ASIC Australian Securities and Investments Commission

#Australia's regulator

The Australian Securities and Investments Commission licenses financial services firms, including many of the world's largest retail CFD brokers: Pepperstone, IC Markets, FP Markets, Eightcap, Vantage, Axi and others began in Australia.

#Retail CFD rules

Since March 2021 ASIC's product intervention order has capped retail CFD leverage at levels close to ESMA's (30:1 on major FX, lower on other assets), required negative balance protection and margin close-out, and restricted inducements. ASIC is regarded as a strong regulator.

#What it means for Europeans

An ASIC licence authorises a firm to serve clients in Australia. It does not allow a firm to offer services to EU residents. Many ASIC-licensed groups serve Europeans through a separate CySEC- or BaFin-licensed entity; some only offer an offshore entity. Check the entity named in your client agreement.