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Markets.com regulation and how it scores

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

Facts last checked . Read the full Markets.com review.

Regulation and safety

Regulated by
CySEC (092/08); FSCA (46860); SVG registration (27030 BC 2023)
Regulator tier
Tier 1
Register entry
CySEC register, licence 092/08
Client money segregated
Yes
Held at
Regulated banking institutions
Negative balance protection
Yes
Compensation scheme
Investor Compensation Fund up to €20,000 for eligible CySEC clients
Audited by
Independent external auditors
Not available to
United States, Canada, Belgium, Japan and other restricted jurisdictions

Check the licence yourself: the CySEC register of investment firms, the FSCA search of financial services providers.

What this means

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

Markets.com holds a tier-one authorisation from CySEC. 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.

CySEC licences passport across the EU and follow the 1:30 retail leverage cap, with the Investor Compensation Fund covering eligible claims.

The FSCA licenses derivative providers in South Africa without a fixed retail leverage cap, so headline leverage is often higher than an FCA or ASIC entity may offer.

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 Investor Compensation Fund up to €20,000 for eligible CySEC clients, which pays eligible clients up to its limit if the firm fails owing client money.

Questions about Markets.com regulation

Is Markets.com tier-one regulated?

Markets.com's strongest licence is recorded as Tier 1.

Who regulates Markets.com?

Markets.com is regulated by CySEC (092/08); FSCA (46860); SVG registration (27030 BC 2023).

Does Markets.com offer negative balance protection?

Yes. Markets.com 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 Markets.com