Verify regulation through official registers
The core legitimacy check for any broker is confirming its regulatory status directly with the relevant financial regulators, not through the broker's own marketing or third-party sites. Identify the legal entity names the broker discloses in its legal documents, then look each one up in the corresponding regulator's public register. Confirm that the license covers the services you plan to use and that the registered details, such as the company address and website, match what you see on the broker's site. If any entity name, license number, or contact detail does not match the register, treat that as a serious warning sign.
- Find the legal entity names and license numbers in the broker's own legal disclosures.
- Look up each entity in the relevant regulator's official public register.
- Confirm the registered website and contact details match the site you are using.
- Check which entity would actually hold your account, since protections vary by entity.

