We have tested the best forex broker FCA regulated in 2025 and listed them here. To trade safely in the UK, choose the best UK regulated forex brokers approved by the FCA financial conduct authority.
What is FCA and why it is important?
The Financial Conduct Authority – FCA was established in 2013, ensuring honesty, competitiveness, and equality in financial markets, benefiting individuals, businesses and the UK economy.
It regulates conduct and prudential aspects, working across the UK with offices in London, Leeds, Edinburgh, Belfast, and Cardiff. It aims to protect consumers, support market integrity, and promote competition.
With a self-governing funding model, the FCA works together with other regulators and international equivalents. Complete rule-making, supervision, and enforcement, ensures firms meet standards. The FCA’s performance is regularly evaluated and reported clearly to maintain accountability and effectiveness.
How does FCA protect traders?
The FCA ensures some protections and safeguards traders fund through:
- Negative balance protection
- Leverage limit
- The FSCS
- Segregated clients account
- External audits
The Financial Services Compensation Scheme FSCS ensures £85,000 as deposit insurance in case of broker runs out of business. Negative balance protection safeguards our account balance, preventing us from becoming indebted to a broker.
FCA set leverage limits for each instrument to minimize losses i.e.1:30 for major forex pairs and retail investors, 1:10 for minor indices and other commodities, 1:5 for stocks, 1:20 for gold, other forex pairs, and major indices.
External audit means FCA regularly checks and verifies the broker’s creditability, trust, and sufficient liquidity. Protecting clients’ money from a broker’s bankruptcy and keeping clients’ accounts segregated from company capital.
5 Best FCA Regulated Brokers in UK
Dive into the FCA UK regulated brokers and trusted forex brokers.
- Forex.com
- CMC market
- Pepperstone
- City Index group
- Tickmill
Rank 1 – Forex.com
FOREX.com was established in 1999 and holds top-tier regulations like ASIC, MAS, FCA, CIRO, JFSA, and CFTC. Forex.com UK gives client accounts with a mandate guaranteed to stop loss orders and negative balance protection.
It offers an extensive range of CFDs, Forex, commodities, bonds, indices, individual stocks, ETFs, cryptocurrency, and futures to provide trading opportunities for all types of traders. Fees and spreads vary by account type. Great customer support 24/5 is available.
| Information |  |
|---|---|
| Founded Year | 1999 |
| Regulation | Tier-1: ASIC, MAS, FCA, CIRO, JFSA, CFTC |
| Minimum Deposit | Variable – Depends on account type and region |
| Tradable Symbols | Variable – Over 4,500 CFDs, Forex, Commodities, etc. |
| Asset Types | Forex, CFDs, Cryptocurrencies – via CFDs |
| Trading Platform | Advanced trading, Web trading, Metatrader 4/5, Ninja trader |
| Pricing | Spread-based and commission-based |
| Commission/Fees | Standard account: Commission-free, higher spreadsRazor account: Low commission, competitive spreads |
| Demo Account | Available |
| Education | Trading Academy, Educational Videos, Written Articles |
| Research | Market news, Analysis, Trading central modules |
| Account Types | Standard account, Razor account |
Note: Crypto CFDs are not available to retail traders from any broker’s U.K. entity, nor to U.K. residents (except to Professional clients).
Rank 2 – CMC market
It was founded in 1989 and is trusted worldwide. Regulated by FCA, CFA, ASIC, and LSE, it ensures a safe trading environment. It deals with a variety of trading platforms, including MT4, and mobile apps.
It offers negative balance protection for some retail clients. You can fund using bank transfer, debit, and credit card. Customer support is top-notch.
Offering 330 FX trading pairs and fast execution times, it’s a top choice for traders. With advanced tools and no minimum deposit, it’s accessible to all.
| Information |  |
|---|---|
| Founded Year | 1989 |
| Regulation | Tier-1: ASIC, CIRO, MAS, FMA, FCA |
| Minimum Deposit | Variable – Depends on account type and region |
| Tradable Symbols | Over 12,000 CFDs, Forex pairs, Equities, etc. |
| Asset Types | Forex, CFDs, Cryptocurrencies – via CFDs, Equities |
| Trading Platform | Next Generation, MetaTrader 4, Invest App |
| Pricing | Competitive pricing with typical spreads of 0.61 pips on EUR/USD |
| Commission/Fees | Standard account: Competitive spreads, FX Active: Commission-based pricing |
| Demo Account | Available |
| Education | Written articles, Educational videos, Podcasts, Webinars |
| Research | Market News, Analysis, CMC TV, Opto Trading Intelligence, Insights News, Reuters, Morningstar |
| Account Types | Standard account, FX active account |
Rank 3 – Pepperstone
Pepperstone was established in Melbourne Australia in 2010, an excellent player in the global forex market. Regulated by Australia’s ASIC and the UK’s FCA, and regulated in the European Union through the MiFID.
Retail traders can enjoy negative balance protection but it does not apply to professional traders. It offers 62 forex currency pairs and CFDs on cryptocurrencies. Various deposit and withdrawal choices are available, minimum deposit is $200. Offer a wide range of trading.
Over 20 million traders are functioning copy trading. The User-friendly interface is suitable for beginners, alongside advanced tools tailored for experienced traders they provide outstanding customer services.
| Information |  |
|---|---|
| Founded Year | 2010 |
| Regulation | Regulated in three Tier-1 jurisdictions (ASIC, FCA) |
| Minimum Deposit | $200 (though trading can begin with less) |
| Tradable Symbols | Over 1,000 distinct markets including forex and CFDs; 2,342 symbols shown in the MetaTrader 5 (MT5) platform |
| Asset Types | Forex, CFDs, Cryptocurrencies |
| Trading Platform | MetaTrader (MT4, MT5), cTrader, TradingView |
| Pricing | Competitive pricing on Razor accounts, higher spreads on Standard accounts |
| Commission/Fees | Commission-based pricing on Razor accounts, commission-free on Standard accounts |
| Fees | Spreads, commission fees (Razor accounts), trading costs |
| Demo Account | Available |
| Education Resources | Trading guides, platform tutorials, archived webinars, monthly webinars, online seminars (Pepperstone Talks), and educational content on YouTube |
| Research | Daily articles, videos covering technical and fundamental analysis, access to third-party tools (Autochartist, Delkos, Smart Trader Tools), streaming news headlines |
Rank 4- City Index
Founded in 1983 in the UK, developed by GAIN Capital Holdings in 2015, part of StoneX Group (NASDAQ: SNEX), with over 30 years of experience, serves over 400,000 retail customers worldwide.
It offers Contracts for Difference (CFDs) and spread-betting derivatives and options in forex, commodities, bonds, interest rates, cryptocurrencies, indexes, and shares. Various deposit and withdrawal choices are available.
Excellent in platform choices, holding large product catalogs, and offering negative balance protection it’s regulated by ASIC, MAS, FCA, CIRO, JFSA, and CFTC. The outstanding customer support 24/5 hits the market.
| Information |  |
|---|---|
| Founded Year | 1983 |
| Regulation | Regulated in seven Tier-1 jurisdictions ASIC, MAS, FCA, CIRO, JFSA, CFTC |
| Minimum Deposit | £100.00 |
| Tradable Symbols (Total) | 13,500 |
| Tradable Markets | Forex, CFDs, spread-betting products, forex options, forwards |
| Trading Platform | Web Trader, MetaTrader 4 (MT4) |
| Pricing | Competitive pricing in line with the industry average |
| Commission | Commission-free trading |
| Fees | Spread, potential commission fees on certain accounts |
| Demo Account | Available |
| Additional Platforms | SMART signals subscription, proprietary mobile app |
| Active Trader Program | Premium Trader account for active traders with exclusive benefits |
| Cryptocurrency | Available through CFDs |
| Education Resources | Training section on the website with beginner and intermediate guides, Trading Academy video series, Celebrity Trader series, archived webinars on YouTube |
| Market Research | Trading Central tools integrated into platforms, daily editorial, news headlines from Thomson Reuters, economic calendar from FxStreet, SMS alert service, in-house research content |
| Mobile Trading App | City Index proprietary mobile app and MetaTrader 4 (MT4) mobile app |
Rank 5 -Tickmill
The well-established brand was started in 2014 and is based in the USA, authorized and regulated by several financial authorities like FCA, CySEC, FSCA, LFSA, DFSA, and globally. Low-cost Forex and CFD broker with low forex and non-trading fees.
It offers a variety of trading platforms, including MT4, MT5, and mobile apps. Various deposit and withdrawal options are available free of cost. It offers a diverse range of assets like forex, CFDs on stock, commodities, indices, cryptocurrencies, bonds, futures, and options.
Tickmill UK Ltd is enrolled in the Financial Services Compensation Scheme (FSCS) and gives negative balance protection. Tickmill offers multilingual customer support.
| Information |  |
|---|---|
| Founded Year | 2014 |
| Regulation | Regulated in FCA, CySEC, FCA, LFSA, and DFSA. |
| Minimum Deposit | Varies depending on the account type |
| Tradable Symbols | 725 tradable symbols encompassing CFDs on currency pairs, indices, metals, bonds, and cryptocurrenciesAdditionally, there are at least 109 symbols available for futures and options trading |
| Asset Types | Forex, CFDs, Futures, Options, Cryptocurrencies |
| Trading Platform | MetaTrader suite (MT4, MT5) with platform add-ons, CQG, AgenaTrader |
| Pricing | Competitive pricing with ultra-competitive spreads on commission-based VIP and Pro accounts |
| Commission | Commission-free Classic account; Pro and VIP accounts have a per-trade commission added to spreads |
| Fees | Spreads, commission fees for Pro and VIP accounts |
| Demo Account | Available |
| Education Resources | Live educational courses, eBooks, infographics, weekly webinars, Master class series, educational videos on YouTube, archived webinars, access to CME educational resources, third-party research tools, social media content |
| Research | Daily articles, technical and fundamental analysis, video updates, market news, interactive sentiment data, Signal Centre for actionable trading signals, third-party research integration, social copy-trading platforms |
Conclusion
We always check a broker is regulated by top standards like FCA financial conduct authority before recommending them to you.
Whether you’re a beginner or an experienced trader, these top-notch brokers offer a range of assets, top-tier regulators, competitive pricing, and outstanding customer support to provide for your trading needs.
Pro Tip
Just as gaining insight into FCA-regulated brokers is crucial, boosting your trading performance also hinges on tapping into the expertise of our trusted Forex brokers. Keeping abreast of the latest in CFDs, forex, stocks, and cryptocurrencies, guided by genuine broker reviews, is vital for informed trading decisions.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. What is the FCA?
The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) functions as an independent financial regulatory body in the United Kingdom, distinct from the UK Government, and charges fees to participants within the financial services sector.
2. How do I choose a best forex broker UK regulated?
Here are 9 factors to consider when choosing a foreign exchange broker in the UK:
- Regulatory compliance.
- Leverage and margin amounts.
- Spread and commission rate.
- Deposits and withdrawals.
- Trading platforms.
- Trading hours.
- Amount of forex markets available.
- Educational tools available.
3. How do I find a legit forex trader?
- Contact the CFTC to verify company registration, background, and history.
- Understand the Forex market and your obligations.
- Check the firm’s performance with other clients.
- Ask for information in writing and verify its accuracy.
- Request a risk disclosure statement.
- Get advice from a trusted financial advisor.
- Search more! Ask more! And invest more!
4. Do I have to pay tax on my forex funds?
Yes, in the UK, individuals are subject to capital gains tax on profits earned from FX transactions, along with stamp duty on gains realized from the sale of shares or property. In the United States, profits earned through forex trading are considered taxable income.
5. Do all forex brokers charge the same rates?
Forex brokers are charged commissions in the form are fixed spread and variable spread, and commissions are charged based on a percentage of the spread. Some brokers offer commission-free Trading they are zero commission brokers.
6. How to check if a forex broker is regulated by FCA?
- Visit FCA’s official website.
- Verify the broker’s registration and license number.
- Look for any past disciplinary actions.
7. What risk do I face by trading with a forex broker who is not FCA-regulated?
Traders face the potential for scams, fraudulent activities, dishonest brokers, or financial mishaps without any recourse.
8. What is meant by segregated funds?
Segregated funds are like mutual funds with insurance coverage. They invest your money for growth but guarantee a part of your principal even if markets fall. This safety comes with higher fees and possibly lower returns.
9. How do we test?
We do tests based on regulation, customer support, features, security, flexibility, and fees offered by them.
10. Are all online brokers regulated by the FCA?
No, not all online brokers are regulated by the FCA. But FCA regulation offers some protection to the clients it’s not mandatory for all brokers internationally.
11. How to verify if the broker offers a segregated fund?
Many reputable brokers will advertise that they have segregated client funds sections on “account security” or “client protection” on the broker’s website.
