The FCA acts as a conduct and a prudential regulator with the FCA adopting a market-based approach in its regulatory supervision of firms. As a regulator of the conduct of the firms operating in the financial services industry in the UK, the FCA performs the following specific functions:

• Regulating the marketing of financial products
• Regulation of payment systems
• Supervision of banks in the UK
• Maintaining the new set of rules set out in 2012 for independent financial advisers

How to choose FCA regulated forex brokers

FCA is one of the most respected financial regulatory agencies in the world. They are a very traditional but well-funded organization, making regulatory changes and issuing warnings to protect would-be traders and maintain fairness in the CFD industry. All FCA-regulated brokers can be considered safe due to the strict regulatory environment in which they operate, and most of them are very strong all-round. But it is essential to look at the detail of each broker to find out what differentiates them from each other. When comparing FCA regulated brokers consider:

Regulation: While your broker is FCA regulated, your trading account may not be. It is increasingly common for FCA regulated brokers to onboard UK residents onto a different license where trading conditions, like leverage, can be increased without the FCA oversight. While this is not fundamentally bad, a trader should know their trading account is regulated and that FCA will not enforce their regulations in overseas territories. If you value the regulatory oversight of the FCA, don’t trade that for adjusted trading conditions.

Platform choice: Traders have a wide range of industry platforms to choose from, each with pros and cons. When comparing brokers, always consider the platform options, as unique features or a wide variety of platforms could change your trading experience. 

Trading costs: Every broker will charge for their services, but each will have different pricing models and costs. While ECN brokers will charge a smaller spread combined with a commission based on volume, market maker brokers will charge a wider spread. We compare brokers by looking at what 1 lot of EURUSD costs to trade and would encourage traders to do the same in comparing costs. 

MetaTrader 4 is still the industry standard, but many brokers offer MetaTrader 5 and their proprietary platforms. ECN/STP brokers will often support cTrader as it is built specifically for market execution and only allows for minimal broker interference.

Minimum Deposit: The minimum deposit could change by account type, with higher minimum deposits often linked to better conditions. Always consider the minimum deposit specific to the account type you may open. 

Deposit and Withdrawal Methods: Most brokers accept credit cards and bank transfer payment, and many accept online payments through Skrill and Neteller, and some will also accept Bitcoin. Always check the withdrawal fees before making a deposit. 

Choosing a broker in the UK regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) can provide an extra level of protection compared to an unregulated broker. For example, it can be easier to check the histories of regulated brokers (by looking through the FCA filings), while brokers are held to a standard of service put in place by the regulator.