Regulation · last checked 2026-07-02
ASIC Regulation and Forex Brokers: How to Check an Australian Licence
ASIC is Australia’s corporate, markets and financial services regulator. For forex and CFD traders, the key question is not just whether a brand says it is “ASIC regulated”, but whether the exact legal entity, licence number, permissions and website details match ASIC’s public registers.
- Official ASIC register search
- Check the legal entity, not just the brand name
- CFD and leverage risk remains significant even with regulation
What ASIC is
The Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC) is Australia’s corporate, markets and financial services regulator. ASIC operates public registers that let consumers check whether a person or organisation is licensed or registered, including Australian Financial Services (AFS) licensees. ASIC states that anyone offering a financial or investment product, or giving financial advice, must have an AFS licence, and it maintains a professional registers search for this purpose.
Broker shortlist with ASIC signals
| Broker | Comparison score | Regulator signals | Legal entity evidence | Review |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 FP Markets | 67 | ASIC, CySEC, FSCA, Seychelles FSA | First Prudential Markets Pty Ltd / First Prudential Markets Ltd / FP Markets (Pty) Ltd / First Prudential Markets Limited / FP Markets Ltd | Read review |
 Easy Forex / easyMarkets | 62.5 | CySEC, ASIC | Easy Forex Trading Ltd; easyMarkets Pty Ltd | Read review |
| 60 | CySEC, BaFin (branch context), FCA (legacy enforcement history on UK entity), ASIC (2025 retail CFD stop order later revoked) | Stratos Europe Limited (trading as FXCM / FXCM EU) | Read review | |
| 60 | FCA, CySEC, ASIC, FSA Seychelles | Plus500 Ltd and operating subsidiaries including Plus500UK Ltd, Plus500CY Ltd, Plus500AU Pty Ltd, and Plus500SEY Ltd | Read review | |
 OANDA | 59 | CFTC, NFA, FCA, ASIC | OANDA Corporation / OANDA Europe Limited / OANDA Australia Pty Ltd (entity differs by region) | Read review |
 GO Markets | 59 | ASIC, CySEC | GO Markets Pty Limited (Australia); GO Markets Ltd (Cyprus/EU) | Read review |
 Pepperstone | 59 | FCA, ASIC, DFSA, CySEC | Pepperstone group operates through multiple entities, including Pepperstone Limited, Pepperstone EU Limited, and Pepperstone Markets Limited. | Read review |
 eToro | 52 | FCA, ASIC | eToro (UK) Limited; eToro Aus Capital Limited; eToro USA LLC are among the public entities reflected in the reviewed sources | Read review |
Regulator signals are based on public-source research and still require a direct register check before account opening. Last checked July 2, 2026.
ASIC verification checklist for forex and CFD brokers
| Check item | What to confirm on ASIC sources | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Legal entity | The exact company or licensed entity name | Brand names can differ from the regulated entity |
| AFS licence number | The licence number on the public register | A number alone is not enough if the entity name does not match |
| Authorisations/permissions | That the licence covers the relevant financial services | A licence may exist without covering every product a broker markets |
| Website details | The principal website and recorded websites field | This helps identify impersonation or cloned sites |
| Status and conditions | Whether the licence is current and whether conditions apply | Restrictions or conditions can change what the firm may offer |
| Warnings/enforcement | Any ASIC media release or register note about the entity | Regulatory issues can affect trader risk |
Use the ASIC Professional Registers Search as the starting point, then cross-check the broker’s own legal documents and disclosures.
documented ASIC examples mentioned on this page
| Entity / topic | documented point | Source |
|---|---|---|
| ASIC Professional Registers Search | ASIC provides a public search for licensed or registered professionals, including AFS licensees | ASIC register search |
| AFS licensees and website addresses | ASIC is collecting and publishing AFS licensee website addresses to help identify legitimate sites | ASIC media release / guidance |
| FXCM | ASIC issued a 2025 DDO stop order related to CFD target market determination deficiencies | ASIC media release |
| CFD risks | ASIC has publicly noted leverage, volatility, liquidity and pricing risk in relation to CFDs | ASIC media release |
These examples are included as illustrative regulatory references, not broker recommendations.
How to verify an ASIC-regulated broker
Start with the broker’s exact legal entity name, not the trading brand. Search ASIC’s professional registers by name, ABN, ACN or AFS licence number, then confirm the licence status, the services the entity is authorised to provide, and any recorded website addresses. ASIC has also begun publishing website addresses for AFS licensees to help people spot imposter sites. If the brand name, licence number, or website does not match the register, treat that as a warning sign.
What ASIC protection can and cannot do
ASIC oversight can improve transparency, licensing discipline and public accountability. It may also help consumers identify authorised entities and spot some impersonation attempts. But ASIC regulation does not guarantee a broker’s pricing, execution quality, customer service, profitability, or solvency. It also does not remove the risk of losing money on leveraged products, and it does not automatically make every website, sub-brand or marketing affiliate legitimate.
ASIC and CFDs: why the risk warning matters
ASIC has publicly highlighted the risks of CFD trading, including leverage, volatility, liquidity and pricing risk. In 2025 ASIC issued a stop order against FXCM over target market determination deficiencies and described those risks as relevant to the suitability of CFD products. That is a reminder that regulation and investor warnings are not the same as a low-risk product profile.
What to check beyond the licence badge
A strong ASIC result should still be followed by a deeper review: who the contracting entity is, where client money is handled, what product permissions appear on the register, whether the website domain is listed, whether complaints handling is documented, and whether any warnings or enforcement actions exist. For traders, those details matter more than a homepage claim that a broker is “regulated in Australia”.
Common questions
What does ASIC regulation mean for a forex broker?
It means the broker, or the legal entity behind it, appears on ASIC’s public registers and is subject to ASIC’s oversight within the permissions and conditions recorded there. It does not mean the broker is risk-free or that every brand using the broker’s name is authorised.
How do I check if a broker is actually licensed by ASIC?
Search ASIC’s Professional Registers Search using the legal entity name, ABN, ACN or AFS licence number. Then confirm the licence status, authorised services, and website details on the register. If the broker’s branding does not match the registered entity, investigate further before depositing money.
Is an ASIC licence the same as a guarantee of safety?
No. ASIC licensing is a regulatory status, not a performance guarantee. You can still lose money through market moves, poor execution, platform issues, operational failures, or scams that misuse a legitimate firm’s name.
Do all ASIC-regulated brokers offer the same products?
No. ASIC records the permissions and services tied to the licence. A firm may be authorised for some financial services but not for every product it markets, so the exact wording on the register matters.
Why should I check a broker’s website address on ASIC?
ASIC has warned that criminals can copy names, licence numbers and websites to create imposter sites. Checking the website address field on the register helps confirm whether the site you are using matches the registered licensee’s details.
Does ASIC regulate offshore brokers that market to Australians?
ASIC regulates Australian entities and the activities they are licensed to provide. If a broker says it is “ASIC regulated”, the practical question is whether the specific legal entity you are dealing with is actually listed on ASIC’s public register and whether its permissions cover the service being promoted.
What is the main risk with ASIC-regulated CFD brokers?
The main risk is not regulation failure but product risk: CFDs are leveraged, complex and can move quickly against the trader. ASIC itself has highlighted leverage, volatility, liquidity and pricing risk in this market.
Check the details yourself
These are the pages we relied on. Read them before you open an account or send money anywhere.