Antigua and Barbuda does not issue a dedicated forex or securities dealer licence for international brokers. Under the International Business Corporations Act (Cap. 222), the Financial Services Regulatory Commission (FSRC) licenses international banking, trust and insurance business; an International Business Corporation (IBC) is a registration, not a brokerage permission. Brokers that use an Antiguan company typically hold their actual brokerage licence with a regulator that covers their clients, such as Seychelles or Mauritius.
- Antigua has no dedicated forex licence for international brokers.
- The FSRC licenses international banking, trust and insurance under the IBC Act.
- An Antigua IBC is a company registration, not a brokerage licence.
- Get your brokerage licence from a regulator that covers your clients.
- Banks and payment providers will ask which regulator licenses you.
Looking for licence application support? Choose a regulator that covers your clients; we help you apply and launch.
Antigua and Barbuda appears in many "cheap forex licence" lists. In reality, it does not offer a forex brokerage licence for international brokers. Here is what it does offer.
What Antigua offers
| Item | Position |
|---|---|
| Regulator | Financial Services Regulatory Commission (FSRC) |
| Law | International Business Corporations Act, Cap. 222 |
| Licensed international activities | Banking, trust business and insurance |
| Forex or securities dealer licence | No dedicated category |
| International Business Corporation | A company registration, not a permission to offer brokerage |
What this means for brokers
- Do not market an Antigua IBC as "regulated"; it is not a forex licence.
- Payment and liquidity providers will ask for your brokerage licence.
- If you use an Antiguan company in your group, hold the licence where your clients are covered.
Licence options instead
Most new brokers choose a Seychelles FSA licence or a Mauritius FSC licence. Compare costs and capital in forex licence cost comparison and capital by licence, and avoid disputed options such as Anjouan.
How we help
We help clients choose a jurisdiction that fits their markets, prepare the licence application and supporting documents, and coordinate the process through to approval, with legal opinions from qualified local counsel. We also supply the technology documentation regulators ask for, and the platform, CRM and liquidity to launch once you are approved. See forex licence and company formation.
General information reviewed November 2026, not legal advice. Licensing rules and regulators' positions change; confirm with the regulator and qualified local counsel before you apply. MetaTrader is a trademark of MetaQuotes Ltd.