Is eToro safe?
eToro is regulated by FCA (583263) and 3 more authorities, keeps client funds in segregated accounts, and clients are covered by FSCS (£85,000).
Operating: 5 of 6 register entries hold a live authorisation as of 2026-09-17; the rest no longer take new clients.
Verdict based on verified regulatory data below. We are not affiliated with regulators.
Legal entities behind eToro
Each row is one register card, read on the date shown. A brand can span several licences with different statuses — the one you contract with decides your protection.
| Entity | Regulator | Reference | Status | Verified |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| eToro (Europe) Ltd | CySEC · Cyprus | 109/10 | AuthorisedRegister wording: Investment Firms (Cypriot) · licence 109/10 of 14/01/2010 | 2026-09-17 |
| eToro (UK) Ltd | FCA · United Kingdom | FRN 583263 | AuthorisedRegister wording: Authorised · since 09/05/2013 | 2026-09-17 |
| eToro Money UK Ltd | FCA · United Kingdom | FRN 900203 | AuthorisedRegister wording: Authorised Electronic Money Institution · since 23/05/2018 | 2026-09-17 |
| eToro (Europe) Ltd | FCA · United Kingdom | FRN 523775 | No longer authorisedRegister wording: Cancelled · since 03/03/2023 | 2026-09-17 |
| eToro AUS Capital Limited | ASIC · Australia | AFSL 491139 | AuthorisedRegister wording: CURRENT · commenced 04/09/2017 | 2026-09-17 |
| eToro (Seychelles) Limited | FSA Seychelles · Seychelles | SD076 | AuthorisedRegister wording: Listed under Securities DealerThe FSA's securities-dealer list names eToro (Seychelles) Limited but prints no licence number; SD076 is the number eToro publishes. | 2026-09-17 |
Register records for all brokers (CSV, JSON) · Register change log
Why this broker scores 100/100
Full methodology →How safe is your money
Segregated client accounts
Client funds held separately from operating capital. Required by regulator.
Investor compensation: FSCS (£85,000)
If broker becomes insolvent, your covered assets are reimbursed up to the scheme's limit.
Publicly traded company
Listed on a regulated exchange — financials are public.
19 years of operations
Founded 2007. No major regulatory actions on record.
Negative balance protection
You cannot lose more than your account balance.
CFD/crypto exposure
Offers high-leverage products. 74–89% of retail CFD accounts lose money in the long run.
Independent reviews
What could go wrong
- 0.75% FX conversion markup on every trade for non-USD investorsEUR/GBP local-currency account holders pay 0.75% on each FX conversion. For a EUR-based investor making 10 × $2,000 ETF trades, that's $150 in FX fees despite zero commission. IBKR charges 0.002% FX (minimum $2); XTB charges nothing on stock trades in account currency.
- $5 withdrawal fee (USD accounts) + real stocks cost $1/open + $1/closeEach withdrawal from a USD account costs $5. Real stock trades (not ETFs) cost $1 per open + $1 per close — the zero-commission headline applies to ETFs only.
- Social feed can obscure fundamental analysisThe platform surfaces trader performance stats and social commentary more prominently than balance sheets. Investors who want to evaluate stocks on their own terms have to work around the social layer.
- Slow wire withdrawals (3-8 days)For $10k+ cash-outs, wire is the only realistic path
Frequently asked questions
Is eToro regulated?
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Is eToro still operating, or closing down?
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What happens if eToro goes bankrupt?
How we verified this review
Every fact below is verified against primary sources. We refresh on a schedule and on reader feedback.