Regulation news
Enforcement, licensing, warnings and rule changes from the authorities that supervise retail forex and CFD brokers, from their own press offices and from the press. Updated 8 Nov 2026.
Latest regulation stories
The not-so-fine print: making consumer contracts fair
How many of us read the terms and conditions of a contract before buying a financial product?Contracts hold the detail that shapes everyone's financial life, whether you're taking out a loan, insuring your holiday, or signing up for a crypto wallet.All firms are responsible for making sure that terms in their consumer...
CySEC withdraws Cyprus investment firm authorization of TioMarkets CY Ltd
The Cyprus Securities and Exchange Commission (CySEC) today announced the withdrawal of the Cyprus investment firm (CIF) authorization of TioMarkets CY Ltd.
FCA stops HTX's crypto promotions
The FCA has secured High Court undertakings to ensure that HTX (formerly Huobi), a global crypto exchange, will not knowingly promote cryptoasset services unlawfully to UK consumers. The FCA took legal action against HTX in October 2025 for breaking UK financial promotion rules. HTX had failed repeatedly to engage...
FCA halts HTX's crypto promotions
The FCA has secured High Court undertakings to ensure that HTX will not knowingly promote cryptoasset services unlawfully to UK consumers.
FCA Says Only 12% of CFD Firms Changed Charges: How Does Overnight Financing Fees Work?
Most of the CFD firms the regulator surveyed looked again at their charges after its review, then kept them. The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) surveyed 81 CFD firms in May 2026, six months after its November 2025 multi-firm review, and found that "only 12% of firms said they had changed any charges." Most of the...
ESMA streamlines several Q&As as part of simplification efforts
ESMA streamlines several Q&As as part of simplification efforts 22 October 2026 Market Abuse MiFID - Secondary Markets Short Selling Simplification and Burden Reduction The European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA), the EU regulator and supervisor, has updated its Questions and Answers (Q&As) on market...
ESMA specifies requirements to facilitate safe use of post-trade risk reduction services
The European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA), the EU's financial markets regulator and supervisor, has outlined the conditions that providers and users of post-trade risk reduction (PTRR) services need to meet for certain OTC derivative transactions to be exempt from the clearing obligation under EMIR 3. The...
FX week in review: FxPro EU sold, Trive regulator steps in, CMC Connect rebrands
Why did Malta MFSA step in and freeze the client accounts of CFDs broker Trive, and suspend controlling shareholder Kasim Garipoglu?
New Q&As available
The European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA), the EU's securities markets regulator, has published the following question and answer: Crypto-Asset Service Provider (CASP) Use by CASPs of payment accounts provided by non-bank payment service providers for holding clients' funds (2949) European crowdfunding...
FCA Flags High Overnight Fees as Only 12% of CFD Firms Change Charges
The UK Financial Conduct Authority has warned that some CFD brokers may be charging retail clients excessive overnight funding fees and failing to explain these costs clearly. The regulator also questioned charges on matched or hedged positions, where clients hold open buy and sell CFDs on the same asset. London's...
ESMA finalises the review of guidelines on the delay in disclosure of inside information
The European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA), the EU's financial markets regulator and supervisor, has updated and streamlined its Market Abuse Regulation (MAR) guidelines on the delay in the disclosure of inside information , completing the revised regulatory framework. Under MAR, issuers are required to...
ESMA updates its manual on transparency with new guidance for OTC derivatives and tick-size regime
The European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA), the EU regulator and supervisor, has updated its manual on transparency to provide further guidance on the identification of over-the-counter (OTC) derivatives subject to transparency requirements and to enhance supervisory convergence on the application of the...
ASIC seeks to extend and amend CFD consumer protections
ASIC is seeking feedback on its proposal to extend and amend the consumer protection measures governing contracts for difference (CFDs).
Cash, Set-Off or Crypto: ASIC Says a CFD Is a CFD; Drafts a 10-Year Rulebook
The Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC) has published a draft instrument to extend its product intervention order (PIO) on contracts for difference (CFDs) by 10 years. The draft would also cover CFDs settled through digital assets, set margin rules for CFDs over options, and bar the netting of...
ESMA sets out supervisory expectations on services related to unauthorised stablecoins
The European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA), the EU regulator and supervisor, has published an opinion clarifying supervisory expectations of crypto-asset services involving asset-referenced tokens (ARTs) and e-money tokens (EMTs) - also known as stablecoins- that do not comply with the requirements of the...
ESMA calls for changes to make MiCA clearer, safer and ready for emerging services
The European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA), the EU's financial markets regulator and supervisor, has responded to the European Commission's public consultation on the review of Markets in Crypto-Assets Regulation (MiCA). ESMA's recommendations aim to simplify the framework while improving investor protection...
FCA opens the gateway to regulated crypto
From today, crypto firms can apply for authorisation from the FCA, marking a landmark moment as the UK takes a step closer towards becoming one of the most trusted places in the world to build and invest in cryptoasset businesses. For the first time, crypto firms operating in the UK will be brought into full FCA...
Crypto firms can now apply for FCA authorisation
From today, crypto firms can apply for authorisation from the UK Financial Conduct Authority (FCA).
FCA secures money back for victims of crypto fraud
Victims of a £1.5m crypto investment fraud will recover lost funds after the FCA obtained confiscation orders against Raymondip Bedi and Patrick Mavanga. At a hearing at Southwark Crown Court on 28 September 2026, Raymondip Bedi was ordered to pay £603,404.28 and Patrick Mavanga £247,997.99.Between February 2017 and...
CFTC Sues Cash FX over Alleged $950 Million Forex Ponzi Scheme
The Commodity Futures Trading Commission has sued Cash FX Group and four associated defendants, alleging that the company collected more than $950 million through a multilevel marketing Ponzi scheme presented as a forex trading operation. London's trading industry is coming home! According to the CFTC complaint,...
ITI Capital Ltd enters special administration
On 25 September 2026, ITI Capital Ltd (ITI Capital) entered special administration. Duncan Perring and David Soden, both of Teneo Financial Advisory Ltd (Teneo), were appointed as special administrators. ITI Capital is a FCA authorised and regulated brokerage company that helped customers invest in shares and bonds...
CFTC sues Cash FX Group and its CEO in connection with $950M fraud scheme
The Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) today announced it filed a complaint in the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Florida against Cash FX Group S.A. and its CEO.
Twenty-four CFD firms closing in crackdown on misuse of UK authorisation
Twenty-one Contracts for Differences (CFD) firms have closed since 2025, following a FCA crackdown. The FCA was concerned the firms were misusing their authorised status to mislead consumers. Three other firms are currently cancelling their permissions.The FCA has been challenging CFD firms that carry out little UK...
FCA crackdown leads to 24 CFD firms closing
Twenty-one contracts for difference (CFD) firms have closed since 2025, following a crackdown by the UK Financial Conduct Authority (FCA).
FCA Shutters 21 CFD Brokers since 2025
The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) in the United Kingdom has shuttered 21 firms offering contracts for difference (CFD) since 2025, three others were cancelling their regulatory permissions to trade, and two face investigation after a crackdown on misleading customers, according to Reuters. The regulator did not...
FCA takes Hunter Jones to High Court over alleged unauthorised activity
The FCA has begun High Court proceedings against Osborne Baldwin Limited, which trades as Hunter Jones and Hunter Jones Group. The FCA alleges that Hunter Jones, which sells loan notes, carries out regulated activity without authorisation. The FCA is asking the court to stop Hunter Jones carrying out regulated...
FCA and partners continues crackdown on illegal crypto trading
The FCA and partners have taken further action against illegal peer-to-peer crypto trading in London. The FCA has carried out further operations with partners to disrupt illegal peer-to-peer crypto trading across multiple London locations.Working with HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) and the Metropolitan Police...
FCA, HMRC, Metropolitan Police Service continue crackdown on illegal crypto trading
The FCA has carried out further operations with partners to disrupt illegal peer-to-peer crypto trading across multiple London locations.
CySEC withdraws license of CFDs broker Eurotrader
The Eurotrader brand seems to have gone fully "offshore", after the company also lost its UK FCA license.
Crypto firms get guidance on how the new regime applies
New FCA guidance will help firms understand how the law underpinning the UK's future cryptoasset regime applies to their business. It also sets out which activities may require FCA authorisation. The regime comes into force on 25 October 2027. With applications for authorisation opening from 30 September 2026, firms...
Dubai regulator DFSA impersonated in blockchain settlement scam
These communications seek to mislead recipients into making further payments to access or recover funds, a common scam feature.
CySEC Flags 10 Websites as Unauthorised for Investment or Crypto Services
The Cyprus Securities and Exchange Commission (CySEC) has warned investors against 10 websites that might be offering investment or crypto-asset-related services without authorisation in Cyprus. In a warning dated 4 September 2026, the regulator said the websites do not belong to entities authorised to provide...
CySEC warns public against dealing with nine unauthorized investment firms
The Cyprus Securities and Exchange Commission (CySEC) today issued a warning to the public regarding nine unauthorized entities.
FCA decides to ban and fine Daniel Thomas over unauthorised pension transfer advice
The FCA has decided to ban Daniel Thomas from working in financial services and fine him £742,700 after finding he recklessly gave defined benefit pension transfer advice he was neither qualified nor allowed to give.
Consumers warned to beware of risky mini-bonds and loan notes
The FCA is warning consumers about the risks of investing in loan notes and mini-bonds issued by unregulated companies, after continuing to see people lose money in these high-risk investments. The recent failure of Woodville Consultants Ltd, a litigation funder that raised capital from retail investors through...
Unregulated loan notes and mini-bonds: don't risk your savings on promises of high returns
These high-risk investments should not usually be advertised widely to the public. We banned the marketing of speculative mini-bonds and loan notes to ordinary retail investors from 1 January 2021.We did this because these are complicated investments, not suitable for most people. The ban means these high-risk...
FCA applying increased scrutiny to Annex 1 firms
We are concerned about a number of risks among unregulated lenders, safe custody providers, money brokers and financial leasing companies (Annex 1 firms). Firms including unregulated lenders, safe custody providers, money brokers and financial leasing companies, need to be registered with us for anti-money laundering...
FCA finalises rules to cut firms' transaction reporting costs by over £100m a year
Transaction reporting requirements become smarter, simpler and more proportionate under new rules from the FCA. Transaction reports are critical to the FCA's ability to detect and investigate market abuse, monitor market functioning and supervise firms effectively.The new rules are designed to ensure the FCA continues...
Trial date set for individual charged with illegal promotions
On 30 July 2026, Lucy Beck attended Southwark Crown Court for a hearing in relation to unauthorised promotions on social media. Ms Beck entered a not guilty plea and the date of her trial has been set as 12 June 2028.It is alleged that Ms Beck promoted buying and selling Foreign Exchange Contracts for Difference...
ESMA confirms go-live for weekly commodity derivatives position reporting
The European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA), the EU's financial markets regulator and supervisor, announces that the new weekly commodity derivatives position reporting framework will go live on 3 September 2026. From this date, market participants will be required to submit weekly position reports in...
EBA, EIOPA and ESMA propose amendments to bilateral margin requirements
The European Supervisory Authorities (EBA, EIOPA and ESMA - the ESAs) today published a final report on draft Regulatory Technical Standards (RTS), proposing to simplify the bilateral margin requirements of the European Commission's Delegated Regulation (EU) 2016/2251. The proposed amendments aim to simplify the...
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