Archives

Regulations requiring brokers to detect and report transactions suspected of laundering criminal proceeds.

Australian Securities and Investments Commission — Australia's Tier-1 financial regulator.

Federal Financial Supervisory Authority — Germany's Tier-1 regulator, known for rigour and bureaucracy.

Commodity Futures Trading Commission — the US government agency regulating commodity and derivatives markets, including retail FX.

Cyprus Securities and Exchange Commission — EU regulator widely used by retail FX brokers passporting into Europe.

Post-2008 US financial reform law — pushed retail FX into the CFTC/NFA framework and tightened broker requirements.

European Market Infrastructure Regulation — EU rules governing OTC derivatives clearing and reporting.

EU rules capping retail FX leverage at 30:1 majors, 20:1 minors, 10:1 commodities — in force since 2018.

Financial Conduct Authority — the UK's primary financial regulator, considered Tier-1 globally.

Swiss Financial Market Supervisory Authority — among the strictest banking and securities regulators globally.

Financial Services Commission of Mauritius — an offshore regulator commonly used to onboard international clients.

Financial Sector Conduct Authority — South Africa's market-conduct regulator for retail FX.

A government-mandated fund that reimburses clients of failed financial firms up to a fixed cap.

The process of verifying client identity, address, and source of funds — required by all regulated brokers.

Markets in Financial Instruments Directive II — the EU framework regulating investment services since 2018.

A broker policy that prevents your account from going below zero — losses can't exceed deposits.

National Futures Association — the US self-regulatory body for derivatives, including retail FX.

A regulatory body in a low-tax / low-friction jurisdiction (e.g. Vanuatu, SVG, Belize) — lighter oversight than Tier-1.

Client funds held in separate bank accounts from the broker's own operating capital — protects clients if the broker fails.

Informal classification of the world's most rigorous financial regulators — FCA, ASIC, FINMA, BaFin, NFA, FINRA, SEC, and similar.