Regulated CFD Platforms
A regulated CFD platform is one whose licence can be pulled up on a public register in under a minute. Every platform below holds at least one Tier 1 licence, and each row links straight to the regulator that issued it. IG Group leads because it carries the most Tier 1 cover of any platform reviewed. This is the licence check, done in the open.
The licence on the wall is the first thing checked in any kitchen inspection. For a CFD platform it is the difference between client money held apart in a segregated account and client money mixed with the firm own funds. When a platform fails, that separation decides whether traders get their balance back.
Tier 1 regulators go further than segregation. They cap retail leverage, require negative balance protection, and stand behind a compensation scheme. The FSCS in the United Kingdom covers up to eighty five thousand pounds. The Investor Compensation Fund in Cyprus covers up to twenty thousand euros. Those backstops are why Tier 1 cover sits at the top of this list.
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Answers to FCA, ASIC, BaFin, MAS, JFSA, CFTC at Tier 1, which means segregated client funds and a compensation scheme. The bill reads no minimum deposit and a 0.6 EUR/USD spread.
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Answers to CFTC, FCA, ASIC, IIROC, MAS, JFSA at Tier 1, which means segregated client funds and a compensation scheme. The bill reads no minimum deposit and a 1.2 EUR/USD spread.
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Answers to FCA, ASIC, BaFin, MAS, IIROC at Tier 1, which means segregated client funds and a compensation scheme. The bill reads no minimum deposit and a 0.5 EUR/USD spread.
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Answers to FCA, ASIC, CySEC, BaFin at Tier 1, which means segregated client funds and a compensation scheme. The bill reads no minimum deposit and a 0.0 EUR/USD spread.
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Answers to FCA, ASIC, MAS, JFSA at Tier 1, which means segregated client funds and a compensation scheme. The bill reads no minimum deposit and a 0.2 EUR/USD spread.
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Answers to FSA-DK, ASIC, MAS, JFSA at Tier 1, which means segregated client funds and a compensation scheme. The bill reads a $2000 minimum and a 0.4 EUR/USD spread.
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Answers to FCA, CySEC, ASIC, MAS at Tier 1, which means segregated client funds and a compensation scheme. The bill reads a $100 minimum and a 0.6 EUR/USD spread.
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Answers to FCA, CFTC, ASIC, MAS at Tier 1, which means segregated client funds and a compensation scheme. The bill reads a $100 minimum and a 1.2 EUR/USD spread.
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Answers to FCA, CySEC, ASIC at Tier 1, which means segregated client funds and a compensation scheme. The bill reads a $50 minimum and a 1.0 EUR/USD spread.
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Answers to FCA, CySEC, ASIC at Tier 1, which means segregated client funds and a compensation scheme. The bill reads a $100 minimum and a 0.1 EUR/USD spread.
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Answers to CySEC, FCA, ASIC at Tier 1, which means segregated client funds and a compensation scheme. The bill reads a $100 minimum and a 1.6 EUR/USD spread.
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Answers to FCA, CySEC, ASIC at Tier 1, which means segregated client funds and a compensation scheme. The bill reads a $20 minimum and a 0.6 EUR/USD spread.
Kitchen inspection method
Every licence above was matched to its entry on the issuing regulator public register, and the licence number in the dataset was confirmed against the official record. The full method is set out on the how the kitchen is inspected page.
Read the licence
Take the licensed entity name and licence number from the review, not from the marketing page.
Open the register
Follow the register link on the row. Each one points at the authority that issued the licence.
Match the number
Search the entity name and confirm the licence number lines up exactly with the official record.
Check the status
Confirm the licence is active, not lapsed or restricted, and note the date of the check.
A full breakdown of every regulator on this site, grouped by tier and protection level, sits on the regulation guide. It explains what each licence means for client money, from FCA and ASIC cover down to offshore Belize and Seychelles licences.
What makes a CFD platform regulated?
A regulated CFD platform holds a licence from a financial authority that maintains a public register. The licence forces the platform to keep client money in segregated accounts and, under Tier 1 regulators, adds a compensation scheme. Each row below deep-links the exact register entry.
How can a CFD licence be verified?
Open the register link next to the platform, search the licensed entity name, and confirm the licence number matches the one shown in the review. If the number does not match the official record, the licence claim does not stand.
Which regulators count as Tier 1?
Tier 1 covers the FCA, ASIC, CySEC, BaFin, MAS, JFSA, CFTC, the Central Bank of Ireland and the Canadian Investment Regulatory Organization. These impose segregated funds, leverage caps and investor compensation.
Are offshore CFD platforms unsafe?
An offshore licence is weaker, not automatically fraudulent. Offshore regulators allow higher leverage and rarely run a compensation scheme, so client protection is thinner. The safest choice is a platform that answers to a Tier 1 regulator in the trader country of residence.
Does a licence guarantee no losses?
No. A licence protects how client money is held and how the platform must behave. It does not remove market risk. CFDs remain leveraged products with a high risk of loss.