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Tier 1
Financial Conduct Authority (FCA)
United Kingdom Regulator•Updated: 2024-03-15
"The UK's FCA is widely considered one of the strictest and most respected regulatory bodies in the world, offering high protection (FSCS) to traders. Note: Many brokers hold multiple licenses; ensure you are onboarded under the UK entity to benefit from these protections."
About FCA
The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) was established on April 1, 2013, taking over responsibility for conduct and relevant prudential regulation from the Financial Services Authority (FSA). Its objective is to ensure that financial markets work well so that consumers get a fair deal. It operates independently of the UK Government and is financed by charging fees to members of the financial services industry.
Key Investor Protections
Compensation Limit
£85,000 (Inv) / £120,000 (Dep 2025)
Per Person / Per Firm
- Financial Services Compensation Scheme (FSCS): Protects up to £85,000 per person per firm (investments). From Dec 1, 2025, deposit protection rises to £120,000.
- Consumer Duty: Firms must proactively deliver good outcomes for retail customers and provide fair value.
- Segregated Accounts: Client funds must be kept separate from the broker's operating funds.
- Negative Balance Protection: Retail clients cannot lose more than the funds in their account.
- Best Execution: Brokers must take all sufficient steps to obtain the best possible result for their clients.
Verify a Broker Manually
Ensure your broker is truly regulated by checking the official FCA register directly.
Open FCA RegisterMax Leverage
Restricted for Retail Clients (max 30:1 for major forex pairs, 20:1 for minors/gold/indices, 10:1 for commodities, 5:1 for shares). Crypto derivatives are banned for UK retail clients.
Safety Rating
High
Pros
- World-class consumer protection via FSCS.
- Strict enforcement and 'Consumer Duty' requirements.
- High transparency requirements.
- Mandatory negative balance protection.
Cons
- Strict leverage limits may not suit aggressive traders.
- No bonus schemes allowed (e.g., deposit bonuses).
- Crypto derivatives unavailable to retail clients.
Top Brokers Regulated by FCA
HM
7.36
Hantec Markets
UK
Min DepositN/A
EC
9.24
EC Markets
Seychelles
Min DepositN/A
DB
7.48
DBG Markets
Australia
Min DepositN/A
ZF
2.50
ZFX
UK
Min DepositN/A
EB
7.88
EBC Financial Group
UK
Min DepositN/A
CX
7.45
CXM Trading
UK
Min DepositN/A
CW
7.38
CWG Markets
UK
Min Deposit$10
UM
7.51
Ultima Markets
Mauritius
Min Deposit$50
IN
7.54
Infinox
UK
Min Deposit$50
GM
2.80
GMI
UK
Min Deposit$15
AT
7.20
ActivTrades
UK
Min Deposit$500
FO
6.53
FxOpen
UK
Min Deposit$100
MM
7.10
Moneta Markets
Seychelles
Min Deposit$50
TN
9.09
Trade Nation
UK
Min Deposit$0
FC
8.17
FOREX.com
USA
Min Deposit$100
SQ
7.11
Swissquote
Switzerland
Min Deposit$1000
IR
7.82
IronFX
Cyprus
Min Deposit$100
FX
9.40
FXCM
United Kingdom
Min Deposit$50
EC
9.24
EC Markets
United Kingdom
Min Deposit$100
GT
9.23
GTCFX
UAE
Min Deposit$100
FI
9.20
Finalto
United Kingdom
Min Deposit$10000
EX
8.99
Exness
Cyprus
Min Deposit$10
EI
7.48
Eightcap
Australia
Min Deposit$100
PS
7.77
Pepperstone
Australia
Min Deposit$0
FT
8.80
FXTM
Cyprus
Min Deposit$500
VT
8.70
Vantage
Australia
Min Deposit$50
OA
8.24
OANDA
USA
Min Deposit$0
IG
8.26
IG
UK
Min Deposit$250
SX
7.76
Saxo Bank
Denmark
Min Deposit$2000
TK
7.62
Tickmill
UK
Min Deposit$100
HF
8.33
HFM
Cyprus
Min Deposit$0
TH
7.75
ThinkMarkets
Australia
Min Deposit$500
XT
7.04
XTB
Poland
Min Deposit$0
ET
7.58
eToro
Israel
Min Deposit$50
PL
7.99
Plus500
Israel
Min Deposit$100
CM
8.15
CMC Markets
UK
Min Deposit$0
IB
1.49
Interactive Brokers
USA
Min Deposit$0
FP
8.54
FxPro
UK
Min Deposit$100
AX
8.12
Axi
Australia
Min Deposit$0
AM
8.00
Admiral Markets
Estonia
Min Deposit$100
DW
7.26
Darwinex
UK
Min Deposit$500
HY
7.20
HYCM
UK
Min Deposit$100
CC
7.94
Capital.com
Cyprus
Min Deposit$20
AT
8.89
ATFX
UK
Min Deposit$200
CF
7.11
CFI Financial
Cyprus
Min Deposit$100
FT
8.06
Fortrade
UK
Min Deposit$100
CM
8.53
CPT Markets
Belize
Min Deposit$50
VT
7.30
Valutrades
UK
Min Deposit$100
BG
6.10
Blackwell Global
UK
Min Deposit$100
HF
5.41
Hirose Financial
UK
Min Deposit$100
HM
7.36
Hantec Markets
UK
Min DepositN/A
EC
9.24
EC Markets
Seychelles
Min DepositN/A
DB
7.48
DBG Markets
Australia
Min DepositN/A
ZF
2.50
ZFX
UK
Min DepositN/A
EB
7.88
EBC Financial Group
UK
Min DepositN/A
CX
7.45
CXM Trading
UK
Min DepositN/A
CW
7.38
CWG Markets
UK
Min Deposit$10
UM
7.51
Ultima Markets
Mauritius
Min Deposit$50
IN
7.54
Infinox
UK
Min Deposit$50
GM
2.80
GMI
UK
Min Deposit$15
AT
7.20
ActivTrades
UK
Min Deposit$500
FO
6.53
FxOpen
UK
Min Deposit$100
MM
7.10
Moneta Markets
Seychelles
Min Deposit$50
TN
9.09
Trade Nation
UK
Min Deposit$0
FC
8.17
FOREX.com
USA
Min Deposit$100
SQ
7.11
Swissquote
Switzerland
Min Deposit$1000
IR
7.82
IronFX
Cyprus
Min Deposit$100
FX
9.40
FXCM
United Kingdom
Min Deposit$50
EC
9.24
EC Markets
United Kingdom
Min Deposit$100
GT
9.23
GTCFX
UAE
Min Deposit$100
FI
9.20
Finalto
United Kingdom
Min Deposit$10000
EX
8.99
Exness
Cyprus
Min Deposit$10
EI
7.48
Eightcap
Australia
Min Deposit$100
PS
7.77
Pepperstone
Australia
Min Deposit$0
FT
8.80
FXTM
Cyprus
Min Deposit$500
VT
8.70
Vantage
Australia
Min Deposit$50
OA
8.24
OANDA
USA
Min Deposit$0
IG
8.26
IG
UK
Min Deposit$250
SX
7.76
Saxo Bank
Denmark
Min Deposit$2000
TK
7.62
Tickmill
UK
Min Deposit$100
HF
8.33
HFM
Cyprus
Min Deposit$0
TH
7.75
ThinkMarkets
Australia
Min Deposit$500
XT
7.04
XTB
Poland
Min Deposit$0
ET
7.58
eToro
Israel
Min Deposit$50
PL
7.99
Plus500
Israel
Min Deposit$100
CM
8.15
CMC Markets
UK
Min Deposit$0
IB
1.49
Interactive Brokers
USA
Min Deposit$0
FP
8.54
FxPro
UK
Min Deposit$100
AX
8.12
Axi
Australia
Min Deposit$0
AM
8.00
Admiral Markets
Estonia
Min Deposit$100
DW
7.26
Darwinex
UK
Min Deposit$500
HY
7.20
HYCM
UK
Min Deposit$100
CC
7.94
Capital.com
Cyprus
Min Deposit$20
AT
8.89
ATFX
UK
Min Deposit$200
CF
7.11
CFI Financial
Cyprus
Min Deposit$100
FT
8.06
Fortrade
UK
Min Deposit$100
CM
8.53
CPT Markets
Belize
Min Deposit$50
VT
7.30
Valutrades
UK
Min Deposit$100
BG
6.10
Blackwell Global
UK
Min Deposit$100
HF
5.41
Hirose Financial
UK
Min Deposit$100
HM
7.36
Hantec Markets
UK
Min DepositN/A
EC
9.24
EC Markets
Seychelles
Min DepositN/A
DB
7.48
DBG Markets
Australia
Min DepositN/A
ZF
2.50
ZFX
UK
Min DepositN/A
EB
7.88
EBC Financial Group
UK
Min DepositN/A
CX
7.45
CXM Trading
UK
Min DepositN/A
CW
7.38
CWG Markets
UK
Min Deposit$10
UM
7.51
Ultima Markets
Mauritius
Min Deposit$50
IN
7.54
Infinox
UK
Min Deposit$50
GM
2.80
GMI
UK
Min Deposit$15
AT
7.20
ActivTrades
UK
Min Deposit$500
FO
6.53
FxOpen
UK
Min Deposit$100
MM
7.10
Moneta Markets
Seychelles
Min Deposit$50
TN
9.09
Trade Nation
UK
Min Deposit$0
FC
8.17
FOREX.com
USA
Min Deposit$100
SQ
7.11
Swissquote
Switzerland
Min Deposit$1000
IR
7.82
IronFX
Cyprus
Min Deposit$100
FX
9.40
FXCM
United Kingdom
Min Deposit$50
EC
9.24
EC Markets
United Kingdom
Min Deposit$100
GT
9.23
GTCFX
UAE
Min Deposit$100
FI
9.20
Finalto
United Kingdom
Min Deposit$10000
EX
8.99
Exness
Cyprus
Min Deposit$10
EI
7.48
Eightcap
Australia
Min Deposit$100
PS
7.77
Pepperstone
Australia
Min Deposit$0
FT
8.80
FXTM
Cyprus
Min Deposit$500
VT
8.70
Vantage
Australia
Min Deposit$50
OA
8.24
OANDA
USA
Min Deposit$0
IG
8.26
IG
UK
Min Deposit$250
SX
7.76
Saxo Bank
Denmark
Min Deposit$2000
TK
7.62
Tickmill
UK
Min Deposit$100
HF
8.33
HFM
Cyprus
Min Deposit$0
TH
7.75
ThinkMarkets
Australia
Min Deposit$500
XT
7.04
XTB
Poland
Min Deposit$0
ET
7.58
eToro
Israel
Min Deposit$50
PL
7.99
Plus500
Israel
Min Deposit$100
CM
8.15
CMC Markets
UK
Min Deposit$0
IB
1.49
Interactive Brokers
USA
Min Deposit$0
FP
8.54
FxPro
UK
Min Deposit$100
AX
8.12
Axi
Australia
Min Deposit$0
AM
8.00
Admiral Markets
Estonia
Min Deposit$100
DW
7.26
Darwinex
UK
Min Deposit$500
HY
7.20
HYCM
UK
Min Deposit$100
CC
7.94
Capital.com
Cyprus
Min Deposit$20
AT
8.89
ATFX
UK
Min Deposit$200
CF
7.11
CFI Financial
Cyprus
Min Deposit$100
FT
8.06
Fortrade
UK
Min Deposit$100
CM
8.53
CPT Markets
Belize
Min Deposit$50
VT
7.30
Valutrades
UK
Min Deposit$100
BG
6.10
Blackwell Global
UK
Min Deposit$100
HF
5.41
Hirose Financial
UK
Min Deposit$100