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HomeRegulationRegulatorsDFSA (DIFC)

Dubai Financial Services Authority (DFSA (DIFC))

Regulatory authority for United Arab Emirates

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Jurisdiction
United Arab Emirates
Authority type
Tier one financial regulator
Established
2004
Head office
Not confirmed
Official website
www.dfsa.ae
Public register
Public register available
Complaint information
Complaint route not confirmed
Compensation arrangement
Not confirmed
Retail forex and CFD remit
Confirmed
Regulatory framework rating
AA Very strong
Connected broker records
14
Official warnings recorded
0

About DFSA (DIFC)

DFSA (DIFC) is an authority in United Arab Emirates. We have confirmed responsibility for licensing, supervision, enforcement, consumer information, but its precise role in supervising retail forex and CFD providers requires review of the relevant licence and legal entity.

The regulator of the Dubai International Financial Centre free zone, applying rules modelled on the UK's.

Three regimes: the DFSA in the DIFC, the FSRA in the ADGM, and the SCA onshore. Check which one the licence is from.

Registration with an authority is not always equivalent to prudential supervision or permission to provide leveraged trading services. Review the exact licence category, permissions and status.

What DFSA (DIFC) does

LicensingSupervisionEnforcementConsumer information

DFSA (DIFC) reports responsibility for licensing, supervision, enforcement, consumer information. The scope can vary by firm type, permission and applicable law.

Powers and responsibilities

CapabilityWhat it meansStatus
LicensingWhether the authority grants or administers financial-services licences relevant to broker entities.Confirmed
SupervisionWhether licensed firms are subject to ongoing reporting, monitoring or conduct requirements.Confirmed
EnforcementWhether the authority can investigate, restrict, suspend, fine or otherwise act against firms.Confirmed
Public registerWhether users can search licensed entities, permissions, status and contact details.Confirmed
WarningsWhether the authority publishes warnings about unauthorised firms, clones, scams or market conduct.Not confirmed
ComplaintsWhether it accepts complaints, refers disputes or publishes an external-resolution route.Not confirmed
Client assetsWhether relevant rules address segregation, custody or handling of client money.Not confirmed
Financial resourcesWhether relevant licensees face capital, solvency or audit requirements.Not confirmed

The existence of a power does not establish how it was applied to a particular firm. Use dated enforcement and licence records for firm-specific conclusions.

DFSA (DIFC) licence types

Licence names and permissions are jurisdiction-specific. The same authority may supervise firms under categories that do not all permit retail forex or CFD services.

Licence or registration type
Tier one financial-services licence
Category code
Not confirmed
What this category covers
The regulator of the Dubai International Financial Centre free zone, applying rules modelled on the UK's.
Retail forex and CFD relevance
Confirmed
Recorded permissions
Not confirmed
Common restrictions or limits
Not confirmed
View entities with this record
14 connected broker records

Do not convert every company registration, membership or representative status into “regulated”. The source category is preserved and its scope explained.

Brokers connected with DFSA (DIFC) records

These records connect broker brands with legal entities found in DFSA (DIFC) information. A brand can use more than one entity, and only the named licensed entity receives the recorded permissions.

BrokerEntityLicenceStatusWebsite matchCountry relevanceChecked
XM logoXM 9.2/10Not confirmedTier one licence F003484Review pendingNot confirmedNot confirmed26 August 2026View licence record
Plus500 logoPlus500 9.0/10Not confirmedTier one licence F005651Review pendingNot confirmedNot confirmedNot confirmedView licence record
HF Markets logoHF Markets 8.7/10Not confirmedTier one licence F004885Review pendingNot confirmedNot confirmedNot confirmedView licence record
CMC Markets logoCMC Markets 8.5/10Not confirmedTier one licence F006316Review pendingNot confirmedNot confirmed26 August 2026View licence record
IG logoIG 8.5/10Not confirmedTier one licenceReview pendingNot confirmedNot confirmed26 August 2026View licence record
Saxo Bank logoSaxo Bank 8.4/10Not confirmedTier one licenceReview pendingNot confirmedNot confirmed26 August 2026View licence record
ThinkMarkets logoThinkMarkets 8.4/10Not confirmedTier one licenceReview pendingNot confirmedNot confirmedNot confirmedView licence record
Axi logoAxi 8.3/10Not confirmedTier one licenceReview pendingNot confirmedNot confirmed26 August 2026View licence record
Tickmill logoTickmill 8.3/10Not confirmedTier one licence F007663, Representative OfficeReview pendingNot confirmedNot confirmed26 August 2026View licence record
XTB logoXTB 8.3/10Not confirmedTier one licence F006316Review pendingNot confirmedNot confirmed26 August 2026View licence record
Swissquote logoSwissquote 8.2/10Not confirmedTier one licence F001438Review pendingNot confirmedNot confirmed26 August 2026View licence record
HYCM logoHYCM 8.0/10Not confirmedTier one licence F000048Review pendingNot confirmedNot confirmedNot confirmedView licence record
Pepperstone logoPepperstone 8.0/10Not confirmedTier one licence F004356Review pendingNot confirmedNot confirmed26 August 2026View licence record
Fortrade logoFortrade 7.7/10Not confirmedTier one licenceReview pendingNot confirmedNot confirmed26 August 2026View licence record

This record comes from the broker's own published regulatory statement and has not yet been matched to the authority's register.

View DFSA (DIFC)-regulated broker rankings

Client protections under DFSA (DIFC)

Available protections depend on the licensed entity, licence category, client classification, product and account location. The items below describe confirmed framework features, not guaranteed outcomes.

Client-money rules
Applies in limited circumstances
Capital requirements
Varies by licence
Negative balance protection
Not confirmed
Leverage restrictions
Not confirmed
Compensation scheme
Not confirmed
External dispute resolution
Not confirmed
Risk disclosures
Required for relevant firms
Reporting or audit
Required for relevant firms

A compensation arrangement may have eligibility rules, exclusions and payment limits. It does not cover ordinary trading losses and may not cover clients of another entity in the same broker group.

How to complain about a DFSA (DIFC)-regulated broker

Start with the legal entity shown on your account agreement. The complaint route depends on whether that entity is licensed, whether the service falls within the licence and whether you meet the relevant eligibility rules.

  1. Confirm the broker brand, legal entity, website and licence number.
  2. Submit a formal written complaint to the broker and retain the reference number and evidence.
  3. Check the authority's official complaint guidance and the firm's register entry.
  4. Escalate to the eligible ombudsman, dispute body, compensation arrangement or authority route.
  5. Report suspected crime, impersonation or unauthorised activity to the appropriate public authority.

We have not confirmed a public complaint-submission route for this authority. Check the official website and the broker's governing documents.

88 Forex Brokers does not decide disputes or provide legal advice. Deadlines and eligibility requirements may apply.

Warnings and enforcement

No official warnings from DFSA (DIFC) are recorded.

Warnings, investor alerts, clone notices and enforcement actions appear here as they are recorded, with the date, the subject and the source.

Check the DFSA (DIFC) register and warning list

Resources

Updates

No updates to this regulator profile have been recorded.

Material changes to licence status, warnings, enforcement records and the profile itself are listed here with the date.

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