Frequently Asked Questions

No. Global Broker Registry (GBR) is an independent, privately operated information service and is not affiliated with any government body, central bank, or financial regulator. We do not issue licences, take enforcement action, or have any legal authority over the firms listed on our platform.

Our role is to aggregate, verify, and present publicly available regulatory data in one accessible place, making it easier for investors and consumers to research firms before engaging with them. For authoritative information, always verify directly with the relevant regulatory authority — such as the FCA (UK), ASIC (Australia), CySEC (Cyprus), or the SEC (USA).

Each firm record includes a "Last verified" date that shows when our team last reviewed and cross-referenced the data against official regulatory registers. We aim to review high-traffic and recently flagged firm profiles on a rolling basis.

We do not scrape live regulator data in real time — regulatory databases often have API restrictions or update schedules of their own. This means there may be a lag between a regulator updating its records and GBR reflecting that change. If you believe a firm's data is outdated, please use the "Suggest a Correction" option on the firm's profile page. Our team will prioritise updating it.

Trust scores are a 0–100 index assigned by our editorial team based on a combination of quantitative and qualitative factors, including:

• Regulatory footprint — how many reputable regulators authorise the firm and in which jurisdictions • Years active — longer operating history generally indicates greater stability • Complaint and enforcement history — any upheld enforcement actions, public warnings, or regulatory sanctions lower the score significantly • Review sentiment — the balance and volume of approved user reviews on the platform • Transparency indicators — whether the firm publicly discloses ownership, fee structures, and registered addresses

Trust scores are displayed alongside a label (High Trust / Moderate Trust / Low Trust / Flagged) for clarity. They are indicative only and should not be used as the sole basis for any financial decision. GBR does not accept payment from firms to influence their trust score.

There are two ways to submit a report:

1. From a firm's profile page — if the firm is already listed on GBR, navigate to their profile and click "Report Abuse or Scam." This links your report directly to the firm's record.

2. From the general report form at /report-abuse — use this if the firm is not yet listed in our database. Your report will be reviewed by our team and, where possible, matched to an existing or newly added record.

In both cases, you can submit anonymously. If you provide your email, we may follow up if we need clarification. Upheld reports are published as a summary on the firm's public profile to warn other users. Submitting false or defamatory reports may result in your submission being removed and further action.

Yes. Any visitor can submit a star rating and written review from a firm's public profile page. You do not need to create an account.

Reviews go through a moderation queue before appearing publicly. Our team checks for signs of fake reviews, competitor manipulation, or content that violates our community guidelines (e.g. personal information, hate speech, or unverifiable claims). Approved reviews contribute to the firm's average rating displayed on their profile and in search results.

We do not allow anonymous coordinated review campaigns. If we detect patterns consistent with review manipulation, all associated submissions will be removed.

This could mean several things:

• The firm's licence has been revoked or lapsed since our last data update — in this case, the regulator's register will reflect this before GBR does. • The firm operates under a parent company name or an intermediate holding entity that appears differently on the regulator's register. • The firm was registered in a jurisdiction with a different regulator than the one you are searching. • There is a data error on GBR's side.

If you have reason to believe a firm is misrepresenting its regulatory status, please report it via the "Report Abuse" option. Claiming to be regulated when you are not is a serious offence in most jurisdictions. You should also contact the relevant regulator directly.

If a firm is regulated by a recognised financial authority but is not yet listed, you can submit a suggestion via the "Suggest a Firm" page or from the Contact page. Please include:

• The firm's full legal name • The regulator that authorises them (e.g. FCA, ASIC, CySEC) • Their registration or licence number • A link to the regulator's official register entry (if available)

Our team will verify the information against the official register before adding the firm. We do not list unregulated entities, shell companies, or firms operating outside recognised jurisdictions. Firms cannot pay to be listed — all additions are based on verified regulatory data only.

If you spot an error — such as a wrong registration number, incorrect regulator, outdated status, or missing information — use the "Report a Data Correction" option available on the firm's profile page (under "Suggest an Update") or from our general suggestions form.

Please be as specific as possible: tell us what is wrong and, where possible, provide a link to the official source that shows the correct information (e.g. the regulator's register). Corrections are reviewed by our team, and if verified, the firm's record is updated with a refreshed "Last verified" date. We do not accept correction requests from firms themselves without independent verification.

GBR only lists information that is already publicly available through official regulatory registers. Listing firms that are or were regulated is a matter of public interest and financial consumer protection.

In general, firms cannot be removed simply because they request it. However, if a firm was added in error (e.g. mistaken identity or a duplicate record), we will correct or remove it upon receiving sufficient evidence. If a firm's licence has been revoked and they are no longer operating, we will update the record to reflect their inactive or revoked status rather than removing it — this historical record is important for users researching a firm's track record.

If you believe your firm has been listed unfairly or inaccurately, contact us through our Contact page with full details.

No. GBR does not accept payment from firms to be listed, to receive a higher trust score, to suppress negative reviews or reports, or for any form of promotional placement on the platform.

Our funding model is entirely separate from the firms we list. We maintain editorial independence as a core principle — any commercial relationships we have (e.g. affiliate links to reputable brokers) are clearly disclosed and do not influence the data, trust scores, or moderation decisions on the platform. If you ever suspect a conflict of interest, please contact us directly.

If you believe you have been defrauded by a financial services firm, take the following steps immediately:

1. Report it to your local financial regulator — for example, the FCA (UK), ASIC (Australia), CySEC (Cyprus), or the SEC (USA). Most regulators have a dedicated fraud reporting portal. 2. Report to Action Fraud (UK) or your country's equivalent cybercrime or financial fraud authority. 3. Contact your bank or payment provider immediately to dispute any transactions and attempt a chargeback. 4. Preserve all evidence — emails, contracts, account statements, screenshots, and chat logs. 5. Submit a report on GBR via the firm's profile or the general report form, so other users can be warned.

GBR itself cannot recover funds, take legal action, or compel firms to return money. We are an information platform, not an enforcement body. Always seek independent legal advice if significant funds are involved.

When you submit a review, report, or suggestion, we collect only the information you voluntarily provide (such as your name, email address, and the content of your submission). Your email address is never shared publicly — it is used solely for follow-up communication related to your submission.

We do not sell personal data to third parties. We do not require you to create an account, and most actions on the platform can be completed anonymously. For full details of what data we collect, how we store it, and your rights under applicable data protection law (including GDPR and UK GDPR), please read our Privacy Policy.

We aim to provide comprehensive coverage across all major regulated financial jurisdictions, including but not limited to: the United Kingdom (FCA), Australia (ASIC), Cyprus (CySEC), the European Union (national regulators under MiFID II), the United States (SEC, FINRA, NFA), South Africa (FSCA), Mauritius (FSC), and the Cayman Islands (CIMA).

Coverage varies by jurisdiction. Some smaller regulators have limited public data, which makes verification harder. We do not list firms regulated exclusively by jurisdictions widely considered to be low-oversight (commonly referred to as "offshore" regulators such as Vanuatu VFSC or some St Vincent & the Grenadines entities) unless they also hold a tier-1 or tier-2 licence. If your jurisdiction is not well-represented, use the "Suggest a Firm" option to help us expand our database.

These are two separate things:

• User Rating (stars) — This is the average star rating (1–5) calculated from approved user reviews submitted on GBR. It reflects the subjective experience of users who have interacted with the firm.

• Trust Score (0–100) — This is an editorial score assigned by GBR's team based on objective, verifiable factors: regulatory standing, enforcement history, years of operation, and so on. It does not factor in user sentiment directly, though complaint volume is one of many inputs.

A firm can have a high trust score but a lower user rating (e.g. a well-regulated firm with poor customer service), or vice versa. We recommend considering both alongside your own research when making any decisions.

Yes. Where GBR includes links to brokers or financial services that may result in a commission or referral fee, this is clearly disclosed in accordance with applicable advertising standards and consumer protection regulations. These relationships have no bearing on a firm's trust score, review moderation outcomes, or data accuracy.

We are committed to transparency. If you have questions about any specific partnership or affiliate arrangement, contact us and we will respond promptly. Our editorial decisions — including which firms are listed, their trust scores, and moderation of reports and reviews — are made independently of any commercial relationships.