How to Check if a Broker Is Licensed in the UAE

UAE mainland

CMA

DIFC, Dubai

DFSA

ADGM, Abu Dhabi

FSRA

Banks, exchange houses

Central Bank

Which regulator to check

The UAE has more than one financial regulator. Which one licenses a firm depends on where the firm is set up: on the mainland, or in one of the two financial free zones.

Six steps to check a broker

1. Find the company's full legal name and licence number. A regulated firm shows them at the bottom of its website and in its client agreement. A brand name such as "XYZ Markets" is not enough: you need the legal company, such as "XYZ Markets L.L.C". If you can't find a licence number, ask for it in writing.
2. Search the regulator's register. Look up that name or number on the official register of the regulator the firm names. A firm that says it is licensed in the UAE should appear there.
3. Match every detail. The name, licence number, address and website on the register must match the firm you are dealing with. Clone firms copy a real firm's name and licence number but use their own website, email and phone numbers.
4. Check the status and what the licence allows. The licence should be active, not suspended or withdrawn, and it should cover the service you want. Some firms may serve only professional investors, not ordinary retail clients.
5. Check which company will hold your account. Many global brokers run several companies in different countries. The one advertising to you may be licensed in the UAE while the sign-up form opens your account with an offshore sister company. Your client agreement names the company, so read that line before you deposit.
6. Search the warning lists. UAE regulators publish warnings about unlicensed firms, and IOSCO's I-SCAN database collects warnings from regulators around the world. Search for the firm's name and its website address.

Warning signs

• Guaranteed returns. Promises of fixed monthly profits or "no risk" trading.
• Someone to trade for you. An "account manager" who offers to trade on your behalf, or asks for remote access to your phone or computer.
• Pressure to deposit more. Often right after a small early "profit".
• Fees to withdraw. Your money is held back until you pay a "tax", "fee" or "unlock charge".
• A stranger made first contact. A cold call, or a WhatsApp, Telegram or social-media message you didn't ask for.
• Unusual payment routes. Deposits only in crypto, or to a personal bank account.
• A trade licence shown as proof. A company's commercial licence is not permission to offer financial services.

Questions to ask before you open an account

• Which company will hold my account and my money, and what is its licence number?
• Is client money kept in a segregated account, separate from the company's own money?
• What exactly am I trading: do I own the asset, or is it a contract such as a CFD?
• Is there negative balance protection, so I can't lose more than I deposit?
• What are all the costs, including spreads, commissions, overnight fees and withdrawal fees?
• How do I complain, and which regulator can I take it to?

Putting Deriv through the check

NexTrader is a Deriv affiliate, so here is how Deriv's UAE details line up with the steps above. They are what Deriv publishes on its UAE website, checked on 18 September 2026. Look them up on the CMA's website yourself before you deposit.

• Legal company: Deriv Capital Contracts & Currencies L.L.C, registered in Dubai (no. 2279721).
• Regulator: the UAE Capital Market Authority (CMA).
• Licences: Category 1, no. 20200000243, and Category 5, no. 20200000199.
• Your account: when you sign up from the UAE, check that your client agreement names this Dubai company.

If something has already gone wrong

Stop sending money. Keep every message, receipt and screenshot, and report the firm to the regulator and to the police. Be wary of anyone who then contacts you offering to recover your money for a fee: recovery scams often target people who have just lost money.

Common questions