Is FOREX.com Safe?

FOREX.com is a very safe broker. It scores 92 out of 100 in our Regulation & Trust category, backed by four licences including three Tier 1 regulators (CFTC/NFA, FCA, and ASIC). Its parent company, StoneX Group Inc., is publicly listed on NASDAQ under the ticker SNEX. That public listing provides a level of financial transparency that the vast majority of forex brokers simply cannot match.

Regulatory Standing

FOREX.com holds four licences:

Three Tier 1 licences is a very strong position. The CFTC/NFA licence is particularly notable because US regulation is the most demanding in the world for retail forex brokers. The compliance costs, capital requirements, and reporting obligations are enormous. Very few international brokers maintain a US presence because of this. FOREX.com does, and has done so since its earliest days.

The NFA registration (0339826) under GAIN Capital Group LLC means FOREX.com must maintain capital reserves well above what most other jurisdictions require. US-regulated forex dealers must hold minimum adjusted net capital of $20 million, which is far higher than the requirements in the UK, EU, or Australia. This capital buffer provides significant protection against insolvency.

The FCA licence (190864) has been active for over 20 years, providing UK clients with FSCS coverage up to GBP 85,000 and full FCA conduct protections. The ASIC licence (345646) covers Australian clients under one of the region's strongest regulators.

The CySEC licence (382/20) was added through the StoneX Europe entity, giving FOREX.com EU market access under MiFID II rules.

There is no Tier 3 offshore entity in the FOREX.com structure. Every client, regardless of location, is served by an entity under Tier 1 or Tier 2 regulation. This is a meaningful advantage over the many competitors that route international clients through Seychelles, Bahamas, or similar jurisdictions.

Fund Protection Assessment

Segregated client funds: Yes, across all entities. As a CFTC/NFA registered firm, GAIN Capital must hold client funds separately and report on their status in detail. The CFTC publishes monthly financial reports for all registered forex dealers, which means FOREX.com's capital reserves and client fund levels are actually publicly available data. You can look them up on the CFTC website.

Negative balance protection: Yes, for all retail clients. Required under FCA and ASIC rules, and provided as standard across entities.

Investor compensation: Through the FCA entity, UK clients are covered by the FSCS up to GBP 85,000. The CySEC entity provides access to the ICF up to EUR 20,000. The US entity doesn't have an equivalent compensation scheme, but the CFTC's high capital requirements ($20 million minimum) and monthly public financial reporting provide a different form of structural protection.

Public listing transparency: StoneX Group Inc. (NASDAQ: SNEX) is FOREX.com's parent company. StoneX is a major financial services corporation with annual revenues in the billions. It publishes quarterly earnings reports, annual reports, and SEC filings. If anything material happened to FOREX.com's financial health, it would appear in StoneX's public filings.

This is a significant trust signal. StoneX Group was founded in 1924 and has operated for over 100 years. The combined track record of the parent company and subsidiary provides a level of corporate stability that standalone forex brokers can't match. StoneX handles clearing and execution across commodities, securities, foreign exchange, and precious metals globally.

The NASDAQ listing also means FOREX.com operates under multiple layers of financial oversight: its own Tier 1 regulators, the SEC reporting requirements for StoneX, the CFTC's monthly financial reports, and the scrutiny of public market investors and analysts. That's more oversight than almost any other broker faces.

Company Background

FOREX.com was originally launched in 2001 by GAIN Capital Holdings. For nearly two decades, GAIN Capital operated as an independent, publicly listed forex company on the NYSE. In 2020, StoneX Group (then known as INTL FCStone) acquired GAIN Capital, bringing FOREX.com under the umbrella of a much larger, diversified financial services group.

The combined history gives FOREX.com over 25 years of operations in online forex trading. The acquisition by StoneX was positive for FOREX.com clients. It moved the brand from a standalone forex company to a subsidiary of a major, NASDAQ-listed financial services group with over a century of operating history, a multi-billion dollar balance sheet, and a global operational presence across multiple asset classes.

No significant regulatory enforcement actions against FOREX.com or GAIN Capital. The licences remain clean and active across all jurisdictions.

Withdrawal Reliability

FOREX.com's withdrawal options are more limited than some competitors. There's no Skrill, Neteller, or PayPal support, which may be inconvenient for traders who prefer e-wallets. The methods that are available are reliable and free.

Base currencies: USD, EUR, GBP, AUD, CAD, JPY, CHF. Seven options.

The inactivity fee is $15/month after 12 months of no trading activity. That's above average. For comparison, IG charges $12/month but waits 24 months. Pepperstone and IC Markets charge nothing. The 12-month grace period is standard, but the $15 amount is on the higher side.

No Islamic account is available, which limits FOREX.com's appeal in certain markets.

Despite the limited withdrawal methods, FOREX.com processes withdrawals reliably and without hidden fees. The backing of a NASDAQ-listed parent company provides strong confidence that withdrawal requests will always be honoured.

How FOREX.com Compares on Safety

FOREX.com ties with CMC Markets at 92 for Regulation & Trust:

Safer brokers: IG (98) and OANDA (95) sit above, both with six Tier 1 licences.

Same tier: CMC Markets (92) is publicly listed on the LSE with four Tier 1 licences. FOREX.com matches it with three Tier 1 licences and a NASDAQ-listed parent.

Close behind: Pepperstone (90) has dual FCA/ASIC coverage. XTB (88) is publicly listed on the WSE.

Well below: IC Markets (82), eToro (82), XM (78), and most other brokers score notably lower.

FOREX.com's three Tier 1 licences, NASDAQ-listed parent company, and absence of offshore entities combine to place it firmly in the top tier for safety. The CFTC/NFA licence in particular is a credential very few brokers hold.

Our Safety Verdict

FOREX.com is a very safe broker. Three Tier 1 licences (including the rare CFTC/NFA), no offshore entities, a NASDAQ-listed parent company with a century of history, and 25 years of clean operating history. The publicly available CFTC financial reports add an extra layer of transparency unique to US-regulated brokers.

The trade-offs are on the cost and convenience side. Spreads average 1.30 pips on EUR/USD (wider than raw-spread specialists), the $15/month inactivity fee is above average, withdrawal methods are limited, and there's no Islamic account option.

Our recommendation: FOREX.com is an excellent choice for US-based traders (it's one of very few regulated options), UK traders wanting FSCS protection, or anyone who values the financial transparency of a publicly listed parent company. If tighter spreads are more important than US regulation, Pepperstone or IC Markets offer better trading costs with strong (though slightly less extensive) multi-jurisdictional regulation.

Regulation & Trust Score: 92 / 100

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