FCF Markets positions itself as a multi-asset broker that offers access to trading currency pairs, crypto currencies, metals, energies, futures, and shares. The broker promises that clients funds are held in segregated bank accounts, however there’s no proof to validate that claim.
FCF Markets is not regulated and there’s no live chat option to contact the broker. Trading with an unregulated broker can be risky and may lead to potential fraud, lack of transparency, and the possibility of losing your entire investments. Regulations are in place to protect the interests of traders. Regulated brokers have to meet requirements set by regulators and industry standards to ensure the safety and security of their clients’ funds. Regulations protect traders from price manipulation, fraudulent activities, and other unfair practices.
Unregulated brokers such as FCF Markets, are not subject to the same level of oversight and regulatory scrutiny as regulated brokers. The broker operates without proper licensing or authorisation, which puts traders at risk.
In addition, there’s no information about negative balance protection. This feature is important in CFD (Contract for Difference) and Forex trading as these products are highly leveraged, which means that traders use borrowed money from their broker to increase their purchasing power, and when market conditions are not favorable, traders can lose more than what’s on their trading accounts.
Trading platform at FCF Markets
The broker offers a home-built trading platform. The platform is available for desktop, mobile and web trading uses. This may be a further indication that FCF Markets is a fraud broker. Most well regulated brokers are offering popular platforms such as MetaTrader 4, MetaTrader 5, cTrader, and TradingView. The home built platform can be subject to manipulations.
Available account types
There are no commissions. And we have no information about swap free and demo accounts. The broker offers 4 account types to its clients. You can see the comparison table below.
| Bronze | Silver | Gold | Platinum | |
| Minimum deposit | 250 USD | 2,500 USD | 10,000 USD | 50,000 USD |
| Maximum available leverage | 30:1 | 30:1 | 30:1 | 100:1 |
| Instruments | 60+ FX pairs, metals, indices, commodities | 60+ FX pairs, metals, indices, commodities | 60+ FX pairs, metals, indices, commodities | 60+ FX pairs, metals, indices, commodities |
| Spreads | From 2.8 pips | From 2.5 pips | From 1.5 pips | From 0.1 pips |
| Trading terminal | Webtrader | Webtrader | Webtrader | Webtrader |
| Dedicated account manager | No | No | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile app | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Free VPS | No | No | No | Yes |
| Swap discount | No | No | 25% | 50% |
It’s unusual that the maximum leverage on Platinum accounts is 100:1 while other accounts are offering up to 30:1 leverage. Typically brokers offer high leverage to professional traders while retail traders have lower leverage. For instance, top tier regulators in Europe and Great Britain such as the Financial Conduct Authority of the UK limits brokers to offer their retail clients over 30:1 leverage and this maximum leverage for professionals is 200:1. Since FCF Markets is unregulated, it’s difficult to see the logic behind the leverage distribution.
Additional features of FCF Markets
Traders can use credit card, debit card and wire transfer options for deposits and withdrawals. For account verification the broker asks its clients to upload a proof of residence and proof of identity. For proof of identity traders can use Driver’s license, international passport, or government issued ID. For proof of address, you can upload bank statements or utility bills. The documents must not be older than 3 months.
Is FCFMarkets legit?
While we were creating the FCF Markets review we had an impression that the broker was a fraud. The broker’s main page is not informative, there is no live chat option and most importantly, the broker doesn’t have any license. Licenses issued by reputable regulators such as FCA in the UK, Australian Securities & Investments Commission (ASIC), and others guarantee traders that their interests will be protected. Financial regulators consistently monitor brokers and make sure regulations are followed thoroughly. In the case of FCF Markets, there’s nobody that can protect your interests. In addition, the broker is only offering a home-built trading platform that can be another indication that the broker cannot be trusted.
In order to protect yourself from Forex fraud, it’s essential to do your due diligence when choosing a broker or a trading system. Only trade with regulated brokers that have a good reputation in the industry and offer transparency. Be wary of promises of high returns to avoid getting rich quick scams. There’s no good reason to open a trading account with this broker especially when there are so many well-regulated multi-asset brokers to choose from. In case you suspect that you have been a victim of Forex fraud, report it to the relevant authorities immediately.
