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ActivTrades regulation and how it scores

Regulation carries the heaviest weight in the score, which is why it is scored first. Here is ActivTrades's licensing and the protections behind it.

Facts last checked . Read the full ActivTrades review.

Regulation and safety

Regulated by
FCA (434413); Mauritius FSC (GB24203277); Securities Commission of The Bahamas
Regulator tier
Tier 1
Register entry
FCA Financial Services Register, FRN 434413
Client money segregated
Yes
Held at
Regulated banking institutions
Negative balance protection
Yes
Compensation scheme
FSCS up to £85,000 for eligible UK clients; additional private funds insurance up to $1,000,000
Audited by
Independent external auditors
Not available to
United States, Canada, Japan, Brazil and other jurisdictions where services would contravene local laws or regulations

Check the licence yourself: the FCA Register, the Mauritius FSC register of licensees.

What this means

Regulation carries the heaviest weight in the score, which is why it is scored first.

ActivTrades holds a tier-one authorisation from FCA. That matters more than any headline spread: it determines your leverage cap, whether losses can exceed your deposit, and what happens to your money if the firm fails.

It also operates an offshore entity (FSC). Which one you are onboarded to depends on where you live, and the two carry very different protections - worth confirming before you deposit.

The FCA caps retail leverage at 1:30, mandates negative balance protection, and covers eligible clients under the Financial Services Compensation Scheme.

An FSC licence (Mauritius or Belize, depending on the entity) is an offshore authorisation with lighter reporting duties than a tier-one regulator.

Client money is held separately from the firm's own money, at Regulated banking institutions. That separation is what makes your balance recoverable if the company fails, rather than part of the pool its creditors divide up.

Negative balance protection applies, so a losing position cannot take the account below zero and leave you owing the broker money.

Covered by FSCS up to £85,000 for eligible UK clients; additional private funds insurance up to $1,000,000, which pays eligible clients up to its limit if the firm fails owing client money.

Questions about ActivTrades regulation

Is ActivTrades tier-one regulated?

ActivTrades's strongest licence is recorded as Tier 1.

Who regulates ActivTrades?

ActivTrades is regulated by FCA (434413); Mauritius FSC (GB24203277); Securities Commission of The Bahamas.

Does ActivTrades offer negative balance protection?

Yes. ActivTrades offers negative balance protection, so a losing position cannot leave you owing the broker more than your account held.

Regulation at brokers under the same regulator

More about ActivTrades