Briefing
FCA says 21 CFD firms have closed after action on misuse of UK authorisation
Brokers and regulationDate only. No clock time was recorded.WiT Markets Editorial2 min read
On 25 September 2026 the Financial Conduct Authority said 21 CFD firms had closed since 2025 after a crackdown on misuse of UK authorisation, and that three other firms were cancelling their permissions. Closure and a permission cancellation are not the same step, and the release does not name the firms.
Key facts
- Published on 25 September 2026. Twenty-one CFD firms had closed since 2025. Three others were cancelling permissions.
- The FCA describes restrictions, independent reviews, and enforcement investigations opened in two cases.
- No firm is named. A closure is not described as a completed sanction of every related company in a group.
The FCA said it was concerned the firms were misusing their authorised status to mislead consumers. Its description is that some CFD firms carry out little UK business but use the authorisation as a badge so that linked overseas companies look more trustworthy. The FCA says that can create the impression that a consumer is dealing with a UK-regulated firm, and has UK protections, when that is not the case.
The release says firms have faced a range of actions, including restrictions on trading, requirements for independent reviews, and enforcement investigations opened in the two most serious cases. An investigation that has been opened is not a published final decision. The headline figure of 24 is the FCA’s own sum of 21 closures and three firms cancelling permissions. This briefing does not convert that sum into a claim that 24 businesses were formally sanctioned.
The FCA tells consumers to check they are dealing with the UK-authorised firm if they want the protections that come with FCA regulation, and to use the FCA Firm Checker. It says an overseas firm with a very similar name is unlikely to carry those UK protections. The release does not list the legal entities. A brand that uses several companies is not, on this page, treated as one authorised firm.
Why it matters for investors and traders
A consumer can see a familiar brand and still be contracted with a different legal entity, in a different country, outside the protections that attach to the UK permission. The release is a reason to read the account entity. It is not a finding about CFD providers the FCA did not include.
Markets discussed: CFDs. These are the subjects of the briefing, not a list of markets that moved.
Uncertainties
- The firms are not named, so this page cannot say which brand or which group company was involved.
- The two enforcement investigations are described as opened. The release does not report a concluded outcome.
- Other CFD providers are not implicated by a sector action that does not name them.
What to watch next
- Identify the company that holds the account, not only the brand on the website.
- Check that company on the FCA Firm Checker if UK protections are the reason for choosing it.
- Treat an overseas affiliate with a similar name as a separate firm until the permission says otherwise.
How to read this development
Supervisory actionUnited KingdomFinancial Conduct Authority
The official document is dated 25 September 2026. This briefing was published on 22 October 2026. A later status would be added as a new entry. The original status stays in the record.
Who is affected
CFD firms the FCA says had little UK business and used UK authorisation in a way that could mislead consumers about linked overseas companies. The firms are not named. Unrelated CFD providers are outside that description.
What changes
The FCA reports closures, permission cancellations and a range of supervisory tools. It does not publish a new retail leverage rule in this release.
When it applies
The press release was first published on 25 September 2026. The closures are described as having happened since 2025. There is no single effective date for a new rule.
Status history
- 25 September 2026. Supervisory action. Closures and permission cancellations reported. Firms were not named, and the two investigations were described as opened.
Markets, research and tools
Markets: CFD markets
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Sources and review
Written by: WiT Markets Editorial. Writes and structures WiT Markets pages. Separates a sourced fact from a cell that is Not confirmed.
Review: Editorially reviewed. This is not a qualified specialist review and it is not a legal sign-off.
Last reviewed: . Next review due . The date is an editorial pass. It is not a live check of every third-party fee.
Regulatory and official sources
- FCA, CFD firms and misuse of UK authorisation, 25 September 2026 — checked 22 October 2026
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