Safety · 5 min read · Updated 14 July 2026
How to verify a broker's licence in five minutes
A licence number on a website proves nothing until you have checked it at the source. Here is the exact process.
Every platform on TradingExpert claims at least one licence, and most legitimate firms display the number in their footer. The problem is that scam sites copy those footers word for word. The only check that counts is the regulator's own register.
Step 1: find the legal entity, not the brand
Brands like "Northgate Markets" are marketing names. The licence belongs to a company, for example "Northgate Markets (Europe) Ltd". Scroll to the footer or the terms of business and note the exact company name and registration number that serves your country.
Step 2: open the regulator's public register
- FCA (UK): the Financial Services Register
- CySEC (Cyprus): the list of Cyprus Investment Firms
- ASIC (Australia): Professional Registers, search by AFS licence number
- BaFin (Germany): the company database
- MAS (Singapore): the Financial Institutions Directory
Search by company name and confirm the number matches. Check the permissions: a firm may be authorised for payments but not for dealing in investments.
Step 3: confirm the domain
Many registers list the firm's official website. If the site you are on is a different domain, or a lookalike with an extra letter, stop. Clone sites are the most common fraud vector we see reported.
This guide is general information, not financial, tax or legal advice.