Plus500 has been one of the best CFD brokers globally since 2008. The broker offers a wide range of online CFDs on forex, shares, commodities, and more!
Meet Thadeus, a trading guru, brilliant writer, and financial fanatic with years of expertise in the industry. Get ready to learn from his wealth of knowledge.
Every savvy trader in the UK should consider trading with FCA-regulated brokers. These service providers adhere to stringent regulatory standards, making them more secure, reliable, and credible. Plus, the best FSCA-regulated brokers offer a broad range of tradable instruments, offer powerful trading platforms to their users, and boast many other positive traits.
That said, not all of the brokers available in the UK are regulated by the FSCA. Therefore, our experts spent an enormous amount of time vetting service providers in the region. First, we weeded out companies that aren’t regulated by the FSCA. Then, we compared FSCA-regulated entities using factors like fees, supported trading platforms, and online ratings and hand-picked 6 outstanding service providers. We’ve reviewed them in this in-depth guide.
List of the Best FSCA Regulated Brokers in the UK 2025
AvaTrade – Overall Best FSCA Regulated Broker in the UK
FxPro – Best FSCA-Regulated Broker for Diverse Trading Platforms
HF Markets – Best FSCA Regulated Forex Broker in the UK
IG Markets – Best FSCA Regulated Stock Broker in the UK
Plus500 – Best* FSCA Regulated CFD** Broker in the UK
FXTM – Best Low-Spread FSCA Regulated Broker in the UK
*Investment Trends 2022
**80% of CFD retail accounts lose money
In this guide
Best FSCA Regulated Brokers in the UK
Compare Best FSCA Regulated Brokers in the UK
At TradingGuide, we are committed to recommending the best service providers and publishing factual information. Before preparing this guide, our experts researched and tested countless FSCA-regulated brokers available in the UK. Then, while considering multiple factors, including regulatory status in the UK, customer support service, and supported payment methods, we picked the best service providers in the region.
Note that we didn’t pick brokers to recommend based on our experience and the factors we’ve outlined alone. Our experts also reviewed every service provider’s ratings and testimonials to avoid bias. Numerous independent sites, ranging from Google Play to the App Store and Trustpilot, helped us gauge other people’s views and opinions of the best FSCA-regulated brokers.
Regulation/Licence
Minimum Deposit
Tradable Assets
Demo Account
Payment & Withdraw options
Money Insurance
Our first table outlines the first factors we used to cherry-pick the best FSCA-regulated UK brokers from the vast array of service providers available in the region.
Debit/credit cards, Skrill, Neteller, Bank transfers, Local transfers
Yes
Yes, up to £1 million
Brief Overview of Our Recommended FSCA Brokers’ Fees and Assets
High costs compromise your profit margins. To avoid this problem, you must trade with a cost-effective, pocket-friendly broker. Also, to increase your profitability and enjoy optimum convenience, you must vet every trading platform’s supported assets before signing up. Having said that, we have broken down our recommended brokers’ fees and assets in the tables below.
1. AvaTrade - Overall Best FSCA Regulated Broker in the UK
AvaTrade is our overall best FSCA-regulated broker operating in the UK. This exceptional service provider accommodates everyone, from beginners to seasoned experts. If you are a newbie, AvaTrade offers you uncapped access to the Ava Academy. This is an extraordinaire free educational platform that enables you to boost your knowledge and skills with 200+ courses, lessons, and quizzes. The academy also has advanced materials that experts can use to revamp and enhance their knowledge and skills.
We also consider AvaTrade an outstanding broker since it offers a broad range of trading platforms. Today, you can trade with one of the company’s robust proprietary solutions like WebTrader, Mac Trading, or the AvaTrade mobile app. The broker also hosts MT4 and MT5, so you have an extensive list to choose from.
Finally, AvaTrade has a clean, intuitive interface that’s welcoming and easy to navigate. The company has also employed knowledgeable representatives who are always ready to help clients 24 hours a day. AvaTrade users also enjoy competitive spreads and commissions, as well as free deposits and withdrawals.
Combine that with a wide range of licences from several jurisdictions, including an FSCA license, and you have one of the best brokers.
1
AvaTrade Review
TradingGuides Rating:
✔ One of the most popular brokers in the UK/EU
✔ Quick deposits and withdrawals
AvaTrade impresses with a robust portfolio of over 1250 assets, encompassing a wide range of trading instruments.
Forex – AvaTrade facilitates trading in a broad spectrum of currency pairs, enabling exposure to the dynamic forex market and diverse CFD options.
Stocks and Commodities – The platform offers a comprehensive selection of stocks and commodities, allowing users to invest in companies and raw materials across global markets.
Cryptocurrencies – AvaTrade supports trading in cryptocurrencies, providing access to a multitude of digital assets, including popular ones like Bitcoin, Ethereum, and more.
ETFs, Bonds, Treasuries, and Indices – AvaTrade’s offerings extend to ETFs, bonds, treasuries, and indices, offering diversification opportunities and exposure to various sectors and industries.
2. FxPro - Best FSCA-Regulated Broker for Diverse Trading Platforms
If you like trading with third-party software rather than the proprietary solutions offered by most FSCA-regulated brokers, check out FxPro. With over 7.8 million clients, FxPro is an established and credible company. We highly recommend it because it has the best third-party trading platforms, from cTrader to MT4 and MT5. Moreover, its users have access to a powerful mobile app and proprietary WebTrader trading platform. You can use any of these solutions to trade thousands of supported CFDs.
Speaking of CFDs, FxPro has 2,100+ CFD-related instruments, from FX pairs and shares to futures and crypto. While trading these assets with this broker, you’ll enjoy ultra-fast execution speeds and competitive spreads. The broker also enables you to minimize expenses and boost potential returns with free deposits and withdrawals.
We also love FxPro since the broker has a fantastic customer support team. We contacted the company’s representatives and got a response almost promptly. Moreover, the broker has premium accounts that offer professional traders unique perks like 30% lower commissions, free 24-hour access to a top-notch Virtual Private Server, and up to 30% discount on market spreads.
Not only that but FxPro is licenced by FCA and CySEC in Europe, making it a reliable broker for online traders across the globe.
Diveser trading platforms are offered, including MT4, MT5, and WebTrader
Free deposits and withdrawals
Lower spreads and commissions for VIP clients
Excellent customer support service
Modern, user-friendly website interface
Cons
£10 inactivity fee
Limited financial instruments
Type
Fee
Minimum deposit
$100
Withdrawal fee
$0
Inactivity fee
$15 once + $5 monthly
FxPro offers traders a wide range of investment products, including 70 currency pairs, as well as over 2000 different stocks.
3. HF Markets - Best FSCA Regulated Forex Broker in the UK
Formerly known as HotForex, HF Markets (HFM) is one of the most reputable brokers today. It was founded in 2010 and boasts over 2.5 million client accounts as of 2024. It has also received over 60 industry awards over the years, a clear indicator of its reliability and credibility. Today, we’ve ranked this service provider as the best FSCA-regulated forex broker in the UK.
HFM gives traders unlimited access to over 50 currency pairs. These include majors like GBP/USD, minors like GBP/AUD, and exotics like USD/TRY. But here’s the best part: This broker allows users to open a ZERO account and enjoy sharp spreads starting from 0.0 pips on major pairs like EUR/USD, GBP/JPY, and GBP/USD. Besides currency pairs, HFM offers stocks, ETFs, commodities, and other instruments that you can use to diversify your portfolio.
HF Markets is also an amazing broker since it gives its users access to multiple outstanding trading platforms. If you like trading on the move, you can use the intuitive HFM app, which is equipped with powerful charting tools and indicators. Alternatively, you can use the MT4 or MT5 trading platforms hosted on HFM.
Not to forget, HFM has different trading accounts tailored to meet different traders’ needs and preferences. They range from Zero accounts, which feature ultra-low spreads, to Premium Pro Accounts designed for seasoned traders.
1
HotForex Review 2025
TradingGuides Rating:
✔ Low minimum deposit ✔ Reliable and trustworthy broker
Limited educational resources compared to its peers
£5,000 minimum deposit requirement for professional clients
£10 monthly inactivity fee
Type
Fee
Minimum deposit
5$
Deposit fee
0$
Withdrawal fee
0$
Inactivity fee
5$
Hot Forex offers over 150+ trading instruments, including forex, stocks, futures, indices and commodity CFDs. And due to the growing demand, they provide cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin, Ethereum, Litecoin and others.
4. IG Markets – Best FSCA Regulated Stock Broker in the UK
If you are searching for a top-tier FSCA-regulated stock broker, we strongly recommend IG Markets. With this service provider, you get access to over 13,000 shares. You can trade CFDs on these assets today and reap juicy returns. What’s more, on IG Markets, share CFDs come with minimum charges, starting from 0.10% commission per side for UK assets and 2 cents per share for US products.
Besides trading share CFDs, IG Markets supports investing in real shares. This platform allows you to buy and own thousands of shares, including popular options like Tesla Motors Inc, NVIDIA Corp, and Glencore PLC. The best part is that IG Markets has an out-of-hours offering that allows you to buy and trade over 70 US shares when the market is closed.
We also hold IG Markets in high regard since the broker offers many other tradable instruments and investment assets you can use to diversify your portfolio. For starters, you can buy stocks, trade CFDs on forex pairs, commodities, indices, and other markets. You can also invest in 2,000+ UK-eligible ETFs from noteworthy brands like Vanguard, iShares, and Invesco.
1
IG Markets Review
TradingGuides Rating:
✔ Extensive range of offerings ✔ Leading broker with low fees
Low share commissions starting from 0.10% per side
Zero minimum deposit requirement
Cost-free deposits and withdrawals
Traders can also invest in popular ETFs
Exceptional learning materials and resources
Cons
£12 monthly account inactivity fee
Pro services have stringent eligibility requirements
Type
Fee
Minimum account
£0
Opening an account
£0
Overnight funding
yes (depends on market)
Withdrawal fee
£0
Inactivity fee
£12 per month after 2 years of inactivity
Advanced graphs (ProRealTime)
£30 per months
Stocks– the majority of assets offered are stocks and there are a total of 16,000 international company shares to choose between. Trade everything from major UK and US corporations to penny stocks.
Forex – trade all the major, minor, and exotic currency pairs you want with a broker that has 45+ years of experience from the market. Also, enjoy competitive spread and fast execution.
Index– since IG’s main market is the stock market, it shouldn’t come as a surprise that it also offers a large variety of indices. Trade major North American, European, and Asian indices with a world leading online trading platform.
Commodities – you can also take positions on commodity futures and commodity spots. Trade precious metals such as silver and gold, food commodities such as coffee and corn, or energy commodities including natural gas.
Cryptocurrencies (not UK) – IG also offers cryptocurrency trading, although not in the UK due to local regulations that bans crypto trading.
5. Plus500 - Best FSCA Regulated CFD Broker in the UK
Plus500 is a reputable FSCA-regulated broker that gives its users uncapped access to CFDs on 2,800+ financial instruments, from commodities and forex to indices, shares, and ETFs. Moreover, this service provider allows limited-budget traders to magnify potential returns** with flexible leverages. For instance, you can trade CFDs on different commodities and increase potential profits with flexible leverage up to 1:20.
We also recommend Plus500 to CFD traders since the company’s clients get access to advanced technical analysis tools and professional support. And while trading with the broker, you won’t have to worry about catastrophic losses since you can use guaranteed stop, stop loss, and stop limit to reduce risk exposure and lock in juicy profits.
If you are new to trading, you can learn all you need from the Plus500 Trading Academy. It has everything from beginner’s guides to webinars and eBooks. The available resources are free, meaning you’ll educate yourself and enhance your skills without paying a dime. Once you’ve gained sufficient knowledge, you can open a Plus500 demo account and use it to hone your skills for as long as you like.
Professional traders may have access to leverage up to 1:300, provided they meet specific criteria: sufficient trading activity in the last 12 months, a financial instrument portfolio of over €500,000, and relevant experience in the financial services sector.
It offers thousands of CFDs on forex, shares, commodities, etc.
Seasoned traders can open professional accounts and enjoy higher leverage, cash rebates, etc.
A well-stocked academy and quality learning materials
No additional costs for deposits and withdrawals
Investors can choose company shares based on ESG scoring
Cons
£10 monthly inactivity fee
No third-party trading platforms
Focuses exclusively on CFD trading
Type
Fee
Overnight Funding
yes
Currency Conversion Fee
0.7%
Guaranteed Stop Order
spread applies
Inactivity Fee
$10 per month
Withdrawls/Deposits
$0
Plus500 provides access to 2800+ CFDs across a wide range of different asset classes, including: Indices – Country and Sector, Forex, Commodities, Individual shares, ETFs, Options
Note: 80% of retail investor accounts lose money when trading CFDs with this provider. You should consider whether you can afford to take the high risk of losing your money.
6. FXTM – Best Low-Spread FSCA Regulated Broker in the UK
Low spreads help you reduce overall costs and boost your profit potential. That said, we consider FXTM the best low-spread FSCA-regulated broker in the UK for numerous reasons. First and foremost, you can enjoy super-tight spreads from 0.0 pips while trading with this broker. All you have to do is sign up for the Advantage account. This low-spread account gives you access to different assets, including FX pairs, indices, and commodities.
FXTM is also on our list of the best brokers since it supports free deposits and offers quality support services. Moreover, it allows users to harness the power of one of the most sought-after trading platforms today: MT4. Lastly, with this broker, you get to enjoy super-fast trade execution, top-tier risk protection, and uncapped access to high-tech trading tools.
As the name entails, the main focus of this broker is forex trading. In 2020, FXTM was awarded Best ECN Broker by Daytrading.com and Best Trading Experience by World Trading. These are great examples of just how appreciated this broker is, even in the eyes of well-established actors in the industry.
1
FXTM Review 2025
TradingGuides Rating:
✔ Great education section
✔ Well-established broker
Outstanding support service offered in 30+ languages
Beginner-friendly user interface
Cons
High withdrawal fees for bank wire transfers
Only the MT4 trading platform is available
Limited learning resources
Type
Fee
Minimum deposit
$10
Overnight fee
$5
Deposit fee
$0
Withdrawal fee
$3
Inactivity fee
Yes
In the forex market, you have a choice of 250 currency pairs. If you decide to trade stocks, FXTM can offer you 170 options for stocks from different companies. Many of these stocks are offered not only as CFDs, but also for live trading. The broker also allows customers to trade cryptocurrencies.
What is FSCA/FSB?
The FSCA (Financial Sector Conduct Authority) is an independent authority formed in 2017. It replaced the FSB and is now responsible for enhancing the integrity and efficiency of financial markets. This authoritative body ensures financial institutions treat their customers fairly, promotes financial literacy, and plays a crucial role in maintaining financial stability in South Africa.
As mentioned before, the FSCA can be compared with the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) which is the governing body regulating the financial institutions in the United Kingdom.
How the FSCA Protects You
The FSCA protects you and other traders by closely supervising and regulating trading brokers. By monitoring these service providers, the FSCA protects you from fraud, unfair practices, and other detrimental issues. Moreover, this authority protects your funds from misappropriation by forcing all regulated brokers to segregate your money from company resources.
If you want to know more about the AFM brokers read our another article.
A large number of brokers operating in the UK adhere to stringent FSCA regulations. However, you can’t trade with all of these service providers. You must find and stick with one outstanding FSCA-regulated service provider for the best outcomes and optimum convenience.
With that in mind, you should use the following factors to identify the best FSCA UK broker:
Since you are after an FSCA-regulated broker, you should vet available service providers according to their FSCA regulatory status. And for optimum security and safety, ensure your chosen broker is authorized by the FCA in the UK. Finally, check if the company has been plagued with past regulatory issues that attracted heavy disciplinary actions.
In order to stay safe, you also need to apply the right risk management strategies to protect yourself from unnecessary losses.
The best broker should have your preferred financial instruments. It should also offer a wide variety of assets for optimum portfolio diversification. Avoid service providers with only a handful of financial instruments since you’ll have limited trading opportunities and other challenges.
Do you have a favorite trading platform like MT4 or MT5? If so, look for a broker that offers such solutions. Otherwise, evaluate every service provider’s proprietary and hosted platforms and check if they align with your needs and strategies.
You must trade with an affordable platform to minimize costs and enhance potential returns. Before committing to any particular broker, check the stipulated fees, spreads, and commissions. Where fees are concerned, verify everything from inactivity and overnight charges to account maintenance and withdrawal fees.
Before registering with a broker, check customer support. Verify availability and responsiveness. The information on the company’s official site should tell you if the support representatives are available 24/5, 24/7, etc. But, to gauge responsiveness, you must interact with the team. Just use the supported channels to ask a random question and wait for a response. We highly encourage trading with a broker that promptly addresses customer queries and concerns.
To ensure you enjoy perks like fair trading practices and quality support services, you must trade with a reputable FSCA-regulated broker. You can quickly gauge a company’s reputation through online ratings and reviews published on Google Play, the App Store, and Trustpilot. Avoid service providers with too many negative reviews and a tainted reputation.
How to Register an Account with a FSCA Regulated Broker
FSCA-regulated brokers use KYC to verify their clients’ identities. In other words, when opening an account with an FSCA-regulated broker, you must submit crucial identification information and support everything with valid documents.
But don’t be scared. Despite sounding complex, registering with an FSCA-regulated broker is easy. You just need to follow these steps:
We urge you to visit your preferred broker’s official site before doing anything else. Go and look around before signing up. Also, if you need a mobile app, download it from the official platform. Never get apps from third-party sources since they might be compromised by cybercriminals.
Sign up with the required information after checking everything and reading the company’s terms and policies. Ensure the details you submit are valid since the broker’s team will verify everything with your documents. Also, remember to optimize the security of your account and assets by setting a strong, unique password.
You must complete KYC by sharing the required POA and POI documents. Depending on your chosen FSCA-regulated broker’s requirements, you can share copies or photos of the necessary documents. Either way, the rule of thumb is to submit clear, legible photos or copies of your documents.
After completing verification, choose a funding method from the list of supported options. While doing so, check for any related fees and minimum requirements. If you’re a beginner, we strongly advise you to load your account with the smallest capital possible to avoid exposing yourself to catastrophic losses early in your career.
Go through your broker’s financial product list, pick your preferred instrument, and start trading. Reduce risk exposure with tools like stop-loss and take-profit orders. You can also leverage functionalities like copy trading whenever possible.
FAQs
What is the FSCA?
The FSCA – Financial Sector Conduct Authority – is the governing body responsible for regulating all institutions offering financial products and services in South Africa. A few years back, the FSCA replaced the Financial Service Board (FSB) and is now the main and only regulator in the country.
Any company or institution wanting to offer financial services has to apply for a Financial Service Provider (FSP) license issued by the FSCA. This license is very difficult to be approved for and can be compared with a license from the FCA or CySEC in Europe.
How do you check if a broker is regulated?
You can either visit the broker in question’s website as they are required to list all their licenses. It’s also not something the brokers are ashamed of or try to hide so it’s information that’s usually easy to find.
Naturally, you can also visit the governing body in your jurisdiction as they have registers with all licensed and black-listed brokers.
What is a regulated broker?
A regulated broker is a broker that has been issued a broker license by a financial regulator. The license means that the regulator will oversee, support, audit, and regulate the broker to ensure that they follow all relevant laws and that fairness and safety are always prioritized.
Trading with an unregulated broker is highly unsafe and can even be considered illegal. Therefore, you have to always stick with using brokers regulated by the FSCA in South Africa.
Can unregulated brokers steal your money?
Yes, there are several examples of unregulated brokers stealing both funds and personal information from their customers. That is why it’s incredibly important that you only stick with using regulated brokers that are approved in your jurisdiction.
For instance, when trading in South Africa you need a broker with a license from the Financial Sector Conduct Authority (FSCA) and when trading in the UK you need a broker with a license from the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA).
Can you trust unregulated brokers?
No, you cannot trust that an unregulated broker won’t steal your funds or trick you in other ways. In fact, unregulated brokers are associated with high levels of risk and criminality meaning you should stay far away from them.
Also, if trading with unregulated brokers you can’t expect to get help from regulatory bodies in case something would happen to you.
Luckily, there is a great number of regulated and trustworthy brokers to choose from in most of the world’s countries. For example, the best FSCA regulated brokers are listed in this guide.
Are FSCA regulated brokers safe?
Yes! The whole point of financial regulation is safe-keeping, both traders and brokers alike. Therefore, you can always rest assured that your FSCA regulated broker is safe and following the strict rules and laws that help regulate the industry.
As a South Africa trader, the only way you can find out if a broker is safe is to check whether it’s regulated or not. A good rule of thumb is that the more licenses a broker has, the safer it is.
Conclusion
We’ve aided your ascent to the top by introducing you to the best FSCA-regulated brokers in the UK. That said, picking a good service provider alone won’t guarantee success. Since trading is risky and requires extensive knowledge and skills, you should educate yourself and practice constantly with demo accounts.
Also, to avoid undermining your life, set aside a specific percentage of your income for trading activities. If things go south and you lose the capital you’ve set aside, don’t borrow trading money or use funds for other purposes like paying rent or buying groceries. Stick to your budget and avoid emotional trading at all costs.
How we test?
Our test process is really based on two different aspects: our independent tests and research, as well as user reviews from Google Play, the App Store, and Trustpilot, etc.
The first thing we do when testing is to check every detail and test every tool and instrument. Our experts spend more than 200 hours on every article. We pay special attention to the specific function or the criteria that we’re comparing during the comparing stage. This means that we must determine which broker is more suited for beginners, and which is better suited for experts, for example.Find out more about our test process here.
Is a regular dad trying to be smart about how we play and win in this big game of life. He has worked within the very best of the financial industry producing numerous training resources. He is an experienced copywriter with immense financial background. Now earns a full time living as a Trader, and as our writer.
His articles help everyday families build sustainable wealth, stop stressing about their financial security, and start living the life they’ve always wanted.
If he is not trading or writing, he is at the gym.
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