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CFD Brokers2026

Regulator profile · AU

ASIC — Australian Securities and Investments Commission

Tracked byUpdated

The Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC) regulates financial services and markets across Australia. It oversees retail forex and CFD providers under the Australian Financial Services Licence (AFSL) framework.

Brokers in Australia accepting residents under ASIC
Jurisdiction
Australia · all states and territories.
Founded
1998
Mandate
Established by the Australian Securities and Investments Commission Act 2001. ASIC enforces the Corporations Act 2001 and the National Consumer Credit Protection Act, supervising AFSL holders against conduct, disclosure and product-intervention rules.
Consumer protection
No statutory deposit-insurance scheme; client-money rules require segregation in trust accounts at APRA-regulated banks. Negative balance protection has been mandatory for retail CFD clients since the 2021 product-intervention order.
Retail leverage caps
Under ASIC's product-intervention order (in force since 29 March 2021): 1:30 for major FX pairs, 1:20 for minor FX pairs and gold, 1:10 for non-gold commodities and major indices, 1:5 for shares and other indices, 1:2 for crypto-asset CFDs.
Public register
Search the AFSL register by licence number or firm name. Status, authorised activities and conditions are shown on each licence record. Open register ↗
Dispute resolution
Retail clients escalate unresolved complaints to the Australian Financial Complaints Authority (AFCA), which can award up to AUD 500,000 binding on the firm.
Editor notes
ASIC has been particularly active against unlicensed offshore brokers soliciting Australian residents — its public Investor Alert List names firms that should not be dealt with.

Brokers we track with a ASIC licence

2 brokers

  1. 06AvaTrade

    ASICFSCACBIBVI
    Open account at AvaTrade →
    Avg spread
    0.90pip
    broker-published typical
    Cost / lot
    $9.00
    no commission
    Min deposit
    $100
    Max leverage
    1:400
    EU/UK/AU retail: 1:30 · FSCA / BVI entities: up to 1:400

    Regulated in 6 jurisdictions · Spread-only pricing at 0.9 pip = ~$9/lot round-turn — wider than ECN/Raw brokers at similar volume

    Fits ifYou are AU or EU retail and want CBI + ASIC double cover with 20 years of operating history
    PlatformsMetaTrader 4, MetaTrader 5, AvaOptions, DupliTrade

    Founded in 2006 · Verified Jun 1, 2026

    Full AvaTrade details →

  2. 07XM Group

    ASICCySECIFSC
    Open account at XM Group →
    Avg spread
    1.30pip
    midpoint of broker range
    Cost / lot
    $13.00
    no commission
    Min deposit
    $5
    Max leverage
    1:1000
    EU/AU retail: 1:30 · XM Global (offshore entity): up to 1:1000

    $5 minimum makes starting cheap · Standard account EUR/USD spread 1.0–1.6 pip (broker-published range) + $0 commission ≈ $13/lot — one of the highest costs in our list

    Fits ifYou want the lowest-friction entry in our list — $5 minimum deposit
    PlatformsMetaTrader 4, MetaTrader 5, Web Trader

    Founded in 2009 · Verified Jun 1, 2026

    Full XM Group details →

Frequently asked

How do I verify a broker is ASIC-regulated?
Search the AFSL register at connectonline.asic.gov.au using the licence number or firm name. Each record shows status, authorised activities (look for "deal in derivatives" or "issue derivatives" for FX/CFD providers) and any conditions or licence restrictions.
Is there a compensation scheme for Australian retail clients?
No statutory deposit-insurance scheme equivalent to FSCS. Client funds must be segregated in trust accounts at APRA-regulated banks under client-money rules. AFCA can award up to AUD 500,000 binding on the firm in dispute resolution, but fund recovery from a failed firm depends on segregation and trust-account integrity.
What changed after the 2021 ASIC product-intervention order?
Effective 29 March 2021, retail leverage was capped (1:30 majors, down from typical 1:500), negative balance protection became mandatory, marketing inducements for retail account opening were banned, and ASIC gained a 5-year intervention power renewed in 2022. The order is currently extended to 2027.
Can ASIC-licensed brokers serve non-Australian clients?
Yes, an AFSL can support international onboarding, but most large groups use offshore entities (Vanuatu, Bahamas, Saint Vincent) to escape ASIC retail leverage caps for non-Australian clients. Verify which entity actually onboards you when opening an account — the Australian entity has stronger consumer protections.
What's on ASIC's Investor Alert List?
ASIC maintains a public list of unlicensed companies that have solicited Australian residents. The list focuses on cold-call scams, unregistered offshore forex providers and clone firms impersonating legitimate ASIC licensees. ASIC actively investigates and obtains injunctions against the most active offenders.