Licence types
FX brokers
Leveraged foreign exchange and CFD dealing, often a separate licence class. Compared across 10 regimes. Figures are the statutory minimums from each regulator; real capital needs are usually higher.
| Jurisdiction | Licence | Minimum capital | Timeline | Risk |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Australia Asia-Pacific | AFSL for issuing retail OTC derivatives (margin FX and CFDs) ASIC | AUD 1,000,000 | Not published | Standard |
| Hong Kong Asia-Pacific | SFC licence for Type 3 regulated activity (leveraged foreign exchange trading) SFC | HKD 30,000,000 | SFC states about 15 weeks for a licensed corporation application | Standard |
| Japan Asia-Pacific | Type I financial instruments business for OTC currency derivatives (retail margin FX) FSA (via the local Finance Bureau) | JPY 50,000,000 | Not published | Standard |
| Labuan (Malaysia) Asia-Pacific | Labuan money broking licence (money and FX markets, optionally digital assets) Labuan FSA | MYR 1,000,000 | Not published | Standard |
| New Zealand Asia-Pacific | FMA market services licence: derivatives issuer FMA | Not published | Not published | Standard |
| Singapore Asia-Pacific | CMS licence for dealing in spot FX contracts for leveraged foreign exchange trading MAS | SGD 5,000,000 | Up to 6 months for review of a complete CMS application | Standard |
| Argentina Americas & Caribbean | Inscripción en el Registro de operadores de cambio: casa de cambio or agencia de cambio (foreign exchange house or agency) Banco Central de la República Argentina | ARS 140,000,000 | Not published | Standard |
| Bolivia Americas & Caribbean | Casa de Cambio (exchange house licence) Autoridad de Supervisión del Sistema Financiero | Paid-in capital in bolivianos equal to UFV 500,000 for a company, or UFV 100,000 for a sole proprietor (art. 363). | Not published | High risk |
| Brazil Americas & Caribbean | Sociedade corretora de câmbio (foreign exchange broker) Banco Central do Brasil | BRL 8,000,000 | Not published | Standard |
| Canada Americas & Caribbean | Money services business registration FINTRAC | Not published | Complete applications are typically processed within three months; complex cases may take longer | Standard |
Sources are listed on each jurisdiction page. Information only, not legal advice.