Forex Regulation in Europe – Which Government Bodies Regulate Forex Brokers in the EU?

Forex regulation in Europe falls under MiFID II guidelines, which means that a standard set of rules and regulations apply to all European Union member states equally. A common, perfectly legal practice in the EU is for FX brokers to obtain a license in a region like Cyprus and then “passport” regulation to all EU member states. Bear in mind that each EU member state has specific rules and regulations pertaining to their respective country which, in some cases, may supersede EU regulation. Because of potential differences between pan-EU and member state regulations, it’s helpful to know which regulatory body in each EU member state is responsible for forex & CFD regulation. We’ve outlined each EU member state’s regulator body below and as a supplement, also added a couple of non-EU member states to the list in order to provide you with a comprehensive picture.

If your brokerage is seeking regulation in Europe, from our experience the most common jurisdiction to obtain a forex broker license would be in Cyprus. After Cyprus, Malta is the next potential jurisdiction to consider, followed by Bulgaria. Finally, we shouldn’t rule out the United Kingdom from this list. Note, however, that the UK’s relationship with the EU is currently being decided so specific rules pertaining to the region are subject to change.

A Complete List of EU Forex & CFD Regulators (Highlight the Flag to View Regulators)