Risk warning: CFDs are complex instruments and come with a high risk of losing money rapidly due to leverage. You should consider whether you understand how CFDs work and whether you can afford to take the high risk of losing your money. 18+ only.

How to check a CySEC licence (CIF number and approved domains)

If a forex or CFD broker says it is "CySEC regulated", verify the Cyprus legal entity and CIF licence number on CySEC's own registers, then confirm the website you are using appears on CySEC's List of Approved Domains. A brand claim or a screenshot of a licence is not enough.

This is a Cyprus-specific walkthrough that sits under our general broker licence check. General information, not legal or financial advice. Sources last opened 5 Nov 2026.

1. Find the Cyprus legal entity and CIF number

Licences sit with companies, not brands. Open the client agreement (and the legal or regulatory footer on the site) and write down:

If the agreement names a company outside Cyprus, that entity is not the one to look up on CySEC's Cypriot list. Use the regulator named in that agreement instead (see the hub guide).

2. Search CySEC's Investment Firms (Cypriot) list

Open CySEC's Investment Firms (Cypriot) page yourself (type the address; don't follow a "register" link from the broker). When we opened it on 5 Nov 2026, the page headed the list as CIF REGULATED ENTITIES LIST AS OF 04 MAY 2026 and offered an Excel download plus an A–Z index of firm names.

For each firm CySEC shows at least:

Click through to the firm's own CySEC page when you need the registered address, the approved domains attached to that firm, and the investment services it is authorised for (for example reception and transmission of orders, or execution of orders on behalf of clients).

Match the name and number exactly. A close brand name with a different Ltd company, or a licence number that belongs to another firm, is a stop. That pattern is covered in our clone broker check.

3. Read notes such as voluntary renunciation

On the live Cypriot list, some entries carry the note (Under examination for voluntary renunciation of the authorisation). That is CySEC's wording on the register: the authorisation is under examination for voluntary renunciation, so do not treat the firm as a routine "active" match until you have read the full entry and any update CySEC publishes.

CySEC also keeps a separate Former Investment Firms (Cypriot) list. Entries there commonly show notes such as (Voluntary Renunciation) or (Withdrawn), and many include a Date of Termination. A firm that only appears as former is not a current CIF for new business.

4. Match the website on the List of Approved Domains

Even when the company name and licence number look right, check the domain. CySEC's List of Approved Domains maps each regulated entity to the web domains CySEC lists for it. The hostname you typed in the browser (and any "client" subdomain you log into) should appear against that same company.

Also open CySEC's List Of Non Approved Domains. It lists domains with a date listed. A hit there is a clear stop; absence from that list still proves nothing on its own.

5. Cross-check on ESMA's register (optional but useful)

CySEC is Cyprus's national competent authority for investment firms. For an EU-wide view, ESMA's page Is the firm regulated? explains that authorised firms must appear in the public register, and that ESMA also provides a consolidated register.

On ESMA's registers, use keyword search for the company name. ESMA's own guidance is to look for entity type Investment firm with status active on the same line. If CySEC lists the firm but ESMA does not show an active investment-firm line (or the names diverge), pause and re-check the exact legal name on both sites before you deposit.

6. What a CySEC warning means vs licence status

CySEC publishes investor warnings at CySEC Warnings (also linked from the wider Warnings hub). Recent warnings about unregulated entities typically say that named websites do not belong to an entity which has been granted an authorization for investment services under Article 5 of Law 87(I)/2017, and urge investors to consult cysec.gov.cy before conducting business.

That is not the same statement as "this CIF's licence was withdrawn". A warning about a website is a stop for that website. Separately, a CIF's standing still has to be read on the Investment Firms or Former Investment Firms list. Do both checks.

You can also search names and domains on our alerts page (French AMF blacklist entries we index) and on other regulators' lists via the hub guide. A miss on any one list never proves a firm is licensed.

Quick checklist

  1. Legal entity + Licence Number from the client agreement.
  2. Same name and number on CySEC's Cypriot Investment Firms list; read any renunciation or other note.
  3. Website on the List of Approved Domains for that entity; not on the Non Approved Domains list.
  4. Optional: ESMA keyword search shows Investment firm / active.
  5. Name and domain checked on CySEC Warnings (and your other warning sources).

What a CySEC licence does not do

Authorisation sets conduct and prudential rules for the CIF and may give access to complaint routes such as the Financial Ombudsman and the Investor Compensation Fund paths CySEC links under investor protection. It does not protect you from losing money on leveraged trades. CFDs carry a high risk of losing money rapidly due to leverage; read our risk warning and our methodology before you decide whether CFD trading is appropriate for you.

We're an affiliate of one broker; that never changes the register facts we publish. See how we make money. 18+ only.

FAQ

How do I check a CySEC licence number?

Take the company name and CIF licence number from your client agreement, open CySEC's Investment Firms (Cypriot) list yourself, find that exact company, and confirm the licence number, contacts and any notes match. Then check the website on the List of Approved Domains.

What is a CySEC CIF number?

It is the CySEC licence number for a Cypriot Investment Firm. On CySEC's register it appears as Licence Number (for example 401/21), with the licence date and company registration number.

What does voluntary renunciation mean on CySEC's list?

On the live list, some firms are marked Under examination for voluntary renunciation of the authorisation. Former firms may show Voluntary Renunciation or Withdrawn, often with a Date of Termination. Read CySEC's note on the entry before treating the firm as currently authorised.

Is a CySEC warning the same as a revoked licence?

No. Warnings about unregulated entities usually say named websites do not belong to an authorised entity under Article 5 of Law 87(I)/2017. Licence standing for a named CIF is on the Investment Firms or Former Investment Firms list. Check both.