category: Unregulated Brokers

Is Forex Birds Scam or Legit Broker?

It is not safe to trade with Forex Birds as it is an offshore unregulated broker. Forex Birds LTD is a fully licensed and Regulated broker governed and supervised by the Saint Vincent Finance Service Authority (FSA).

• The fact is that St. Vincent and the Grenadines is an offshore zone, which does register the financial investment firm, but provides very poor if none requirements for the company operation. That means, the broker is not regulated, not overseen, and does not comply with strict international rules that provide protective measures to the traders. Therefore, it became an offshore zone for shady forex brokers such as CVC Markets, AAG Markets, and more. Read more about St. Vincent and the Grenadines regulation by the link.

What is Forex Birds?

Forex Birds claims to be a well-regulated, safe, and secure Forex broker with optimal trading conditions. The broker offers a wide range of solutions to trade CFDs and Forex, commodities, indices, and spot metals. It also provides clients with the leverage of up to 1:100 and user-friendly platforms with useful functionalities. However, there are some concerns about its regulation which we are going to look at in this Forex Birds Review.

• Forex Birds LTD claims to be a registered company from UK company house registration number 1203823. However, Companies House is only the United Kingdom’s registrar of companies, it is not the regulator that approves licenses for the brokers in the UK. And, of course, there is no information about this broker in the UK’s FCA register (Read the FCA-regulated Fortrade Review).
• Moreover, the Spanish regulator CNMV (National Securities Market Commission) has issued a warning against Forex Birds:

“The Comisión Nacional del Mercado de Valores (National Securities Market Commission) warns that Forex Birds is not authorized to provide the investment services, which include investment advice, nor to provide the auxiliary in relation to the financial instruments, including, for those purposes, foreign currency transactions.”

Forex Birds in India

Forex Birds allows Indian traders to open accounts and trade. However, Forex Birds has no mention of complying with any Indian regulators on its website. It is also worth mentioning that Forex trading is actually prohibited in India. The broker is not regulated by any regulatory body in India, that’s why money safety may be the issue here.

Forex Birds in the USA

The United States is one of the countries that is not accepted by Forex Birds. As per U.S. law, brokers regulated by CFTC are the only brokers allowed for USA traders. So, except for Forex Birds, you are only permitted to trade with U.S-regulated platforms.

Deposits & Withdrawals

Forex Birds offers four types of trading accounts (Also explore MEXC Global's account types): ECN, Standard, Premium, and Prime. The minimum deposit for the basic ECN account is 100 USD (See ECN Forex Brokers Reviews). The payment options include Visa, Maestro, Bank Transfers, and e-wallets Skrill and Neteller. 

Apps

Forex Birds offers an advanced mobile platform MT4 compatible with most smartphones and tablets. For the ultimate mobile trading experience, you’re invited to download our innovative, free mobile trading apps. Look for Forex Birds Trading on the App Store or on Google Play.

Demo Account

Forex Birds also offers a demo account. The Demo Account is provided to give traders a demonstration of the broker’s trading platform and to offer traders the opportunity to trade on simulated real trading conditions. This further allows the trader to gain more experience prior to trading with real funds and facing actual risk. Traders may test their trading strategies and become familiar with the trading platform at their own pace.

Forex Birds Review Conclusion

Overall, there are many questions in regards to the trust of the Forex Birds company services and the manner they do operate the online trading itself. We strongly advise opening a trading account only with brokers that are regulated by respected world authorities that comply with the required set of rules and have a good reputation through the delivered timeframe of operations. Traders should trade with well-regulated brokers such as UK brokers or brokers in Australia and reliable brokers such as AvaTrade and XM.com.

Forex Birds Update

Based on our findings, the Forex Birds website is inactive. This means the broker has muted its trading offering and does not operate. However, we recommend avoiding and staying alert in case of any proposals. 

Is Blackstone500 Scam or Legit Broker?

No, it is not safe to trade with Blackstone500 as it is not regulated. The broker doesn’t disclose the company behind the brand’s name. It claims to have headquarters in Zürich, Switzerland, but at the same time provides the UK contact number. In addition, according to the terms and conditions, Blackstone500 operates under Estonian Governing laws. It is not clear which jurisdiction oversees the broker’s activities and after checking the registers of the major EU regulator we can say - none of them, as we couldn’t find any mentions of this broker. 

What is Blackstone500?

Blackstone500 claims to be an international trading online corporation, offering 24-hour access to a wide range of trading instruments including currencies trading in Forex, commodities, shares, indices, and Cryptocurrencies. The broker offers trading through Activ8 - a popular trading platform, with leverage up to 1:30 and risk management tools. Despite all these benefits some information on the website doesn’t actually add up because of multiple discrepancies, we are going to list. 

• Moreover, the UK’s Financial Conduct Authority has warned against Blackstone500:

“Almost all firms and individuals offering, promoting, or selling financial services or products in the UK have to be authorized by us. This firm is not authorized by us and is targeting people in the UK. Based upon information we hold, we believe it is carrying on regulated activities which require authorization.”

• The pages and official sources of the international regulators’ list alert are shared with the authority directly or by other countries’ supervisory bodies or transmitted centrally. Those tools and the general purpose of the regulatory bodies operate in order to enable stability of the market offerings, protect clients from potential and numerous frauds, enable reliability rules to financial service entities, and more. As Blackstone500 got no license to operate within the EU and other regulated jurisdictions, the broker was blacklisted and alerted by the EU authority.

Blackstone500 Review Conclusion

We advise all investors and traders to avoid Blackstone500 and other unregulated brokers. The lack of information about the broker’s regulations, trading conditions, and contact details should be the biggest red flag for those who plan to invest with the entity. Usually, such companies run investment scams. Traders should trade with well-regulated brokers such as UK brokers or brokers in Australia and reliable brokers such as Alpari and XM.

Blackstone500 Update

Recently the Blackstone500 website remains inactive, meaning the broker has muted its trading offering and does not propose account openings. However, we still advise the traders to be alert and careful, in case they receive trading proposals. 

Is Capoinvest Scam or Legit Broker?

No, it is not safe to trade with Capoinvest as it is not regulated. Capoinvest claims to be a subsidiary of a CAPITAL GROUP INVESTMENT (LUX). The broker provides a valid registration number of this broker with the FCA (reg. 747792), but the register states it is a US-based company. Meanwhile, Capoinvest claims to be located in the UK (30 Coleman Street, London EC2R 5AL, United Kingdom).

About Capoinvest

🗺️ Registered in	No registration
🗺️ Type of License	No License
🛡️ Is Capoinvest safe to trade	No
🗺️ Recommended Licenses	FCA in UK 🇬🇧 & ASIC in Australia 🇦🇺
🖥 Alternative Broker	GO Markets - licensed by ASIC in Australia

What is Capoinvest?

Capoinvest claims to be one of Europe’s leading financial institutions specializing in Forex/CFDs and Cryptocurrency trading. The broker offers various types of trading software and tools that allow individuals and institutional customers to trade Forex, CFDs, and Cryptocurrency online. There is one thing that remains questionable in the broker’s statements which is that it provides clients with a 100% transparent and secure form of trading. Unfortunately, after doing some research, we cannot confirm it, on the contrary, there is some information that only proves Capoinvest is not regulated and should be avoided. 

• It really seems like this broker has just been using the registration details of a regulated entity and that’s why investors should be very attentive here and check twice before investing with this broker.

Capoinvest Review Conclusion

We advise all investors and traders to avoid Capoinvest and other unregulated brokers. The lack of information about the broker’s regulations, trading conditions, and contact details should be the biggest red flag for those who plan to invest with the entity. Usually, such companies run investment scams. Traders should trade with well-regulated brokers such as UK brokers or brokers in Australia and reliable brokers such as Alpari and XM.

Capoinvest Update

Recently the Capoinvest website remains inactive, meaning the broker has muted its trading offering and does not propose account openings. However, we still advise the traders to be alert and careful, in case they receive trading proposals. 

Is Royal GTX Scam or Legit Broker?

No, it is not safe to trade with Royal GTX as it is not regulated. The broker does not provide any regulatory information, the company behind its name or contact details. That’s when it comes to transparency. Regulated companies keep all the information open to their clients as it is required by the law. Obviously, Royal GTX has no regulation and no authority to report to.  

What is Royal GTX?

Royal GTX was founded in 2010 and claims to be an international online trading leader, bringing closer to traders all the opportunities of financial markets. The broker provides full and free access to the MT4 platform. They specialize in leveraged Forex trading, offering every market FX, indices, commodities, shares, and cryptocurrencies. 

• According to the terms and conditions of the website, Royal GTX falls under the regulation of Estonian Governing Authorities. However, we couldn’t find any mentions of this broker in the register of the Estonian local regulator.  

• Moreover, the UK’s Financial Conduct Authority has warned against Royal GTX:

  “Almost all firms and individuals offering, promoting, or selling financial services or products in the UK have to be authorized by us. This firm is not authorized by us and is targeting people in the UK. Based upon information we hold, we believe it is carrying on regulated activities which require authorization.”

• The pages and official sources of the international regulators' list alert are shared with the authority directly or by other countries' supervisory bodies or transmitted centrally. Those tools and the general purpose of the regulatory bodies operate in order to enable stability of the market offerings, protect clients from potential and numerous frauds, enable reliability rules to financial service entities, and more. As Royal GTX got no license to operate within the EU and other regulated jurisdictions, the broker was blacklisted and alerted by the EU authority.

Royal GTX Review Conclusion

We advise all investors and traders to avoid Royal GTX and other unregulated brokers. The lack of information about the broker’s regulations, trading conditions, and contact details should be the biggest red flag for those who plan to invest with the entity. Usually, such companies run investment scams. Traders should trade with well-regulated brokers such as UK brokers or brokers in Australia and reliable brokers such as Alpari and XM.

Royal GTX Update

Recently the Royal GTX website remains inactive, meaning the broker has muted its trading offering and does not propose account openings. However, we still advise the traders to be alert and careful, in case they receive trading proposals. 

Is Premium Brokers Scam or Legit Broker?

No, it is not safe to trade with Premium Brokers, as it is an offshore company. This broker is owned and operated by Premium Solutions Ltd, Incorporation number 101925, The Trust Company Complex, Ajeltake Road, Ajeltake Island, Majuro, Republic of the Marshall Islands.

• The Marshall Islands is an offshore zone attracting various firms that for one reason or another escape from serious regulation or compliance to international service providing. However, in the case of financial investment or trading firms, the company should be a very respected entity, as the statistics show that the majority of non-authorized firms never recovered the sums of investors' investments. Therefore, we always advise avoiding offshore or companies with no license as there are too many frauds around.

What is Premium Brokers?

Premium Brokers is an international brokerage company that offers multi-asset trading to its customers and also advanced information technologies, software products for business, and various financial instruments. The broker also offers such benefits as low market spreads (Find the best forex broker with the lowest spreads, also find 0 spread brokers by link), absence of re-quotes, transparent deals, and innovative trading technologies. 

• However, Premium Brokers has been blacklisted by the Spanish regulator CNMV:

“Premium Brokers is not authorized to provide the investment services, which include investment advice, nor to provide the auxiliary in relation to the financial instruments, including, for those purposes, foreign currency transactions.”

• The pages and official sources of the international regulators' list alert are shared with the authority directly or by other countries' supervisory bodies or transmitted centrally. Those tools and the general purpose of the regulatory bodies operate in order to enable stability of the market offerings, protect clients from potential and numerous frauds, enable reliability rules to financial service entities, and more. As Premium Brokers got no license to operate within the EU and other regulated jurisdictions, the broker was blacklisted and alerted by the EU authority.

Premium Brokers Review Conclusion

We strongly advise all investors and traders to avoid Premium Brokers and other brokers from the Marshall Islands. Offshore brokers do not provide enough safety measures, thus trading with them means putting your investments at risk. Traders should trade with well-regulated brokers such as UK brokers or brokers in Australia and reliable brokers such as FP Markets and eToro.

Premium Brokers Update

Recently the Premium Brokers website remains inactive, meaning the broker has muted its trading offering and does not propose account openings. However, we still advise the traders to be alert and careful, in case they receive trading proposals. 

Is Uptos Scam or Legit broker?

Uptos is not a secure Forex broker since it does not hold a license from any worldwide serious Forex authority. Meaning the broker is suspected of being a fraud company since it was not checked for its compliance before establishment, was never monitored in terms of its safety, and simply may operate the business in any way it wishes.

• It is not safe to trade with Uptos as it is an offshore broker. Uptos LTD is registered and operates as a financial investment company under the laws of St. Vincent and the Grenadines.
• However, the fact is that St. Vincent and the Grenadines is an offshore zone, which does register the financial investment firm, but provides very poor if none requirements for the company's operation. That means, the broker is not regulated, not overseen, and does not comply with strict international rules that provide protective measures to the traders. Therefore, it became an offshore zone for shady forex brokers such as CVC Markets, AAG Markets, and more. Read more about St. Vincent and the Grenadines regulation by the link.

What is Uptos?

Uptos claims to be a leading foreign exchange broker with competitive trading conditions (See the Best Regulated Forex Brokers). This multi-asset trading platform offers over 250+ products across multi-asset classes such as currencies, stocks, commodities and energies, derivatives, and many more. The broker also provides MetaTrader 5 platform (Check out MT5 brokers' list) and leverage up to 400:1, while also broker adds on new features like Uptos Token and Uptos Coin with purpose to diversify.

However, the claims are not considered serious since Broker is solely offshore firm which is not considered safe enough. Moreover, Uptos has been blacklisted by the Italian regulator CONSOB:

“CONSOB  availed itself of the powers deriving from the “growth decree” regarding the blackout of the sites (including Uptos LTD (website www.uptos.net) of abusive financial intermediaries, as well as the new power introduced by Law no. 8 of 28 February 2020, regarding the blackout of the site through which the abusive bid is made.”

Overall Uptos Ranking 

Since our research revealed multiple issues in respect of Uptos regulation and reliability, we do not rank positively Uptos, based on our Expert Opinion with over 10 Years of experience in Forex Trading.

• Uptos Overall Ranking is 2 out of 10 based on our testing and compared to 500 other brokers, see Our Ranking below compared to other popular and industry Leading Brokers.

Uptos Alternative Brokers

Based on the Uptos regulations and safety issues we revealed during our research, we suggest much better Alternatives to Uptos with good regulations and excellent conditions. We select Good Brokers and trustworthy options for your comparison below: 

• Pepperstone – Best for Copy Traders
• XM – Broeker with Low Minimum Deposit
• Interactive Brokers – Good for Stock Trading

Uptos in India

Uptos allows Indian traders to open accounts and trade. However, Uptos has no mention of complying with any Indian regulators on its website. It is also worth mentioning that Forex trading is actually prohibited in India. The broker is not regulated by any regulatory body in India, that’s why money safety may be the issue here.

Uptos in the USA

The United States is one of the countries that is not accepted by Uptos. As per U.S law, brokers regulated by CFTC are the only brokers allowed for USA traders. So, except for Uptos, you are only permitted to trade with the U.S-regulated platforms.

Deposits & Withdrawals

The minimum deposit is $250. Traders can deposit with Credit/Debit Cards, American Express, PayPal, Skrill, and Wire Transfer. The broker does not charge any deposit fees. 

Apps

The broker offers an UpTrader platform. The platform offers advanced financial trading functions, as well as tools for technical and fundamental analysis. UpTrader can also trade automatically by using trading robots and trading signals. In addition to the desktop and mobile versions, the platform is available on the web and can be accessed from any device and is available on Windows, Android, and Apple. 

Demo Account

Uptos does not offer a demo account, which is a drawback too. 

Uptos Review Conclusion

Even though the trading offering might seem quite attractive at Uptos, the offshore status of the company does not guarantee the provision of services at the necessary level of client and fund protection. For that reason, we would advise choosing the broker more carefully and checking on at the first step the broker’s regulation status.

Reputable firms that hold FCA, FINMA, or other licenses are established in accordance with international standards, protecting clients at every step and even compensating the trader in case if the things go wrong with the company. Thus we advise to sign in with regulated brokers like Pepperstone and TMGM.

• Overall ranking and experience for Uptos is Negative

Uptos Update

We discovered that the Uptos website is unavailable. It is unclear whether the broker changed its name, or is gone altogether. Since money safety goes first, we recommend avoiding any proposals from Uptos and staying alert in case of any proposals. 

Is StarkMarkets Scam or Legit Broker?

No, it is not safe to trade with StarkMarkets as it is not regulated. Starkmarkets.com is operated by Krisimark Ltd, Registration number 206066758, a Company duly incorporated in the Republic of Bulgaria, EU. 

Despite the broker’s claims of being located and regulated in Bulgaria, we could not find any proof or mention of this broker in the register of the Bulgarian Financial Supervision Commission. 

What Is StarkMarkets?

StarkMarkets is a financial services provider, offering a selection of more than 70 financial assets such as Forex and CFDs to traders from almost all around the globe. 

In general, StarkMarkets has a questionable reputation due to its hidden fees and lack of regulation. The broker was previously owned by the company that was blacklisted by EU regulators multiple times. Most probably it was the reason they changed the company behind the brand’s name, however, it is still dangerous to invest in this firm. 

Moreover, the broker has been blacklisted by at least two regulators:

• “The FMA recommends exercising caution before dealing with StarkMarkets and https://starkmarkets.com. It is not a registered company or financial service provider in New Zealand. We are concerned that it has the hallmarks of a scam.”

New Zealand, FMA.

• “We are aware that StarkMarkets accepted funds from a British Columbia (BC) resident. StarkMarkets is not registered to trade in, or advise on, securities or derivatives in BC. We urge BC residents to exercise caution when dealing with firms that are not registered to trade or advise in BC.”

Canada, BCSC.

StarkMarkets Review Conclusion

We advise all investors and traders to avoid StarkMarkets and other unregulated brokers. The lack of information about the broker’s regulations, trading conditions, and contact details should be the biggest red flag for those who plan to invest with the entity. Usually, such companies run investment scams. Traders should trade with well-regulated brokers such as UK brokers or brokers in Australia and reliable brokers such as Alpari and XM.com.

• Overall ranking and experience for StarkMarkets is Negative

StarkMarkets Update

We found the StarkMarkets website inactive and unavailable to reach. This means the broker no longer operates. However, it is best to avoid and stay alert in case any proposals show up.

Is Fx Option Trade247 Scam or Legit Broker?

Fx Option Trade247 is not a secure Forex broker since it does not hold a license from any worldwide serious Forex authority. Meaning the broker is suspected of being a fraud company since it was not checked for its compliance before establishment, was never monitored in terms of its safety, and simply may operate the business in any way it wishes.

• It is not safe to trade with Fx Option Trade247, as it is an offshore broker. Fx Option Trade247 is owned and operated by EXPERT Ltd, located in Seychelles.
• The point is that Seychelles offers an easy process of financial or investment firm establishment, through a very low list of requirements, small budgets and what is more crucial with no strict supervision of the brokers' operation or history. For that reason, offshore zones attract vast non-scrupulous or shady brokerages such as Hugo’s Way, Prime XBT that aim to attract clients, to grab their funds and disappear.

What is Fx Option Trade247?

Fx Option Trade247 offers a selection of 250 underlying assets from four different classes including Currency Pairs, Commodities, Indices or Treasuries. The broker claims to provide the industry leading platforms along with the advanced charting tools and indicators to help its clients manage the risk and better determine price direction. However, there are a few concerns about the brokers regulation (The Best Brokers for Forex).

• It gets really confusing when it comes to the broker’s regulations. Fx Option Trade247 claims to be regulated by multiple regulators all around the world, however, the registration details state they belong to another broker, BDSwiss, a regulated entity that has no association with Fx Option Trade247. 

• As proof to all said above there is a warning from the Cyprus regulator CySEC (Check out the CySEC regulated TriumphFX broker):

  “The Cyprus Securities and Exchange Commission (‘CySEC’) wishes to inform investors that the following websites do not belong to an entity which has been granted an authorization for the provision of investment services and/or the performance of investment activities.”

Fx Option Trade247 in India

Fx Option Trade247 has no mention of complying with any Indian regulators on its website. It is also worth mentioning that Forex trading is actually prohibited in India. The broker is not regulated by any regulatory body in India, that’s why money safety may be the issue here.

Fx Option Trade247 in the USA

The United States is one of the countries that is not accepted by Fx Option Trade247. As per the U.S law, brokers regulated by CFTC are the only brokers allowed for the USA traders. So, except for Fx Option Trade247, you are only permitted to trade with the U.S regulated platforms.

Deposits & Withdrawals

Fx Option Trade247 works with a variety of payment service providers to ensure that you can choose from a wide range of deposit methods in your country. You can always make a deposit via credit card or bank transfer.

• Normally the minimum deposit required is 200€/$/£.
• When opening your trading account, you can select your desired currency. You can choose between EUR (€), USD ($), GBP (£), PLN (zł), DKK (kr), SEK (kr), NOK (kr) and CHF (Fr.).
• The minimum withdrawal amount is €10 / $10 / £10. This is in most cases processed free of charge. The following exceptions exist: The customer has not invested (traded) their deposited amount at least once. The customer has more than €100 / $100 / £100 in their trading account and would like to withdraw less than €100 / $100 / £100. In these situations, a withdrawal fee of 5% of the withdrawal amount (minimum €25 / $25 / £25) will be applied.

Demo Account

Fx Option Trade247 does offer a Forex / CFD "Demo Account". Demo account is a great opportunity to practice strategies and become familiar with the platform with their demo account option.

Fx Option Trade247 Review Conclusion

We advise all investors and traders to avoid Fx Option Trade247. Traders should trade with well-regulated brokers such as UK brokers or brokers in Australia and reliable brokers such as Alpari and FXTM.

• Overall ranking and experience for Fx Option Trade247 is Negative

Fx Option Trade247 Update 

Based on our findings, Fx Option Trade247  website is inactive. This means the broker has muted its trading offering and does not operate. However, we recommend avoiding and staying alert in case any proposals. 

Is TraderKing Scam or Legit Broker?

No, it is not safe to trade with TraderKing as it is an offshore broker. The broker is owned and operated by a group of companies which have included Lotens Partners LTD, company registration number: 25471 and registered address: Suite 305, Griffith Corporate Centre, P.O. Box 1510, Beachmont, Kingstown, St. Vincent, and the Grenadines.

• However, the fact is that St. Vincent and the Grenadines is an offshore zone, which does register the financial investment firm, but provides very poor if none requirements for the company's operation. That means, the broker is not regulated, not overseen, and does not comply with strict international rules that provide protective measures to the traders. Therefore, it became an offshore zone for shady forex brokers such as CVC Markets, AAG Markets, and more. Read more about St. Vincent and the Grenadines regulation by the link.

What is TraderKing?

TraderKing claims to be a reliable global CFD and Forex broker. The broker offers a wide range of tools with over 100 trading instruments, including currency pairs, metals, CFDs, oil, indices, and cryptocurrencies. They also provide clients with a wide range of desktop, web, and mobile trading platforms, including MetaTrader 4. 

• Despite an offshore location, the broker somehow provides the UK contact number which got us to question its regulation. It turned out the broker is not regulated in the UK. Moreover, the UK’s Financial Conduct Authority has warned against TraderKing:

  “Almost all firms and individuals offering, promoting, or selling financial services or products in the UK have to be authorized by us. This firm is not authorized by us and is targeting people in the UK. Based upon information we hold, we believe it is carrying on regulated activities which require authorization.”

• Considering all the facts above it is safe to say TraderKing is not regulated and has no legal rights to offer financial services. 

TraderKing Review Conclusion

We advise all investors and traders to avoid TraderKing and other unregulated brokers (See Unregulated Forex Brokers List). The lack of information (or false information) about the broker’s regulation, trading conditions, and contact details should be the biggest red flag for those who plan to invest with the entity. Usually, such companies run investment scams. Traders should trade with well-regulated brokers such as UK brokers or brokers in Cyprus and reliable brokers such as FP Markets and Alpari.

TraderKing Update

Based on our findings, TraderKing website is inactive. This means the broker has muted its trading offering and does not operate. However, we recommend avoiding and staying alert in case of any proposals.