A regulator’s logo on a broker’s website proves nothing: anyone can copy it. The only way to know whether a firm is authorized is to look it up yourself in the official registry. It’s free and takes just a few minutes. This guide tells you where to look, country by country.
Short answer
Look up the firm’s legal name in the official registry of the country where it offers you the service: NFA BASIC and FINRA BrokerCheck in the U.S.; the CNBV’s Padrón de Entidades Supervisadas and CONDUSEF’s SIPRES in Mexico; the CNMV’s registries and warnings in Spain; and the Superintendencia Financiera’s list of supervised entities in Colombia. If the firm doesn’t show up or its details don’t match, don’t send money.
Before you search: three details you need
- The firm’s full legal name, not its brand name or the name of the app. It’s usually in the website footer or in the terms and conditions.
- The registration or license number the firm claims to have.
- The web domain, email, and phone number they used with you, so you can compare them with the ones in the registry.
United States
- Forex, futures, and commodities: NFA BASIC, the National Futures Association’s database, shows whether the firm is registered with the CFTC and is an NFA member. We explain how to use NFA BASIC step by step.
- Stocks and other securities: FINRA BrokerCheck, which is free, for brokers and brokerage firms.
- Investment advisers: the SEC’s Investment Adviser Public Disclosure (IAPD), for advisers registered with the SEC or the states.
- Your state: your state securities regulator can also give you information about professionals and firms.
The CFTC’s RED list
The CFTC publishes the RED (Registration Deficient) list of foreign firms that appear to be operating without the required registration. Two caveats from the CFTC itself: a firm being on the list doesn’t mean the CFTC or a court has found that it committed a violation, and a firm not being on the list doesn’t mean it’s registered. Always check the registration.
Mexico
- CNBV · Padrón de Entidades Supervisadas (PES): Mexico’s National Banking and Securities Commission publishes the entities it supervises. If a firm says it’s authorized in Mexico, it should appear there.
- CONDUSEF · SIPRES: the Registry of Financial Service Providers (Sistema de Registro de Prestadores de Servicios Financieros), on CONDUSEF’s website, shows whether an institution is registered to operate. It doesn’t evaluate products: rates, fees, and risks have to be reviewed separately.
- Public notices: the CNBV publishes notices about entities that take in money without authorization. Check them if an “opportunity” reaches you through social media.
Spain
- CNMV · Official registry searches: Spain’s National Securities Market Commission lets you search by entity and look up the registries of investment firms and other authorized entities.
- CNMV · Warnings: the search tool for flagged entities includes unauthorized firms (known in Spain as “chiringuitos financieros”) and warnings from foreign supervisors. You can search with the full name or part of it.
Colombia
- Superintendencia Financiera de Colombia (SFC): the list of supervised entities is in the supervised industries section of superfinanciera.gov.co. The SFC recommends checking it before handing money to any firm.
- SFC alerts: the Superintendencia publishes warnings about firms that present themselves as supervised when they aren’t, or that take in money without authorization. You can also contact the SFC directly through its official channels.
| Country | Type of service | Where to check |
|---|---|---|
| U.S. | Forex, futures, commodities | NFA BASIC · CFTC RED list |
| U.S. | Stocks and securities | FINRA BrokerCheck |
| U.S. | Investment advisers | SEC · IAPD · state regulator |
| Mexico | Financial institutions | CNBV · Padrón de Entidades Supervisadas · CONDUSEF · SIPRES |
| Spain | Investment services | CNMV · official registries and warnings |
| Colombia | Financial institutions | Superintendencia Financiera · supervised entities |
When a registration doesn’t protect you
- Clone firm: the registration exists, but it belongs to a different company. Compare the domain, phone number, and email in the registry with those of the broker who contacted you; we explain how in the NFA BASIC guide.
- A license from another country: a firm registered in a foreign jurisdiction is not, for that reason alone, authorized to offer services in your country. The CFTC warns that dealing with unregistered foreign firms may offer little or no protection.
- A different company in the same group: sometimes the regulated entity is one company and the one that signs your contract is another. Check the legal name on your contract and on your payment receipts.
- Expired or withdrawn registration: a registration that once existed doesn’t authorize the firm to operate today. Always check the status and the dates.
If the broker isn’t registered and you already sent money
Don’t send any more, even if they ask for fees or taxes to withdraw. Save the evidence, alert your bank, and report it. If you want to know whether your case has options, in the free evaluation we review the firm’s registration and give you an answer in writing.
Official sources
- SEC · Investor.gov: Ask and Check — BrokerCheck, IAPD, and state regulators
- CFTC: RED (Registration Deficient) list — what it means to be on the list, or not
- CNBV: Padrón de Entidades Supervisadas
- CNMV: warnings about unauthorized entities and official registries
- Superintendencia Financiera de Colombia — list of supervised entities under supervised industries
- CONDUSEF — Registry of Financial Service Providers (SIPRES)
Beyond the registration, review the 12 signs of a fake investment platform.
