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To check whether an online broker is regulated, identify the legal firm and the country that will oversee your account, then verify the firm—and, where relevant, the individual—through that regulator’s official register. Confirm that the registered website and contact details match the platform you are using and that its permissions cover the exact service offered. A registration match is a starting check, not proof that an investment is suitable, safe from loss, or free of impersonation.
What to gather before searching
Start with the identity of the business and the offer in front of you. Record:
- The broker’s legal entity name and any trading name.
- The website domain, phone number, business address, and the person who contacted you.
- The country where the account will be held or serviced.
- The service or product offered, such as securities brokerage, investment advice, or CFDs.
If the legal entity or registration details are not clear, ask the firm for them—but verify the response independently. A regulator authorises particular firms and activities; a familiar brand name or a general claim that a business is “regulated” does not establish permission for the service being offered.
Which official broker register should you use?
The lookup tools below apply to the United States, United Kingdom, and Canada. They are not universal. If your account is based elsewhere, identify the national or regional securities regulator and use its official register.
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| Jurisdiction | Where to check | What to look up |
|---|---|---|
| United States | Investor.gov: Check Out Your Investment Professional | Use its guidance to find investment advisers in IAPD and brokers or brokerage firms in FINRA BrokerCheck. Check both the person and the firm where applicable. |
| United Kingdom | FCA Firm Checker and the Financial Services Register | Verify that the firm is authorised and has permission for the service or product you plan to use. Search the FCA Warning List for known unauthorised firms. |
| Canada | CIRO AdvisorReport and CIRO’s firm directory | Check whether an investment or mutual fund dealer is regulated. AdvisorReport covers advisors approved with an investment dealer; for some other searches, use the CSA National Registration Search. |
How to check the broker step by step
- Choose the regulator for the account’s jurisdiction. Use the official register for the country where the account will be held or serviced, rather than assuming that a broker’s home country is the relevant one.
- Search for the legal firm. Search its exact legal name, not just the brand or platform name. If the register supports it, search the registration number the firm provided as a cross-check.
- Search for the person when relevant. In the United States, Investor.gov directs investors to check both the investment professional and the firm. In Canada, AdvisorReport can provide information about advisors approved with an investment dealer, but it is not available for some former advisors or people registered under the Mutual Fund Dealer category; use the CSA National Registration Search where appropriate.
- Check status and permissions. Read the register entry to see whether registration is current and whether the firm is permitted to provide the specific service or product being offered. A firm’s presence in a database alone does not establish that it can offer every financial service.
- Compare the identity details. Match the legal name, address, official website or domain, and phone number against the platform or person contacting you. Where you checked an individual, confirm that the register connects that person to the stated firm.
- Read available filings and disclosures. Look beyond a status label for registration history, qualifications, employment, disciplinary matters, or other disclosures relevant to that register.
- Check warnings, then decide whether to proceed. Search the relevant regulator’s warning list. If anything conflicts or the firm lacks the required permission, pause and contact the regulator using independently obtained official contact details.
What the main records can tell you
United States: BrokerCheck and IAPD
FINRA BrokerCheck can be searched by name or registration number and provides information about a broker’s or brokerage firm’s registration, qualifications, employment, and disclosures. For investment advisers, the SEC’s Investment Adviser Public Disclosure (IAPD) provides registration information and filings, including Form ADV. IAPD records also link to BrokerCheck when needed. Investor.gov’s guide explains how to choose the relevant search.
United Kingdom: FCA register and warnings
The FCA’s Financial Services Register is the official public record for firms and individuals and includes regulatory history. Use the Firm Checker to help verify authorisation and whether the firm has permission for the service you need. The Warning List identifies known unauthorised firms; it is a separate check, not a substitute for confirming authorisation on the register. The FCA says: “If a firm isn’t authorised or doesn’t have permission for the financial services you’re looking for, you should avoid dealing with them.”
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Canada: CIRO and CSA searches
CIRO’s firm directory helps check whether an investment or mutual fund dealer is regulated. Its AdvisorReport, where available, can show an advisor’s approval categories, jurisdictions, terms and conditions, employment history, and disciplinary disclosures. Coverage has limits: reports are unavailable for some former advisors and individuals in the Mutual Fund Dealer category. CIRO points readers to the CSA National Registration Search for relevant searches.
How to spot an impersonation
A fraudster can copy a legitimate firm’s or professional’s name, address, registration number, logo, photograph, or website appearance. That means even a real register entry may not belong to the person or platform that contacted you. The SEC’s Office of Investor Education and Advocacy advises investors to “Verify the identity of anyone offering you an investment.”
- Open the regulator’s site yourself instead of relying on a link in an unsolicited email, message, or advertisement.
- Use the phone number or website listed in the regulator’s record to contact the firm; do not rely only on details supplied by the person soliciting you.
- Compare the exact domain and contact information, not just the company name or registration number.
- Treat a missing warning-list result cautiously: warning lists identify known warnings and do not positively confirm that a firm is authorised.
The SEC’s guidance on impersonation schemes explains why identity must be checked independently.
When to stop and verify further
Do not send money or personal information to someone claiming registration until you have independently confirmed the firm and the person’s identity. Pause if:
- You cannot find the firm in the relevant official register.
- The legal name, domain, address, phone number, or associated individual does not match.
- The firm lacks permission for the service or product being offered.
- The regulator has issued a relevant warning.
Contact the regulator through contact information on its official website or register—not through a number or link supplied by the person who approached you. The FCA likewise advises avoiding firms that are unauthorised or lack the relevant permission.
How to compare more than one broker
Run the same checks for every candidate rather than comparing marketing claims. A simple comparison can keep the important differences visible:
Best Value
| Check | Candidate A | Candidate B |
|---|---|---|
| Legal entity and jurisdiction | Record the register’s exact legal name and the account’s jurisdiction. | Record the register’s exact legal name and the account’s jurisdiction. |
| Registration status | Record the status shown by the official register. | Record the status shown by the official register. |
| Permission for your service or product | Record the specific activity the register authorises. | Record the specific activity the register authorises. |
| Identity match | Compare official domain and contact details with the platform and contact. | Compare official domain and contact details with the platform and contact. |
| Warnings and disclosures | Note relevant warnings, disciplinary events, and background disclosures. | Note relevant warnings, disciplinary events, and background disclosures. |
These checks establish whether a firm appears in a regulator’s records and whether its permissions fit the service offered. They do not establish that an investment is appropriate for you, guarantee returns, prevent losses, or confirm which entity holds or clears an account. Do not infer that registration guarantees repayment if a firm fails.
What regulation checks do—and do not—establish
Regulation verification is an identity and permission check. It can help you identify the legal firm, confirm its recorded status and permitted activities, and review available background information. It cannot tell you whether a particular investment, fee structure, or service is right for you. Register contents, permissions, contact details, and warning lists can change, so check the regulator’s official records at the point you are deciding whether to open or fund the account.
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