit trading forex? Where negative balance protection is mandatory and where it is not.
5 min read · Updated 2026-09-08Segregated Client Funds: How Your Deposit Is (or Isn't) Protected
What segregation means, how UK CASS and Australian trust rules work, and why segregation alone is not a guarantee.
6 min read · Updated 2026-09-05What Happens If Your Forex Broker Goes Bust?
Lessons from Alpari UK, FXCM, MF Global and Global Brokers NZ — and what determines whether clients get their money back.
7 min read · Updated 2026-08-28Industry
Trading
ECN, STP and Market Maker Brokers Explained
How forex brokers execute your orders, where conflicts of interest arise and what regulation requires.
6 min read · Updated 2026-08-15MT4 vs MT5 vs cTrader vs TradingView: Which Platform?
A practical comparison of the most popular retail forex trading platforms and what to look for in a broker that supports them.
7 min read · Updated 2026-08-10