Forex Trading: Why Trade with Australian ASIC Brokers

ASIC Regulator Introduction

📚 Formed:July 1, 1998
🏦 Jurisdiction:Australia, New South Wales
🏢 Headquarters:Sydney
🛡️ Is ASIC Broker Offshore or Top-tier Jurisdiction?Top-tier
🔒 Is Top-tier Jurisdiction safe to trade?Yes

What is ASIC?

The Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC) is an integrated regulator in Australia established in 1998 and is one of the Top-tier Regulatory authorities with strict procedures and excellent oversight. As a non-governmental organization, ASIC’s responsibilities include regulating and overseeing leveraged foreign exchange transactions, financial service markets, and the protection of retail clients.

It ensures fair, strong, and efficient financial trading opportunities provided by independent organizations. ASIC carries out daily supervision of the retail foreign exchange market, with a focus on combating misconduct within the financial markets while fostering trust, improving performance, and upholding integrity. (Read our article about Australian Brokers)

  • ASIC is responsible for regulating companies and businesses operating in Australia. It administers the Corporations Act 2001, which sets out regulations and requirements for corporate governance, financial reporting, disclosure, and compliance. ASIC also registers companies, manages company records, and investigates breaches of corporate laws.
  • ASIC has the power to investigate and take legal action against individuals and entities that breach financial laws. It can impose penalties, and sanctions, and enforce civil and criminal proceedings. ASIC works closely with other regulatory agencies, such as the Australian Prudential Regulation Authority (APRA) and the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC), to ensure regulatory cooperation and effectiveness.
What is ASIC?

Australia ASIC Regulation of Forex Trading Brokers

The whole concept of the ASIC is concerned with trader protection, smooth market operation, and regulation of unconscionable conduct that affects all financial products or services to ensure traders are dealing with safe providers. Important to note regulation worldwide is indeed different so offshore firms might claim to be regulated too, yet their procedures are rather poor compared to top-tier regulators like ASIC.

As a market and trader credit regulator, ASIC supervises and licenses companies that participate in Forex and CFD trading by the Australian license AFSL (Australian Financial Services License). In order to become an ASIC-licensed forex broker, the firm should prove and confirm the uncompromised professionalism that covers various aspects and urges brokers to be an orderly and transparent organization.

  • In case the broker managed to obtain an ASIC license, the trader can be ensured the financial broker acts transparently, by the operation through an ASIC’s guideline. The ASIC regulation of brokers’ trading services and operations is monitored on a daily basis, as the broker submits reports about every transaction or service provided, which ensures the integrity between the market offerings and unparalleled protection.

Why trade with an ASIC-regulated broker?

So along with the abovementioned strict rules ASIC applies towards the Brokers or companies, and besides the monitoring of brokers’ procedures, ASIC effectively assesses how the financial service firm complies with its legal obligation, as well as investigated law breaches. That may cause ASIC to take further actions like infringement notices, issues of fines, official claims, a ban on credit activities, or even company dismissal.

  • An example of ASIC’s active role and launches towards unscrupulous brokers shows the cancellation of a license of Melbourne-based forex and CFD broker, as the broker failed to comply with a number of requirements. (Please check the News by the link).
  • Moreover, it is not the only issue that the fines or cases were imposed on the company itself, the managing director is banned too. Since the director was involved in the contravention of a financial services law or is not adequately competent, the ASIC regulator respectively takes necessary actions.
ASIC cancels license

ASIC Application Process

The ASIC application process is accurate to the detail and accepts applications only from physical Australian entities with a sharp business plan, precise detail about the trading operating model, and details of liquidity providers. As well includes interviewing of responsible manager with appropriate skill and experience, while in fact, the broker’s manager can be dismissed due to the lack of necessary proficiency or any issues that appeared in the history. The broker should also establish a high operation fund of at least $1 million, implement client safety measures with the strictest fund management, and fully segregate clients’ funds at all times with top-tier banks.

ASIC Application Process

ASIC Complaint Procedure

To lodge a complaint with ASIC, Australia’s regulatory body, follow these steps: First, attempt to resolve the issue with the financial service provider directly. If unsuccessful or if serious misconduct is involved, submit your complaint online through ASIC’s website, contact their Infoline, or mail a letter to their designated address. Provide a clear description of the issue and include supporting documents. Maintain communication with ASIC, respond to any inquiries, and await the outcome of their investigation, which may involve mediation or enforcement actions.

Note that ASIC’s role is regulatory, and seeking legal advice may be necessary for legal matters or compensation.

See How to complain to ASIC moneysmart.gov.au/how-to-complain

Overall, ASIC has established a sharp procedure for every situation the financial brokerage firm or retail trader might go through, which also includes the clients’ compensation by the Australian Restructuring Insolvency & Turnaround Association if the broker falls under insolvency.

ASIC Education

Apart from the main role of the forex broker regulation and supervision, ASIC promotes confidence in all market players through public education and open sources that allow investors to obtain accurate information.

For that reason, ASIC operates the financial advice and strategy website www.moneysmart.gov.au which provide guidance on investment issues. The service includes advisory on financial knowledge and management, various trading or investment opportunities, exchange risks, fundamental consultation, how to skip scams, and more.

In addition, the ASIC authority constantly improves legislation as studies the behavior of the market, and monitors the decision marking of consumers along with recognition of new trends. For the protection of trader’s rights, ASIC refers to preventing market manipulation, fraud, or unfair service delivery, so the trader can submit a complaint against the ASIC-registered company, complaint ASIC, or even can get compensation through appropriate channels.

ASIC education

List of ASIC-Regulated Forex Brokers

Any trader can search for information about ASICs forex broker license directly through an official site, or to check the regulated broker website, as most websites show on the footer or regulation page its Australian Business Number (ABN) and Australian Financial Services License (AFSL).

Also, you can check on ASIC Brokers Reviews, as currently the Australian regulated brokers’ list at our website includes 40 ASIC Regulated Brokers, and growing.

ASIC connect website

Conclusion on ASIC regulation

Australia became one of the financial hubs that attract vast Forex brokers to set up their overseas operations and apply for the AFSL license, since ASIC is a top-tier authority also provides great protection to the trader too. In fact, ASIC Brokers are now among the most demanded and reputable (such as XM broker), while the advanced regulatory guidelines ensure the business of trading regulation adheres to strictest follow of rules.

Insurance of fair, orderly and transparency is a goal that was achieved by the ASIC authority which monitors not only the trading environment provided, the clients’ funds management, but also carefully check on the broker’s responsible management while some of the directors might be banned to run forex brokers. Therefore the potential traders and investors can choose among the ASIC Regulated brokers with a clear statement the firm acts according to the strictest supervision tools, as ASIC took all necessary step to ensure the best possible provision of the trading and financial investment services.

CySEC alerts investors of Boom Xchange broker

CySEC logo
ĐĄyprus financial regulator (CySec) has issued a warning against Boom Xchange, a clone company that uses the regulation details of the licensed entity Leadcapital Markets Ltd. The regulator says that “in the above mentioned website (boomxchange.com), the name, license number and content from the website of the Cyprus Investment Firm Leadcapital Markets Ltd is used illegally and without it’s authorization.”
The Cyprus Securities and Exchange Commission, known as CySEC (www.cysec.gov.cy), is the financial regulatory agency of Cyprus. As an EU member state, CySEC’s financial regulations and operations comply with the European MiFID financial harmonization law. A significant number of overseas retail forex brokers have obtained registration from CySEC.

Boom Xchange logo
The broker Boom Xchange offers the wide range of trading assets including forex, cryptocurrencies, stocks, commodities and many other. The firm claims to be owned and operated by Leadcapital Markets Ltd., the company regulated by CySEC, providing the license number and the address/contact phone number of the owner-company. It turned out that Boom Xchange has used the name and regulation details of the properly regulated investment company when the broker itself is not authorized by CySEC or any other regulatory institutions. Clone firms use some or all of the details of a genuine entity, aiming to convince investors they are indeed the authorized company or that they work with them.
CySEC warns about the suspicious brokers and urges investors to consult its website prior to investing with any forex broker that claims to be regulated in Cyprus. We also highly recommend to only deal with regulated forex brokers, authorized by reputable regulatory institutions like CySEC, FCA, or ASIC.
You can read our review on this broker here.

CySEC warns against unregulated forex broker Smartoptionfx

Regulator CySEC

The Cyprus Securities and Exchange Commission (‘CySEC’) issued an announcement-warning with regard to Smartoptionfx – a forex brokerage brand that is not authorized to provide investment services and/or perform investment activities in the country.

The Cyprus Securities and Exchange Commission, known as CySEC (www.cysec.gov.cy), is the financial regulatory agency of Cyprus. As an EU member state, CySEC’s financial regulations and operations comply with the European MiFID financial harmonization law. A significant number of overseas retail forex brokers have obtained registration from CySEC.

Smartoptionfx logo

According to the broker’s website, Smartoptionfx is one of the leading Forex and binary options brokers in the industry. Smartoptionfx is operated by B.O. TradeFinancials Ltd a company located in the Republic of Cyprus and licensed by the Cyprus Securities and Exchange Commission. However, we have found that the regulator has actually warned against this entity: 

“In the above mentioned website (smartoptionfx.com), there is a reference on the name and license number of the former Cyprus Investment Firm B.O. Tradefinancials Ltd (license number 216/13). CySEC wishes to draw your attention that, on 25.6.2018, it has decided to wholly withdraw the Cyprus Investment Firm authorisation with number CIF 216/13 of the company B.O.  Tradefinancials Ltd.”

Also, we have noticed the contact phone numbers provided on the website have US and South African country codes, which is quite confusing as the broker is not regulated in those countries. Obviously, we wouldn’t recommend traders to deal with this broker and think about more reliable options. 

When engaging with brokers that do not operate on the grounds of a valid license, issued from a trustworthy authority, traders are putting their investments at higher risk. It is better to avoid dealing with offshore brokerages and choose properly regulated and reliable brokers. A good example of such are the ones supervised by the FCA or ASIC. You can read the full review on this broker here.

Spain’s CNMV blacklists Trader Platinum and NoviFx brokers

CNMV logo

Spain’s financial markets and services regulator CNMV has issued a warning against two forex brokers Trader Platinum and NoviFx. According to the public warning notice, these entities are not authorized to provide investment services or investment advice and auxiliary services, including foreign currency transactions in Spain.

The National Securities Market Commission (often abbreviated as CNMV) is the Spanish government agency responsible for the financial regulation of the securities markets in Spain. It is an independent agency that falls under the Ministry of Economy, Industry, and Competitiveness. The regulator maintains a register with investment companies that are authorized to operate in Spain.

Trader Platinum claims to be the most trusted and reliable forex broker, however, it doesn’t provide any proof of its reliability. The broker hides all the contact information. It also doesn’t provide any regulatory information, only that it is fully compliant with EU Regulation (EU), but is not regulated in the EU. In addition, Trader Platinum is registered under the laws of the Marshall Island, which makes it an offshore company that may even be involved in scam. 

NoviFx logo

As to the forex broker NoviFx, it is owned and operated by MAGIC CONSULTING LTD, registered in Bulgaria. Although, it is not regulated by the local regulator and it still claims to be fully compliant with EU Regulation (EU), deluding potential traders. 

We always advise traders to avoid dealing with unregulated forex brokers, such as Trader Platinum and NoviFx. You can also share your experience with these brokers by commenting on this post.

ASIC Flags Unauthorized Forex Firm Brighter Trade

ASIC logo

The Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC) has updated its blacklist to include Brighter Trade, which is also known as Igoten OU. The financial regulator was alerted to the firm after it made unsolicited calls or sent emails about investing, financial advice, credit or loans.
The Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC) is an independent Australian government body that acts as Australia’s corporate regulator. ASIC’s role is to enforce and regulate company and financial services laws to protect Australian consumers, investors and creditors.

Brighter Trade logo
The broker Brighter Trade operates through the website www.brightertrade.com and offers a choice of various financial assets such as currencies, stocks, indices, commodities. The website is owned and operated by the Brightertrade™ corporate group. The group includes LOGAMET LTD, a St. Vincent & Grenadines company, owner of the website and INGOTEN OU, an Estonian company, who operates the clearing and settlement for the group.
The Australian regulator has warned that the broker does not hold a current Australian Financial Services (AFS) license or an Australian Credit license from ASIC to provide financial services in Australia, highlighting that the company could be involved in a scam.
The broker doesn’t seem to be regulated by any authority and the offshore location of one of the co-companies doesn’t make it look more reliable. In addition, the broker has got a lot of negative reviews, where people complain about issues with withdrawing their funds and cold-calling.
To sum up, it is better to stay away from Brighter Trade, a broker that has a warning and also a quite big number of the negative review from the traders who was scammed by this firm. We recommend selecting among brokers licensed by the respective authorities in the UK, or Australia for example. For instance, a broker registered with the UK’s FCA can’t simply take investor’s money and disappear. They follow multiple reporting procedures and have to keep client funds segregated from the company’s.
You can read our review on this broker here.

Spain’s regulator CNMV warns against Globalix

CNMV logo

Spain’s financial markets and services regulator CNMV has issued a warning against Globalix. According to the public warning notice, Globalix is not authorized to provide investment services or investment advice and auxiliary services, including foreign currency transactions in Spain.

The National Securities Market Commission (often abbreviated as CNMV) is the Spanish government agency responsible for the financial regulation of the securities markets in Spain. It is an independent agency that falls under the Ministry of Economy, Industry, and Competitiveness. The regulator maintains a register with investment companies that are authorized to operate in Spain.

Globalix logo

Globalix is a forex broker, owned and operated by Globalix Ltd. The company is based in the Marshall Islands, which means it is an offshore entity and there is a high risk for the customers when dealing with this firm. 

The website mentions a contact phone number with a British country code, which means the company has been targeting people from this country. Although, the company is not licensed in the UK, and there is no regulatory body that monitors its activity to ensure it sticks to best practices. 

Trading on Crypto Currency, Share or Forex is financial investment service, that needs to be regulated by your government’s regulator. In order to operate legally, investment firms need a license by the local relevant authorities or the authorities of any other EU member state. We strongly advise traders to select among brokerages authorized by reputable regulators, such as EU ones (FCA, CySEC) or Australia’s ASIC. You can read our review on this broker here.

FCA alerts investors of Primus Forex Financial Group clone firm

FCA logo

The UK Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has warned that Primus Forex Financial Group is a clone of the renown forex brokerage Primus Capital Markets UK Limited, which holds a license from FCA, among others. According to FCA, Primus Forex Financial Group is not authorized to carry out regulated financial services in the UK.

Primus Capital Markets UK was founded in the year 2008 by experienced Forex traders and offers a platform to trade in CFDs for foreign exchange, commodities, energy sources and other indices. The firm is registered in England and Wales with company number 06592025. It is also authorized and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA).

Primus Capital Markets UK logo

The clone company operates on the http://www.primusasia.com website and provides the address that actually belongs to the original company Primus Capital Markets UK Limited (https://primuscapital.uk). Also, the clone is not regulated by FCA or any other authorities.

Clone firms use some or all of the details of a genuine entity, aiming to convince investors they are indeed the authorized company or that they work with them.

The UK is a strong forex market with tight regulation. The FCA is renowned for its strict standards and tight supervision. The regulator keeps a register of unauthorized forex brokers that target local citizens and regularly issues alerts against entities that could potentially hurt local investors. Be aware of such companies before dealing with any brokerage company.

You can read our review on this broker here.

Revolution Variable Systems broker was added to FCA’s warning list

UK financial regulator Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has issued its another warning against the unauthorized broker. This time it is against the Revolution Variable Systems (RVS), the firm that is providing financial services to British residents without being authorized. The company operated on the www.marketsystems.co.uk website and British domain is basically the only sign that it might be located in UK. There is no other information about phone number, address or even email of the broker firm can be found on the website or on the net. Also the website itself is not informative at all. There are no explanations of the trading conditions. The info on the website states that the company develops a range of advanced trading platforms for the stock, option and forex markets and provides clients support. It really looks like they just advertising some softwares: trading systems (RVS trade assist portal, RVS day trading and RVS Forex system). It is difficult to understand whether the company is a broker or just a software provider. The lack of the information or the deluding information shows that it’s better not to deal with RVS and choose among one of the regulated by FCA companies. The UK financial regulator advises traders to check forex trading company names in the Financial Services Register, provided by FCA. It is important to remember that the invested funds will not be covered by the broker if the company is not regulated by FCA (or any other regulator, depending on the country).   

New Zealand’s Financial Markets Authority warns of Golden Financial

FMA logo

New Zealand’s Financial Markets Authority (FMA) has issued a warning against the Forex broker Golden Financial. The regulator states that GFS is not regulated in New Zealand as claimed on its websites and GFS is not licensed to issue derivative products (CFDs) to New Zealand retail investors.
The Financial Markets Authority (FMA) plays a critical role in regulating capital markets and financial services in New Zealand. It is the New Zealand government agency responsible for enforcing securities, financial reporting, and company law as they apply to financial services and securities markets.

Golden Financial logo
Let’s take a closer look at the broker itself. Golden Financial operates through the website www.gdfxuk.com and offers trading in foreign exchange, precious metals, securities, futures, stock traders. The company is owned and managed by Golden Financial Service Limited and claims to be located in London, UK. Also, according to the website Golden Financial has licenses from the UK’s Financial Conduct Authority and New Zealand’s Financial Markets Authority. However, it turned out the broker doesn’t hold these licenses and most probably could be involved in a scam.
The negative comments about the Golden Financial on the net also reveal that those who invested are having hard times with withdrawing their money, while the company representatives are cold calling them promising high returns.
Generally, it is highly recommended to avoid dealing with unregulated brokers or, worse still, with ones making false claims like Golden Financial. There are numerous properly licensed brokers, like the ones by FCA or the Australian Securities and Investment Commission to choose from.
You can read our review on this broker here.