- INDEPENDENT
- EST. APRIL 2020
- CHENNAI, INDIA
Built on one belief: regulation is what protects your money.
TradingCritique is an independent broker review platform founded with one clear position: regulation first. We use a transparent 50-point scoring system where regulation carries 40% of the total, so safety is never treated as a secondary factor. A small team based in Chennai builds research with a global perspective.
50
Point scoring methodology
40%
Weight given to regulation alone
6
Pillars in every broker review
02
The reason behind our work
- 2014 — 2016
- The early years
Sasitharan joined the financial sector in 2014 through online trading operations, where he first met Riyaan Ahmed. Between 2015 and 2016, both worked at Forex brokerages, handling regulated and unregulated brokers, dealing with customer issues from people on dangerous platforms.
What they saw was a clear pattern: most traders did not understand regulation or why it mattered. Even when they tried to explain regulated brokers and their rules, traders were not convinced.
- 2015 - 2017
- Breaking Point
Brokers focused more on sales than education. This created confusion and led traders to choose the wrong brokers. After leaving the industry, Sasitharan noticed that many review sites were also not honest. Many brokers were ranked based on affiliate payouts, and some unregulated brokers were ranked higher than properly regulated ones.
The turning point came when he saw traders blindly following these rankings and losing money. That’s when he decided to build a platform where his knowledge and experience could be applied honestly.
- April 2020
- The founding
During the pandemic, trading scams surged and most retail traders lost their funds. With years of experience working with FCA, US, and EU brokers, TradingCritique was founded in April 2020 by Sasitharan and Riyaan Ahmed with one mission: Regulation First, so traders are protected from scams.
Riyaan handles broker partnerships. Sasitharan leads research and the scoring methodology. They designed a 50-point system with proper regulatory checks. The project was self-funded from day one. There was no outside investment, no paid rankings, no hidden sponsorships shaping what readers see.
- Today
- Vision
Our goal is to rate 200+ brokers using our TC Rating methodology, which will make TradingCritique the most comprehensive regulation-focused broker review platform available. We’re committed to surfacing regulatory updates and emerging risks to traders quickly and clearly.
Sasitharan (left) and Riyaan Ahmed (right) at the TradingCritique anniversary, 2025. From sales agents in 2014 to founders building a regulation-first review platform.
Our goal is to rate 200+ brokers using our TC Rating methodology. We want to build a trusted platform where every score is based on something verifiable.
— TradingCritique · Vision 2026 to 2029
04
How we evaluate every broker
01
Regulation first
Regulation accounts for 40% of every TC Rating because it has the most direct impact on how well a trader’s money is protected. Features, spreads, and platforms can look appealing, but they don’t carry the same weight without proper oversight.
40% of every TC Rating
02
What brokers actually offer
We rate brokers by the services they actually provide, not by holding every broker to a single standard. A CFD broker is meant to work differently from an investment platform, and our scoring reflects that.
03
Primary sources only
Our reviews are built from regulator registers, official broker disclosures, and credible financial reporting. We avoid relying on other sites, so every detail can be verified against a trusted source.
04
Transparency in earnings
We may earn commission through affiliate links when users sign up through our platform. These relationships do not influence how we rate brokers. Scoring stays consistent across partners and non-partners alike.
05
Evolving methodology
We continue to refine our rating system as we analyse more brokers and gather deeper insights. When meaningful updates are made, we apply them to existing reviews and reflect the changes clearly.
See the full breakdown
Curious how each pillar is scored? The TC Rating Criteria page lists every checkpoint, every weighting, and the threshold a broker must clear to earn our endorsement.
05
Our progress Over the years
2026
Launched the TC Rating a 50-point broker scoring methodology.
2025
Scaled to 1,831 broker comparison pages. Reached 7.2 million impressions.
2024 – 25
Broker finder tool launch. Surpassed 811+ published articles.
2022
Built a strong team to scale the platform.
2021
Partnership with Regulated brokers strengthened our understanding of global trading regulations.
2020
TradingCritique founded in April self-funded, regulation-first.
06
What we have built, in numbers
811+
Published articles across the platform
1831
Broker comparison pages live
7.2M
Annual impressions in 2025
811+
Published articles across the platform
1831
Broker comparison pages live
7.2M
Annual impressions in 2025
50
Point scoring system per broker review
6
Pillars per rating: regulation, fees, security & more
2020
Year founded. Self-funded since day one
50
Point scoring system per broker review
6
Pillars per rating: regulation, fees, security & more
2020
Year founded. Self-funded since day one
07
Researchers, analysts, and founders behind every rating
Founder · Editorial Lead
Sasitharan
Five years of experience working with FCA- and CFTC-regulated brokers, progressing from sales agent to project lead. At TradingCritique, he leads editorial direction, broker scoring methodology, and overall site strategy. Responsible for the TC Rating Criteria, broker verification workflow, and final quality control across all content.
He also designed the internal writing process: every analyst is guided through one-on-one review and extensive structured training program before becoming a fully independent contributor.
- FCA & CFTC experience
- TC Rating architect
- Editorial QC
Co-Founder · Partnerships
Riyaan Ahmed
Handles broker relationships and affiliate marketing partnerships for TradingCritique. Ensures every partnership the company makes adheres to its transparency standards and long-term credibility. Co-supervises the content creation process alongside Sasitharan, helping maintain consistency and quality across articles.
He also runs @riseofrj, a finance-focused Instagram page for the Tamil Nadu audience.
- Broker partnerships
- Business development
- Content oversight
Our financial research analysts
Each analyst evaluates brokers using the TC 50-point rating methodology across regulation, fees, security, platforms, and support. They write reviews and trading guides for global audiences.
Krishnaveni Thangapandian
Financial Research Analyst
Assesses brokers using the TC 50-point methodology across regulation, fees, security, platform, and customer support. Writes clear broker reviews and trading guides for a global audience.
- SINCE 2022
- BROKER REVIEWS
Ranjitha Manoj
Financial Research Analyst
Analyses brokers across regulation, commission, security, platform, and customer service. Develops actionable broker analyses and easy-to-follow trading guidelines.
- SINCE 2022
- ACTIONABLE GUIDES
Subhashini Vignesh
Financial Research Analyst
Analyses brokers using the TC 50-point system with a focus on security and regulatory compliance. Contributes thorough analyses and trading recommendations that account for risk.
- SINCE 2022
- SECURITY & COMPLIANCE
Narmadha Karthick
Financial Research Analyst
Reviews brokers using the TC 50-point methodology, focusing on ease of use, trading features, fees, and platform efficiency. Creates simplified broker reviews and informative trading guides.
- SINCE 2022
- EASE OF USE
Johnsi Mary
Financial Research Analyst
Reviews brokers using the TC 50-point scoring system, with emphasis on support, reliability, and ease of use. Produces well-structured broker reviews and educational trading material.
- SINCE 2022
- SUPPORT & RELIABILITY
The full TradingCritique team at anniversary celebration, 2025.
08
How do we earn money?
TradingCritique is free to use, so it’s fair to ask how we keep it running.
Affiliate partnerships, fully disclosed.
We earn through affiliate partnerships with some of the brokers we review. If you click one of our links and open an account, we may receive a commission at no extra cost to you. This is the only way we fund the site and the team behind it.
No paid rankings. No hidden sponsorships.
Our ratings are not influenced by these partnerships. We review brokers whether we are affiliated with them or not. In fact, some brokers we cover have no commercial relationship with us at all.
Methodology made public.
We publish the TC Rating methodology in full so you can see exactly how each score is calculated. If a broker doesn't meet our standards, we won't recommend it, regardless of any potential commission.
09
How to reach the right team at TradingCritique
For Traders
Questions or corrections
Questions about a broker review, or a correction we should make? We consider every message and respond within 48 hours.
For Brokers
Disputes & clarifications
To escalate an issue, dispute a rating, or clarify your review, please include the relevant primary sources.
For Partnerships
Collaborate with us
Looking to collaborate with TradingCritique? Let’s connect and explore opportunities together.