Home/Glossary/FCA (Financial Conduct Authority)
Home/Glossary/FCA (Financial Conduct Authority)
Regulation & safety

FCA (Financial Conduct Authority)

By Jarosław Wasiński • Published: • Updated:
The Financial Conduct Authority, the UK regulator responsible for conduct in financial services and for supervising firms within its remit. Retail CFD safeguards depend on the authorised entity, relevant permissions and client category. Check the firm and its contact details in the official register; a familiar brand or registration number alone does not establish protection.
Example. Two websites can share a brand while the contracts name different companies. A UK-authorised group company does not automatically confer its permissions or protections on an overseas affiliate.

Verify the entity and the activity

Match the contract’s legal name with the official register, permissions, website and contact details. A copied firm reference number can be used by an impersonator. Registration for one activity is not blanket authorisation for all investment services.

Protections have conditions

Retail CFD safeguards, client-money rules, complaints access and compensation eligibility have distinct scopes. Segregation does not insure trading losses or guarantee immediate full recovery after a failure. Check the relevant scheme and account agreement instead of treating a licence as deposit insurance.

Reference: FCA: information for CFD clients. Checked 8 September 2026; verify later changes before relying on jurisdiction-specific rules.

Contact directly from the register

If a caller supplies a genuine firm's number, compare domain, address, telephone and recipient account name. Contact the firm using independently obtained register details. Verify status and permission restrictions, not merely that a record exists.

Primary source checked 11 October 2026: www.fca.org.uk.

FAQ

Does FCA authorisation provide an EU passport?

UK authorisation alone is not currently an EU passport. Cross-border services need their own legal basis.

Does every group affiliate inherit the UK firm's protection?

No. The contracting entity and its permissions matter; shared branding does not transfer all rights.

← Back to the full glossary

Jarosław Wasiński

Editor-in-chief, ForexMechanics.com • Macro & FX analyst

Independent analyst and practitioner with over 20 years of experience in financial markets. Actively involved in Forex since 2007, with a focus on fundamental analysis, OTC market structure, and disciplined capital risk management.

  • Creator and editor-in-chief of MyBank.pl, providing reliable financial education since 2004.
  • Author of hundreds of in-depth market commentaries, structural analyses, and educational materials for traders and investors.
  • Advocate for market transparency, promoting education grounded in hard data and institutional reports (BIS, ESMA, CFTC).

All content is educational and informational only – it does not constitute investment advice or a recommendation. Remember: leveraged trading (Forex/CFD) carries a high risk of rapid capital loss.