Check your broker before you deposit a dollar.
The Broker Safety Checklist walks you through five checks on any forex broker: its license, where your money sits, leverage rules, real costs and withdrawals.
- Verify a license on the regulator's own register, not the broker's website
- Find out what protects your deposit if the broker fails
- Spot the costs hiding behind "zero commission"
- Run a small withdrawal test before you commit real money
Covers the US, UK, EU and Australia. Built from official regulator guidance.
For traders who'd rather ask the awkward questions first
Most traders spend weeks on strategy and ten minutes on the company that holds their money. This guide flips that.
- You're about to open your first live forex account
- You trade on the side and want to sanity-check your current broker
- An ad, influencer or "account manager" is pushing a broker you've never heard of
- You've been burned by slow withdrawals or surprise fees before
Everything a broker would rather you didn't check
Each check tells you what to look for, where to verify it, and which answers should make you walk away. It finishes with a printable scorecard and a red-flag list drawn from the CFTC's own scam warnings.
Licensing
How to confirm a license on the CFTC/NFA, FCA, CySEC or ASIC register, and how to spot a clone firm.
Client money
Segregated accounts, and which compensation schemes may apply if a broker fails.
Leverage & protection
Retail leverage caps by region, negative balance protection and margin close-out rules.
Real costs
Spreads, commissions, swaps, conversion and inactivity fees, and how to price a typical trade.
Withdrawals
The small-withdrawal test, bonus terms that lock your money, and walk-away signs.
Red flags & scorecard
Nine red flags to scan for, plus a one-page yes/no scorecard to print and reuse.
From inbox to answer in three steps
Grab the guide
Enter your name and email in the form below. The PDF arrives in your inbox, and you can download it straight away on the next page.
Run the five checks
Pick the broker you're considering and work through each check. Most of it is public and free to verify.
Score it and decide
Fill in the scorecard. Any "No" on licensing or client money means stop there.
*CFTC, "Eight Things You Should Know Before Trading Forex," customer advisory.
Built from regulator sources, not broker marketing
Every rule and limit in the checklist comes from official sources, including the CFTC, NFA, FCA, ESMA, ASIC, FSCS and CySEC, and each one is cited in the guide. It doesn't recommend any broker.
ForEx Success is a weekly newsletter for side-hustle and independent traders, published alongside ForexBrokers.net, BestForexBrokers.com and FXBonusOffers.com. Those sites review brokers and may earn commissions from them, which is exactly why this checklist teaches you to verify everything yourself.
Before you sign up
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The ForEx Success newsletter, once a week on Sundays, with broker news, platform insights and risk tips. It may include partner offers. You can unsubscribe in one click from any email.
Will it tell me which broker to use?
No. It gives you a way to check any broker yourself. It's general education, not financial advice.
Know who's holding your money
Five checks, one scorecard, and a clear answer before you deposit. Enter your details and the checklist goes straight to your inbox.
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