How to check if a broker is really licensed
Checked by The Proofmark editorial team against our methodology before publishing
The Proofmark · Our methodology
The broker's website says "regulated". There is a badge in the footer with a licence number beside it.
That badge proves nothing. Anyone can put one there. It took them four minutes.
Checking properly takes about the same. This guide is the four minutes.
Why should I not click the badge on their site?
Because every route on their site leads back to them.
Do not click the badge. Do not click the licence number. Do not ring the number on their contact page.
Type the watchdog's own address into your browser by hand, from the list below. That one habit is most of the protection.
Where is my country's register?
United Kingdom — the Financial Conduct Authority.
Register: register.fca.org.uk
Also check the FCA's warning list at fca.org.uk. It names firms the FCA has already warned about.
United States — two places, and you may need both.
Brokers and advisers: investor.gov. Its check tool searches both SEC and FINRA records.
Anything crypto or futures: check the CFTC and NFA as well.
Australia — the Australian Securities and Investments Commission.
Registers: ASIC professional registers
Its Moneysmart site also runs an alert list of firms to avoid.
Canada — use the CSA National Registration Search. It brings together registration records. Check the province or territory and the type of work the firm may do. Registration does not endorse every product it sells.
Ireland — the Central Bank of Ireland, at centralbank.ie.
Cyprus — CySEC, at cysec.gov.cy. A great many platforms aimed at Europe are licensed here, so it is worth knowing.
Anywhere else — search your country's name plus "financial regulator". Look for a government domain. If you cannot find a register, ask the regulator how to check. A failed search alone is not proof of fraud.
What exactly should I check, and in what order?
Four things. The order matters, because the third one is the one almost everybody skips.
1. Is the exact company name there? Not the brand on the advert. Take the legal company name from your account papers. Or from the site's terms page. Big brands run several companies in several countries. The one you signed up to may not be the licensed one.
2. Does the licence cover what they are selling you? A firm can be licensed for one narrow thing. It may be selling you something else entirely. The register says what the permission covers. Read that line.
3. Do the contact details match? This is the step that catches the trick below.
4. Now search the warning lists. And remember what an empty result means.
The licence checked out. Can it still be a scam?
Yes, and this is the one that catches careful people.
A clone firm is a fake outfit. It wears a real licensed company's name and licence number. Everything checks out, because the licence is real. It just belongs to somebody else.
They may change the website, phone number, email or payment details.
That is why step 3 exists. Find the firm on the register. Then ring the number the register holds — not the one you were given. Ask whether the approach came from them.
Never confirm contact details using contact details from the same source.
What does being licensed actually get me?
A licence does not mean you will get your money back. The rules depend on where you live and what you bought. They also depend on the firm and your claim. Some schemes cover a firm that fails. They may not cover a drop in price.
Check the exact firm named on your account. Ask which rules cover your money. Our guide explains what regulation does and does not cover.
What if the firm is not on the register?
Then say exactly that, and nothing more.
The honest sentence is "not listed on the register". "Not allowed to operate" is a legal conclusion. It is not yours to draw, and it is not ours either.
We hold to that line in everything we publish. It is worth holding to before you accuse a company of anything in public.
What you do next is simple. Do not send money. Ask the firm which register holds its licence. Ask under which exact legal name. A real one answers in a sentence.
What we could not tell you
We will not fill a gap with a guess, so here is what is missing.
Every country's register. The list above is the ones our readers ask about most. We will add others as people ask for them.
How current each register is. A licence can be withdrawn at any time. It can happen between the day we publish and the day you look. So the register is always the newer answer. That is why we link to it rather than copy from it.
Whether an offshore regulator will actually help you. We have not tested them one by one, so we will not rank them.
Sources
- FCA (United Kingdom), Financial Services Register: https://www.fca.org.uk/firms/financial-services-register and https://register.fca.org.uk/s/
- FCA, Warning List of unauthorised firms: https://www.fca.org.uk/consumers/warning-list-unauthorised-firms
- FCA, Clone firms and individuals: https://www.fca.org.uk/consumers/clone-firms-individuals
- Investor.gov (SEC), Check out your investment professional: https://www.investor.gov/introduction-investing/getting-started/working-investment-professional/check-out-your-investment-professional
- ASIC (Australia), professional registers search: https://www.asic.gov.au/online-services/search-asic-registers/professional-registers-search
- Canadian Securities Administrators, investor alerts: https://www.securities-administrators.ca/investor-alerts/
- CySEC (Cyprus), register of Cypriot investment firms: https://www.cysec.gov.cy/en-GB/entities/investment-firms/cypriot/
Would you like to talk through your situation?
Have the legal company name, website and your country ready. A licence does not guarantee a safe investment.
Discuss my situation. Free callback. Give us the firm name and website. We can talk through the register details and the checks that matter for your situation. We cannot promise a refund.
Frequently asked questions
How do I check a broker licence?
Find the official regulator for your country and product. Search the exact legal firm, check its permissions and compare its contact details. A copied licence number is not enough.
Is there a national registration search in Canada?
Yes. The Canadian Securities Administrators provide National Registration Search. Check the registration category and the provinces or territories shown.
Does registration guarantee my money is safe?
No. A scammer may copy a real firm. Protection also depends on your account, product and country. Contact the genuine firm using details from an independent register.
Where to get help in your country
Choose your country to see where to check a company, report a scam and get help.
Choose your country to see local contacts. If it is not listed, you can ask our team for help.
🇬🇧 The United Kingdom
🔎 Check the firm
FCA Firm Checker — Search the firm name, its website, or the reference number it gave you.
🚨 Report it
Report Fraud (City of London Police) — Report online or call 0300 123 2040. In Scotland, call Police Scotland on 101.
↩ Ask for your money back
Financial Ombudsman Service — Complain to the firm first, then bring it here. Free, and it can order the firm to pay.
Every address above was opened and checked by us on 30 September 2026. Tell us if one has moved.
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