FBS is a forex and CFD broker founded in 2009, with more than 27 million clients and a presence in over 150 countries. It does not accept clients from every country, though, as regulatory requirements, international sanctions and internal policies limit where it can operate. In this article, we list the countries FBS restricts and explain which company FBS.com operates through. We also look at some alternatives for traders who cannot open an FBS account.
This page covers FBS.com, operated by FBS Markets Inc. FBS also runs separate regional websites through different companies, such as fbs.eu for Europe and fbsaustralia.com for Australia, each with its own regulator, trading terms and country rules. The restrictions and conditions below apply to FBS.com only.
FBS decides eligibility when you register, based on where you live. You can check whether FBS accepts clients from your country on its website.
67.71% of retail CFD accounts lose money
FBS Restricted Countries List
According to the Terms and Conditions on FBS.com, FBS Markets Inc. does not accept clients from the jurisdictions below, among others. The list can change at any time.
- Afghanistan
- Cuba
- Eritrea
- The European Economic Area, including overseas territories such as Guadeloupe, French Guiana, Martinique, Réunion, Mayotte, Saint Barthélemy, Madeira, the Azores, the Canary Islands, Aruba, Curaçao, New Caledonia, Greenland and the Faroe Islands
- Honduras
- Iran
- Iraq
- Kazakhstan
- Kyrgyzstan
- Libya
- Myanmar
- North Korea
- Palestine
- Russia
- Serbia
- South Korea
- South Sudan
- Sudan
- Syria
- The United Kingdom
- The United States
A country not appearing on this list does not mean FBS will accept you, or that FBS is regulated in your country.
Where FBS Is Available: The Company Behind FBS.com
FBS.com is operated by FBS Markets Inc., which is regulated by the Financial Services Commission (FSC) in Belize under licence number 000102/31. This is the company that serves clients in the countries where FBS.com is available, and it decides whether to accept you based on where you live.
Because FBS Markets Inc. is regulated offshore, the investor protection you receive is different from what a local regulator in your country might offer. Make sure you know which entity you are onboarded with. Check the company named in your account documents before you deposit.
What FBS Has to Offer
FBS.com offers over 550 instruments, including CFDs on forex, metals, indices, energies, stocks and cryptocurrencies. Trading is available on MetaTrader 4, MetaTrader 5 and the FBS app.
FBS keeps its account range simple, with a Standard account and a Cent account. Both offer spreads from 0.7 pips on major forex pairs with no commission, although the Cent account is not available in every region.
67.71% of retail CFD accounts lose money
Alternatives to FBS
HFM: Alternative With a Zero Spread Account
HFM is a global forex and CFD broker with over 4 million clients. It offers CFDs on forex, indices, metals, energies, bonds, stocks, cryptocurrencies, commodities and ETFs, and supports MetaTrader 4, MetaTrader 5 and the HFM app.
The Cent and Premium accounts have spreads from 1.4 pips on major forex pairs with no commission, and the Pro account from 0.6 pips. Unlike FBS, HFM also offers raw pricing: the Zero account has spreads from 0.0 pips on major forex pairs with a commission of $3 per side per lot on forex.
HFM is regulated by several authorities, including the DFSA in the UAE, the FSCA in South Africa, the CMA in Kenya and the FSA in Seychelles. It also supports copy trading and lets clients open accounts in several base currencies.
Your capital is at risk. Leveraged products may not be suitable for everyone.
Pepperstone: Alternative With cTrader and TradingView
Pepperstone is one of the most heavily regulated brokers in the market, with clients in over 170 countries. It offers over 1,350 CFDs on forex, indices, sector indices, equities, commodities, ETFs and cryptocurrencies. Alongside MetaTrader 4 and 5, which FBS also offers, Pepperstone supports TradingView, cTrader and the Pepperstone Trading Platform.
The Standard account has spreads from 1.0 pips on major forex pairs with no commission, while the Razor account offers raw spreads from 0.0 pips on major forex pairs plus a commission that depends on the platform.
On MetaTrader 4 and 5, the commission is $3.50, €2.60, £2.25, or CHF 3.30 per side per lot, depending on the account currency. On TradingView and the Pepperstone Trading Platform, it is $3.50 per side per lot, and on cTrader $3.00 per side per lot. For non USD accounts, commissions are converted at the current spot rate.
Pepperstone holds licences from several regulators, including the FCA in the UK, ASIC in Australia, CySEC in Cyprus, BaFin in Germany and the CMA in Kenya, among others.
74.1% of retail CFD accounts lose money
Exness: Alternative With Standard Spreads From 0.2 Pips
Exness has a strong presence in African, Asian and Latin American markets, serving traders from over 130 countries. It is regulated by the FSCA in South Africa, the CMA in Kenya, the JSC in Jordan and the FSA in Seychelles, among other regulators.
Exness offers over 250 instruments, including CFDs on forex, energies, cryptocurrencies, stocks, metals and indices, on MetaTrader 4, MetaTrader 5, the Exness Terminal and the Exness Trade app.
On major forex pairs, the Standard account has spreads from 0.2 pips and the Standard Cent account from 0.3 pips, while the Pro account starts from 0.1 pips. None of these three accounts charges a commission. The Raw Spread account offers spreads from 0.0 pips on major forex pairs with a commission of up to $3.50 per side per lot, and the Zero account offers spreads from 0.0 pips on its top 30 instruments, with commissions from $0.05 per side per lot.
Your capital is at risk. Leveraged products may not be suitable for everyone.
Closing Remarks
FBS.com serves millions of traders, but regulatory obligations and internal policies mean FBS Markets Inc. does not accept clients from some countries, including the US, the UK and the European Economic Area. Because the list changes over time, FBS’s registration process is the most reliable way to check whether it accepts you, and it is worth confirming that FBS is regulated in your country before you open an account.
If FBS is not available to you, or you want raw spread pricing or more platforms, the alternatives above are worth comparing. Make sure the broker you choose suits your trading needs and is regulated for clients in your country.
Frequently Asked Questions
No. They are run by different companies. FBS.com is operated by FBS Markets Inc., regulated by the FSC in Belize, while fbs.eu and fbsaustralia.com are separate regional websites with their own regulators, trading terms and country rules. This page covers FBS.com only.
FBS restricts some countries because of regulatory requirements, international sanctions and internal policies. FBS is not regulated in every country, and it decides whether to accept you when you register, based on where you live.
No. According to the Terms and Conditions on FBS.com, Russia, Kazakhstan and South Korea are all on its list of restricted jurisdictions.
HFM, Pepperstone and Exness are solid alternatives with a similar offer, including forex and CFD trading on MetaTrader 4 and 5. HFM adds a Zero account with raw spreads, Pepperstone adds cTrader and TradingView, and Exness offers Standard account spreads from 0.2 pips on major forex pairs. Check that the broker you choose is regulated for clients in your country.
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