Which forex licence is best for a new broker in 2027?

A recognised licence that matches your clients and that banks accept. Seychelles and Mauritius are common first licences; onshore regulators bring more trust at higher cost.

How much capital does a forex licence need?

From around US$100,000 in Seychelles to more than US$20 million for US retail forex dealers, depending on the regulator and activities.

Open data · 2027

Forex licence comparison 2027: capital, substance and bank acceptance by jurisdiction

Fourteen licensing options for new forex brokers compared side by side. Free to download and cite.

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Quick answer

This dataset compares 14 forex licensing options for 2027 by regulator, licence type, published minimum capital, local substance and bank acceptance. Seychelles and Mauritius are common first licences; Cyprus, the UK, the UAE and South Africa offer more trust at higher cost; Anjouan's status is disputed, and St Vincent and Antigua do not issue forex brokerage licences.

Key findings

Capital requirements range from around US$100,000 in Seychelles to more than US$20 million for US retail forex dealers.
Local substance (staff and offices in the jurisdiction) is now expected by most recognised regulators.
Bank and payment-provider acceptance matters as much as the licence fee.
Two popular "licences" are not forex licences at all: St Vincent and Antigua.

Methodology

Compiled in November 2026 from our licence guides and capital article, which cite regulators and specialist sources. “Set by regulator; confirm” means requirements vary by activity or have changed recently. Always confirm current rules with the regulator and qualified local counsel.

Jurisdiction	Regulator	Licence	Minimum capital	Local substance	Bank acceptance	Notes
Seychelles	Financial Services Authority (FSA)	Securities Dealer	US$100,000 paid-up (reported for 2025); FSA may require more	At least two full-time staff in Seychelles	Moderate	Common first licence
Mauritius	Financial Services Commission (FSC)	Investment Dealer (Full Service, excl. underwriting)	MUR 1 million for this category	Local presence expected	Good	More credible offshore option
Cyprus	CySEC	Cyprus Investment Firm	€75,000 to €750,000 depending on activities	EU substance required	Good	EU passporting
United Kingdom	FCA	Investment firm	£75,000 to £750,000 depending on activities	Full UK presence	Good	Highest trust, highest cost
United States	CFTC / NFA	Retail forex dealer	US$20 million+ adjusted net capital	Full US presence	Good	Very high entry bar
United Arab Emirates	CMA (formerly SCA), DFSA or FSRA	Depends on regulator and activity	Set by regulator; confirm	Onshore UAE substance	Good	Gulf clients and Arabic markets
South Africa	FSCA	ODP licence	Set by regulator; confirm	Local presence	Good	African hub
Labuan (Malaysia)	Labuan FSA	Money broking / securities	Set by regulator; confirm	Labuan office	Moderate	Asia, non-resident clients
Vanuatu	VFSC	Dealer in securities	Raised in recent years; confirm with VFSC	Higher expectations than before	Moderate	Mid-cost offshore
Belize	Financial Services Commission (FSC)	Trading in financial and commodity-based derivatives	Confirm with FSC	Local presence expected	Varies	Cost-conscious brokers
Mwali (Comoros)	MISA	Island-level brokerage licence	Around US$50,000 reported by providers	Limited	Limited	Limited recognition
Anjouan (Comoros)	AOFA	Island-level brokerage licence	Not recommended	—	Poor	Status disputed by the Central Bank of the Comoros (Dec 2025)
St Vincent & the Grenadines	SVG FSA	No forex licence (company registration only)	—	—	—	Not a forex licence
Antigua & Barbuda	FSRC	No forex brokerage licence (IBC is a registration)	—	—	—	Not a forex licence

How to cite this data

Broker White Label Solutions, “Forex licence comparison 2027”, https://www.brokerwhitelabelsolution.com/data-forex-licence-comparison-2027, November 2026. Free to use with attribution (CC BY 4.0).

General information, not legal advice. Related: best forex licence for new brokers in 2027 · capital by licence.

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