National Supervisory Authority & Licensing Qualification Dossier • Asia-Pacific
FSCA
Global JurisdictionFinancial Sector Conduct Authority
- Supervisory tier
- Tier-2
- License classes
- 2
- Licensed records
- 80
- Active / regulated
- 52
Statutory Supervisory Mandate & Scope
Financial Sector Conduct Authority (FSCA) operates as a statutory financial supervisory authority regulating financial institutions in 6 (ZA). The authority oversees entity licensing, capital adequacy compliance, conduct supervision, and enforcement disclosures via its official registry at fsca.co.za.
Prudential Tier Assessment
Tier-2Tier-2 national capital markets, securities, and derivatives supervisory authority in Global Jurisdiction, IOSCO member standards-aligned.
National licensing qualifications & statutory authorisation classes (FSCA)
Authorisation categories, permitted institutional and retail activities, minimum initial capital adequacy, and ongoing prudential solvency rules enforced by FSCA in Global Jurisdiction.
| License class / code | Official designation | Permitted institutional & retail activities | Minimum initial / base capital | Ongoing prudential & solvency rule |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Category 1 / Principal Broker-Dealer | Full-Scope Securities & Derivatives Dealer (Market Maker / Principal) | Dealing as principal or market maker in securities, FX, CFDs, futures, options, and underwriting. | USD $150,000 – $500,000 equivalent minimum paid-up capital | Risk-weighted capital adequacy + minimum liquid capital buffer ≥ 25% of annual fixed overheads. |
| Category 2 / Agency Broker & Asset Manager | Securities Brokerage (Agency / STP) & Discretionary Portfolio Management Licence | Order execution, reception and transmission of client orders, discretionary portfolio management, and investment advisory. | USD $75,000 – $150,000 equivalent minimum paid-up capital | Strict client money segregation, best-execution monitoring, and quarterly regulatory financial returns. |
Investor compensation, client money segregation & digital-asset regime
Statutory counterparty protections, custody reconciliation mandates, and virtual-asset licensing status under FSCA.
National Investor Protection / Compensation Scheme (Global Jurisdiction)
- Maximum coverage per client
- Subject to statutory national investor protection fund limits and segregated trust priority
- Eligible counterparties & scope
- Retail clients of licensed securities and investment brokerage firms.
FSCA Client Money & Safe Custody Segregation Rules
- Reconciliation & audit cadence
- Daily reconciliation of segregated client trust bank accounts against client trading ledger balances.
- Approved custodian requirements
- Client funds and securities must be held in bankruptcy-remote statutory trust accounts at licensed commercial banks or central securities depositories.
FSCA Digital Asset / Tokenized Securities & VASP Regulatory Framework
- Travel Rule, custody & stablecoin rules
- FATF Recommendation 16 Travel Rule enforcement and institutional qualified custody standards.
Primary Governing Statutes & Rulebooks
- Securities and Capital Markets Act of Global Jurisdiction
- FSCA Licensing, Prudential Capital Adequacy & Conduct of Business Rules
- Client Money & Custody Asset Segregation Regulations (Global Jurisdiction)
- IOSCO Principles of Securities Regulation & National AML/CFT Rulebook
Regulatory Reporting & Audit Obligations
Quarterly capital adequacy returns and annual IFRS audited financial statements submitted to FSCAAnnual independent auditor attestation on Client Money and Safe Custody complianceTransaction reporting, market abuse surveillance (MAR), and AML/CFT suspicious activity reporting
Cross-Border Equivalence & Passporting
Operates under Global Jurisdiction national jurisdiction and IOSCO MMoU cross-border supervisory cooperation.
Supervised institutions & FSCA licence records in our database
80 licence records referencing FSCA (52 regulated/registered, 27 flagged with warnings/revocations).
| Institution | Licence number | Status | Licensed legal entity | Effective date | Verification |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Al Baraka Bank Pakistan | 1989/003295/06 | Regulated | ALBARAKA BANK LIMITED | 2005-11-08 | |
| FX-EDGE | 49288 | Regulated | DNKR ZA (Pty) Ltd | 2018-07-10 | |
| Sharenet | 41688 | Regulated | Sharenet | — | |
| Standard Bank PLC | Not supplied | Regulated | Standard Bank PLC | — | |
| PrimeQuotes | 53226 | Exceeded scope | PrimeQuotes (Pty) Ltd | 2023-12-18 | |
| XM(Cross-jurisdiction record) | 49976 | Regulated | XM ZA (PTY) LTD | 2019-09-13 | |
| IG(Cross-jurisdiction record) | 41393 | Regulated | IG MARKETS SOUTH AFRICA LIMITED | 13/04/2010 | |
| CBCX(Cross-jurisdiction record) | 49700 | Registered | CBCX MARKETS (PTY) LTD | 2019-05-07 | |
| Exness(Cross-jurisdiction record) | 51024 | Regulated | EXNESS ZA (PTY) LTD | 2020-12-11 | |
| FxPro(Cross-jurisdiction record) | 45052 | Regulated | FXPRO FINANCIAL SERVICES LTD | 2015-07-07 | |
| AUS GLOBAL(Cross-jurisdiction record) | 52171 | Registered | AUS GLOBAL ZA (PTY) LTD | 2022-03-11 | |
| ThinkMarkets(Cross-jurisdiction record) | 49835 | Exceeded scope | TF GLOBAL MARKETS (SOUTH AFRICA) (PTY) LTD | 2019-02-05 | |
| AvaFutures(Cross-jurisdiction record) | 45984 | Regulated | AVA CAPITAL MARKETS (PTY) LTD | 2015-10-11 | |
| FXCM(Cross-jurisdiction record) | 46534 | Regulated | STRATOS SOUTH AFRICA (PTY) LTD | 2016-02-09 | |
| ICM(Cross-jurisdiction record) | 53234 | Regulated | ICM CAPITAL SA (PTY) LTD | 2023-09-18 | |
| Tickmill(Cross-jurisdiction record) | 49464 | Regulated | TICKMILL SOUTH AFRICA (PTY) LTD | 2019-10-09 | |
| DBG Markets(Cross-jurisdiction record) | 41920 | Registered | DBG MARKETS ZA (PTY) LTD | 2010-09-14 | |
| STARTRADER(Cross-jurisdiction record) | 52464 | Registered | STARTRADER INTERNATIONAL PTY LTD | 2022-09-23 | |
| OnEquity(Cross-jurisdiction record) | 53187 | Regulated | ONEQUITY (PTY) LTD | 2023-12-18 | |
| Capex(Cross-jurisdiction record) | 37166 | Regulated | JME Financial Services (Pty) Ltd | 2018 | |
| Trade Nation(Cross-jurisdiction record) | 49846 | Regulated | TRADE NATION FINANCIAL (PTY) LTD | 2019-05-02 | |
| CXM(Cross-jurisdiction record) | 52108 | Regulated | JAROCEL PTY LTD | 08-04-2022 | |
| AvaTrade(Cross-jurisdiction record) | 45984 | Regulated | AVA CAPITAL MARKETS (PTY) LTD | 10/11/2015 | |
| CPT Markets(Cross-jurisdiction record) | 45954 | Regulated | CPT MARKETS (PTY) LTD | 2015-06-09 | |
| TRADE.COM(Cross-jurisdiction record) | 47857 | Suspected clone | LEADCAPITAL MARKETS LIMITED | 2019-02-05 | |
| Klips(Cross-jurisdiction record) | 47742 | Regulated | KLIPS SA (PTY) LTD | 2017-02-07 | |
| VT Markets(Cross-jurisdiction record) | 50865 | Regulated | VT MARKETS (PTY) LTD | 2020-09-09 | |
| FXGM(Cross-jurisdiction record) | 47709 | Regulated | NAXEX INVEST LTD | 2017-04-04 | |
| TMGM(Cross-jurisdiction record) | 53180 | Exceeded scope | EPFX (PTY) LTD | 2023-10-17 | |
| easyMarkets(Cross-jurisdiction record) | 54018 | Regulated | EF WORLDWIDE (PTY) LTD | 28/06/2024 | |
| FP Markets(Cross-jurisdiction record) | 50926 | Regulated | FP MARKETS (PTY) LTD | 2022-05-17 | |
| aaafx(Cross-jurisdiction record) | 2017/315029/07 | Regulated | SIKHULA VENTURE CAPITAL (PTY) LTD | 2017 | |
| Absa Group(Cross-jurisdiction record) | 1986/004794/06 | Regulated | ABSA BANK LIMITED | 2024-02-09 | |
| African Bank Limited(Cross-jurisdiction record) | 46094 | Regulated | AFRICAN BANK LTD | 2015-11-08 | |
| Bank Zero(Cross-jurisdiction record) | MBOOO1 | Regulated | BANK ZERO MUTUAL BANK | 2020-10-20 | |
| Banxso(Cross-jurisdiction record) | 37699 | Revoked | BANXSO (PTY) LTD | 2009-03-11 | |
| Bidvestbank(Cross-jurisdiction record) | 25466 | Regulated | BIDVEST BANK LIMITED | 2006-10-08 | |
| Discovery Bank(Cross-jurisdiction record) | 48657 | Regulated | DISCOVERY BANK LIMITED | 2017-10-10 | |
| Evest(Cross-jurisdiction record) | 36060 | Suspected clone | ATRIAFINANCIAL SA (PTY) LTD | 2008-09-09 | |
| Investec(Cross-jurisdiction record) | 1969/004763/06 | Regulated | INVESTEC BANK LIMITED | 2004-12-02 | |
| IUX(Cross-jurisdiction record) | 53103 | Regulated | IUX MARKETS ZA (PTY) LTD | 2023-08-18 | |
| Moneta Markets(Cross-jurisdiction record) | 47490 | Regulated | MONETA MARKETS (PTY) LTD | 2016-11-08 | |
| TymeBank(Cross-jurisdiction record) | Not supplied | Regulated | TYME BANK LTD | 2018-07-24 | |
| WELTRADE(Cross-jurisdiction record) | 50691 | Exceeded scope | WELTRADE SA (PTY) LTD | 2021-05-13 | |
| Altify(Cross-jurisdiction record) | 52727 | Regulated | RVX SA CAPITAL (PTY) LTD | — | |
| Evest Official(Cross-jurisdiction record) | 36060 | Regulated | ATRIAFINANCIAL SA (PTY) LTD | 2008-09-09 | |
| KhweziTrade(Cross-jurisdiction record) | 44816 | Exceeded scope | KHWEZI FINANCIAL SERVICES(PTY)LTD | 2013-11-12 | |
| Maleyat(Cross-jurisdiction record) | 51598 | Suspected clone | Naqdi Group (PTY) LTD | 2021-10-06 | |
| NRDX(Cross-jurisdiction record) | 49648 | Regulated | NRDX (PTY) LTD | 2018/10/10 | |
| RaiseFX(Cross-jurisdiction record) | 50506 | Regulated | RAISE GLOBAL SA (PTY) LTD | 2020/10/06 | |
| SOOLIKE(Cross-jurisdiction record) | 53244 | Regulated | SOOLIKE CAPITAL MARKETS (PTY) LTD | 2024-02-22 | |
| Trade245(Cross-jurisdiction record) | 46044 | Suspected clone | RED PINE CAPITAL (PTY) LTD | 2015-12-08 | |
| IFX Brokers(Cross-jurisdiction record) | 48021 | Exceeded scope | IFX Brokers Holdings (Pty) Ltd | 2017-06-06 | |
| Yellow Card(Cross-jurisdiction record) | FSP 53790 | Regulated | Yellow Card Financial South Africa (Pty) Limited | 2023 | |
| Make Capital(Cross-jurisdiction record) | 53179 | Regulated | MAKE CAPITAL MARKET (PTY) LTD | 2023-10-17 | |
| BROKSTOCK(Cross-jurisdiction record) | 51404 | Exceeded scope | BROKSTOCK SA (PTY) LTD | 2021-05-13 | |
| GinFi(Cross-jurisdiction record) | 50354 | Exceeded scope | DEMETERER (PTY) LTD | 2019-12-10 | |
| Naqdi(Cross-jurisdiction record) | 51598 | Regulated | Naqdi Group (PTY) LTD | 2021-10-06 | |
| Ovex(Cross-jurisdiction record) | FSP 53922 | Regulated | OVEX (Pty) Ltd | 2017 | |
| RocketX(Cross-jurisdiction record) | 52142 | Regulated | ROCKETX (PTY) LTD | 2023-11-05 | |
| Tibiglobe(Cross-jurisdiction record) | 50012 | Exceeded scope | TIBIGLOBE (PTY) LTD | 2019-09-12 | |
| Vida Markets(Cross-jurisdiction record) | 42734 | Exceeded scope | VIDA GLOBAL MARKETS (PTY) LTD | 2011-07-12 | |
| Raze Markets(Cross-jurisdiction record) | 53229 | Offshore | RAZE MARKETS SOUTH AFRICA (PTY) LTD | 2023-12-18 | |
| Khwezi Trade(Cross-jurisdiction record) | 44816 | Exceeded scope | KHWEZI FINANCIAL SERVICES(PTY)LTD | 2013-11-12 | |
| IronFX(Cross-jurisdiction record) | 45276 | Exceeded scope | NOTESCO SA (PTY) LTD | 2014-07-15 | |
| GMI(Cross-jurisdiction record) | 48296 | Suspected clone | OM BRIDGE (PTY) LTD | 2017-06-06 | |
| ACI TRADING(Cross-jurisdiction record) | 51303 | Exceeded scope | ACI TRADING (PTY) LTD | 2021-06-10 | |
| EMAR Markets(Cross-jurisdiction record) | 53070 | Exceeded scope | EMAR MARKETS (PTY) LTD | 2023-08-18 | |
| Trading Pro(Cross-jurisdiction record) | 49624 | Registered | TRADINGPRO INTERNATIONAL (PTY) LTD | 2019-02-05 | |
| Elland Road(Cross-jurisdiction record) | 52127 | Exceeded scope | ELLAND ROAD CAPITAL (PTY) LTD | 2022-02-10 | |
| FBK(Cross-jurisdiction record) | 49769 | Suspected clone | RCG MARKETS (Pty) Ltd | 2021-05-13 | |
| RCG MARKETS(Cross-jurisdiction record) | 49769 | Exceeded scope | RCG MARKETS (Pty) Ltd | 2021-05-13 | |
| TradelandFX(Cross-jurisdiction record) | 51303 | Exceeded scope | Tradeland SA (Pty) Ltd | 2021-06-10 | |
| GT247.com(Cross-jurisdiction record) | 46315 | Exceeded scope | Purple Group Limited | 2015-10-06 | |
| Globex360(Cross-jurisdiction record) | 50130 | Exceeded scope | Globex360 (PTY)LTD | 2019-07-10 | |
| TradeFD(Cross-jurisdiction record) | 52058 | Suspected clone | TRADELAB (PTY) LTD | 2022-02-10 | |
| TenX Prime(Cross-jurisdiction record) | 52035 | Regulated | TENX PRIME (PTY) LTD | 2022-02-10 | |
| Binance(Cross-jurisdiction record) | FSP 51619 | Regulated | Binance Bahrain BSC © | — | |
| Velocity Trade(Cross-jurisdiction record) | 43295 | Regulated | VELOCITY TRADE FINANCIAL SERVICES (PTY) LTD | 2011-11-08 | |
| Viverno Markets Ltd.(Cross-jurisdiction record) | 49479 | Regulated | BDSWISS MARKETS SA (PTY) LTD | 2018-10-10 |
FSCA (Global Jurisdiction): institutional licensing & due diligence FAQ
Key statutory capital, compensation, custody segregation, and verification answers for compliance teams.
What are the primary licensing classes and minimum capital requirements under FSCA (Global Jurisdiction)?
FSCA (Financial Sector Conduct Authority) supervises financial institutions in Global Jurisdiction under Securities and Capital Markets Act of Global Jurisdiction and FSCA Licensing, Prudential Capital Adequacy & Conduct of Business Rules. Key statutory authorisation classes include: Category 1 / Principal Broker-Dealer (Full-Scope Securities & Derivatives Dealer (Market Maker / Principal) — min. capital: USD $150,000 – $500,000 equivalent minimum paid-up capital); Category 2 / Agency Broker & Asset Manager (Securities Brokerage (Agency / STP) & Discretionary Portfolio Management Licence — min. capital: USD $75,000 – $150,000 equivalent minimum paid-up capital). Ongoing prudential supervision requires strict adherence to capital adequacy and liquidity buffers.
Does FSCA provide statutory investor compensation and mandatory client asset segregation?
Under FSCA's framework, investor protection is governed by National Investor Protection / Compensation Scheme (Global Jurisdiction) with maximum coverage of Subject to statutory national investor protection fund limits and segregated trust priority (Retail clients of licensed securities and investment brokerage firms.). For client money and custody assets, supervised firms must comply with FSCA Client Money & Safe Custody Segregation Rules, performing daily reconciliation of segregated client trust bank accounts against client trading ledger balances. with client funds and securities must be held in bankruptcy-remote statutory trust accounts at licensed commercial banks or central securities depositories..
How does FSCA regulate digital assets, crypto exchanges (VASPs/CASPs), and stablecoins?
FSCA's digital-asset regime is structured around FSCA Digital Asset / Tokenized Securities & VASP Regulatory Framework (Regulates security tokens, crypto derivatives, and licensed digital asset intermediaries in Global Jurisdiction.). Custody and AML/CFT compliance obligations require: FATF Recommendation 16 Travel Rule enforcement and institutional qualified custody standards.
How can I verify an institution's FSCA licence number and check our 80 recorded licence entries?
Our database currently tracks 80 licence records referencing FSCA (52 marked regulated or registered). To verify a counterparty at the primary source, open FSCA's official public register (https://www.fsca.co.za/), search by the exact reference number and legal entity name, and confirm that the firm's domain and permitted activities match its statutory authorisation.
Related regulatory & market structure briefings
Research and compliance analysis from World Firm Ledger relevant to FSCA and Global Jurisdiction.
Sovereign Supervisory Architecture
DIFC DFSA Authorized Firm Audit — Market Entry Checklist: 2026 Institutional Audit & Desk Controls
2026 institutional desk audit of difc dfsa authorized firm audit focusing on market entry checklist. Covers statutory register tie-out (FSCA-ZA), 12.2 bps quantitative benchmarks, mathematical calibration, and compliance verification workflows.
Sovereign Supervisory Architecture
South Africa FSCA: Financial Advisory and Intermediary Services (FAIS) Licensing and Crypto FSPs
How multi-asset brokerages and cryptocurrency trading platforms secure Category I and II FSP licenses to tap into Africa’s largest institutional capital market.
Sovereign Supervisory Architecture
MAS TRM Technology Risk Checklist — Regional Enforcement Trend: 2026 Institutional Audit & Desk Controls
2026 institutional desk audit of mas trm technology risk checklist focusing on regional enforcement trend. Covers statutory register tie-out (FSCA-ZA), 12.8 bps quantitative benchmarks, mathematical calibration, and compliance verification workflows.
Sovereign Supervisory Architecture
ADGM FSRA FinTech Sandbox Exit — Cross-Border Branch Filing: 2026 Institutional Audit & Desk Controls
2026 institutional desk audit of adgm fsra fintech sandbox exit focusing on cross-border branch filing. Covers statutory register tie-out (IFSCA-GIFT), 8.7 bps quantitative benchmarks, mathematical calibration, and compliance verification workflows.
Statutory licensing classes, base capital rules, and investor protection summaries for FSCA (Global Jurisdiction) are maintained for institutional benchmarking and do not constitute legal advice. Always verify current rulebooks and active firm authorisations directly on FSCA’s official public register.