Hi @Luke_Ronchi, it can be more costly to go with an unrestricted (unregulated) broker: I think I'm being scammed by my broker.
The regulations for trading forex in the US and in other major financial centers are designed to make sure business is conducted fairly. Key advantages of trading with a well-regulated broker are:
- minimum financial and trading standards they must meet,
- ongoing monitoring by the regulators to ensure compliance,
- a framework for handling complaints from customers, and the
- power to enforce actions against regulated brokers for violations.
For example, the CFTC and NFA set the requirements a broker must meet in order to offer forex trading to US residents. Though not an exhaustive list, this membership application will give you an idea of some of those requirements: Compliance Requirements for Retail Foreign Exchange Dealer (RFED) Applicants | NFA
- In the US, forex is regulated by the CFTC and NFA, and brokers are required to maintain net capital of $20 million.
- In the UK, forex trading is regulated by the FCA and funds are protected for up to £50,000 per client by the FSCS.
- In Canada, forex trading is regulated by IIROC and funds are protected for up to $1 million per client by the CIPF.