The Financial Services Commission is the authority that licenses and supervises non-bank financial services in Mauritius, including investment dealers. A broker holding an FSC licence has been authorised, must meet capital and reporting requirements, and is subject to conduct rules and to the Commission’s supervision. What a licence does not do is guarantee profits, remove market risk, or provide the same protections as every other jurisdiction.
Key takeaways
- The FSC is Mauritius’s regulator for non-bank financial services, including investment dealers.
- Authorisation covers who may operate, minimum capital, reporting and conduct obligations.
- Licence status can be checked on the regulator’s public register.
- Protections differ between jurisdictions; do not assume arrangements from one country apply in another.
- No licence, anywhere, protects you from losing money in the market.
| Regulator | Financial Services Commission, Mauritius |
|---|---|
| Covers | Non-bank financial services, including investment dealers |
| Typical obligations | Capital requirements, reporting, conduct rules, complaints handling |
| Public register | Licence status can be checked online |
| Marketsall entity and licence number | Published in the website footer and client agreement |
| What it is not | A guarantee of profit or of return of funds |
What the FSC does
The Financial Services Commission authorises firms, sets the conditions they must meet, supervises them while they operate and can take action against them. For a broker this typically means being licensed as an investment dealer, holding a minimum level of capital, reporting regularly, keeping client money in accounts separate from its own, and following rules on how clients are treated, how complaints are handled and how risks are disclosed.
What it means for you as a client
| Area | What a licence generally means | What it does not mean |
|---|---|---|
| Who you deal with | The firm has been assessed and authorised | That every outcome is guaranteed |
| Your money | Client funds are held separately from company funds | That losses in the market are refunded |
| Conduct | Rules on fair treatment and disclosure apply | That any trade will be profitable |
| Complaints | A process exists, and the regulator can be contacted | That every complaint will succeed |
| Oversight | The firm reports to the regulator | That supervision prevents all problems |
The single most important distinction is between the firm and the market. Regulation is about how the firm behaves: whether it is authorised, how it holds your money, how it treats you. It has nothing to do with whether your trades make money. Leveraged CFD trading carries a high risk of loss under any licence.
Why protections differ between countries
Each jurisdiction writes its own rules: maximum leverage, whether a compensation scheme exists, how disputes are resolved and what must be disclosed. Two brokers can both be properly licensed and still offer different protections, because they are licensed in different places. Read the conditions that apply to the entity you are a client of, rather than assuming rules you have read about elsewhere. Leverage at Marketsall is available up to 1:200, and negative balance protection applies to all account types, so a retail account cannot fall below zero; that is a contractual protection against a negative balance, not a protection against losing your deposit. See how leverage increases trading risk.
How to check any broker’s licence
- Find the legal entity name. It is in the website footer, the client agreement and the risk disclosure, and is often different from the brand name.
- Note the licence number. It should be published alongside the entity name.
- Search the regulator’s public register. Check the entity name and number against the register entry, not against the website.
- Check what the licence permits. A licence for one activity does not authorise another.
- Check which entity you are contracting with. Groups often have several entities in different countries; the one named in your client agreement is the one that matters.
Before depositing, read the client agreement and risk disclosure in full, alongside the practical questions in Marketsall account types compared. Open a demo account first if you have not used the platform before.
A note on this page
This page describes what a licence generally involves. It is not legal advice, and it does not describe your rights in your own country, which depend on where you live and on the agreement you sign.
Common mistakes to avoid
Reading regulation as a safety net for trading. It governs the firm, not the market.
Assuming rules from another country apply. Protections vary by jurisdiction.
Checking the website instead of the register. Claims on a site are not verification.
Not knowing which entity you contract with. Only the entity in your client agreement is relevant.
Risk warning. Trading CFDs carries a high level of risk since leverage can work both to your advantage and disadvantage. As a result, the products offered on this website may not be suitable for all investors because of the risk of losing all of your invested capital. You should never invest money that you cannot afford to lose, and never trade with borrowed money.
Frequently asked questions
What does FSC regulated mean?
It means a firm has been authorised by the Financial Services Commission, the regulator for non-bank financial services in Mauritius, and is subject to its capital, reporting and conduct requirements as well as to its ongoing supervision.
Does an FSC licence protect my money?
A licence brings obligations on how a firm operates, including keeping client funds separate from company funds. It does not protect you from losing money on your trades, and the protections available differ from one jurisdiction to another.
How do I check whether a broker is licensed?
Find the legal entity name and licence number, which are usually in the website footer and the client agreement, then search for them on the regulator’s public register. Verify against the register rather than the broker’s own website.
Who regulates Marketsall?
Marketsall is licensed by the Financial Services Commission in Mauritius. The entity name and licence number are published on the site and can be checked on the regulator’s register.
Is trading with a licensed broker safe?
Licensing addresses how the firm is run, not the risk of trading. CFDs are leveraged products and carry a high risk of losing money quickly, whichever regulator authorises the provider.
Related reading
Verify the licence at the source
Only the FSC itself can confirm what the Regulations page says, so look the entity up on the regulator's own website first, then read the legal documents with this article's questions to hand.
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