National Supervisory Authority & Licensing Qualification Dossier • Latin America & Africa
FSCA
South AfricaFinancial Sector Conduct Authority
Source / Native Reference: 南非金融部门行为监管局
- Supervisory tier
- Tier-2
- License classes
- 2
- Licensed records
- 65
- Active / regulated
- 46
Statutory Supervisory Mandate & Scope
China Securities Regulatory Commission (CSRC) (CSRC) is the Tier-1 statutory financial markets and securities supervisory authority in China. It grants and supervises financial services licences across broker-dealers, investment advisers, asset managers, and market operators, enforcing initial and ongoing prudential capital requirements, segregated client asset rules, market conduct standards, and public register disclosures.
Prudential Tier Assessment
Tier-2Tier-2 national capital markets, securities, and derivatives supervisory authority in South Africa, 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 South Africa.
| 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 (South Africa)
- 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 South Africa
- FSCA Licensing, Prudential Capital Adequacy & Conduct of Business Rules
- Client Money & Custody Asset Segregation Regulations (South Africa)
- 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 South Africa national jurisdiction and IOSCO MMoU cross-border supervisory cooperation.
Supervised institutions & FSCA licence records in our database
65 licence records referencing FSCA (46 regulated/registered, 18 flagged with warnings/revocations).
| Institution | Licence number | Status | Licensed legal entity | Effective date | Verification |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| TRADE.COM | 47857 | Suspected clone | LEADCAPITAL MARKETS LIMITED | 2019-02-05 | |
| WELTRADE | 50691 | Exceeded scope | WELTRADE SA (PTY) LTD | 2021-05-13 | |
| ThinkMarkets | 49835 | Exceeded scope | TF GLOBAL MARKETS (SOUTH AFRICA) (PTY) LTD | 2019-02-05 | |
| Viverno | 49479 | Regulated | BDSWISS MARKETS SA (PTY) LTD | 2018-10-10 | |
| ICM | 53234 | Regulated | ICM CAPITAL SA (PTY) LTD | 2023-09-18 | |
| CPT Markets | 45954 | Regulated | CPT MARKETS (PTY) LTD | 2015-06-09 | |
| IronFX | 45276 | Exceeded scope | NOTESCO SA (PTY) LTD | 2014-07-15 | |
| Yellow | FSP 53790 | Regulated | Yellow Card Financial South Africa (Pty) Limited | 2023 | |
| ATRIAFINANCIAL | 36060 | Suspected clone | ATRIAFINANCIAL SA (PTY) LTD | 2008-09-09 | |
| Banxso | 37699 | Revoked | BANXSO (PTY) LTD | 2009-03-11 | |
| GMI | 48296 | Suspected clone | OM BRIDGE (PTY) LTD | 2017-06-06 | |
| BROKSTOCK | 51404 | Exceeded scope | BROKSTOCK SA (PTY) LTD | 2021-05-13 | |
| ELLAND | 52127 | Exceeded scope | ELLAND ROAD CAPITAL (PTY) LTD | 2022-02-10 | |
| EMAR | 53070 | Exceeded scope | EMAR MARKETS (PTY) LTD | 2023-08-18 | |
| IFX | 48021 | Exceeded scope | IFX Brokers Holdings (Pty) Ltd | 2017-06-06 | |
| KHWEZI | 44816 | Exceeded scope | KHWEZI FINANCIAL SERVICES(PTY)LTD | 2013-11-12 | |
| KHWEZI | 44816 | Exceeded scope | KHWEZI FINANCIAL SERVICES(PTY)LTD | 2013-11-12 | |
| Naqdi | 51598 | Suspected clone | Naqdi Group (PTY) LTD | 2021-10-06 | |
| RED | 46044 | Suspected clone | RED PINE CAPITAL (PTY) LTD | 2015-12-08 | |
| TIBIGLOBE | 50012 | Exceeded scope | TIBIGLOBE (PTY) LTD | 2019-09-12 | |
| TMGM | 53180 | Exceeded scope | EPFX (PTY) LTD | 2023-10-17 | |
| VIDA | 42734 | Exceeded scope | VIDA GLOBAL MARKETS (PTY) LTD | 2011-07-12 | |
| Exness | 51024 | Regulated | EXNESS ZA (PTY) LTD | 2020-12-11 | |
| Tickmill | 49464 | Regulated | TICKMILL SOUTH AFRICA (PTY) LTD | 2019-10-09 | |
| IUX | 53103 | Regulated | IUX MARKETS ZA (PTY) LTD | 2023-08-18 | |
| VT Markets | 50865 | Regulated | VT MARKETS (PTY) LTD | 2020-09-09 | |
| BAM(Global network record) | FSP 51619 | Regulated | Binance Bahrain BSC © | — | |
| AvaTrade(Global network record) | 45984 | Regulated | AVA CAPITAL MARKETS (PTY) LTD | 10/11/2015 | |
| FxPro(Global network record) | 45052 | Regulated | FXPRO FINANCIAL SERVICES LTD | 2015-07-07 | |
| AUS GLOBAL(Global network record) | 52171 | Registered | AUS GLOBAL ZA (PTY) LTD | 2022-03-11 | |
| AVA(Global network record) | 45984 | Regulated | AVA CAPITAL MARKETS (PTY) LTD | 2015-10-11 | |
| easyMarkets(Global network record) | 54018 | Regulated | EF WORLDWIDE (PTY) LTD | 28/06/2024 | |
| Trade Nation(Global network record) | 49846 | Regulated | TRADE NATION FINANCIAL (PTY) LTD | 2019-05-02 | |
| VELOCITY(Global network record) | 43295 | Regulated | VELOCITY TRADE FINANCIAL SERVICES (PTY) LTD | 2011-11-08 | |
| XM(Global network record) | 49976 | Regulated | XM ZA (PTY) LTD | 2019-09-13 | |
| FXCM(Global network record) | 46534 | Regulated | STRATOS SOUTH AFRICA (PTY) LTD | 2016-02-09 | |
| IG(Global network record) | 41393 | Regulated | IG MARKETS SOUTH AFRICA LIMITED | 13/04/2010 | |
| Capex(Global network record) | 37166 | Regulated | JME Financial Services (Pty) Ltd | 2018 | |
| CBCX(Global network record) | 49700 | Registered | CBCX MARKETS (PTY) LTD | 2019-05-07 | |
| DBG Markets(Global network record) | 41920 | Registered | DBG MARKETS ZA (PTY) LTD | 2010-09-14 | |
| FP Markets(Global network record) | 50926 | Regulated | FP MARKETS (PTY) LTD | 2022-05-17 | |
| OnEquity(Global network record) | 53187 | Regulated | ONEQUITY (PTY) LTD | 2023-12-18 | |
| STARTRADER(Global network record) | 52464 | Registered | STARTRADER INTERNATIONAL PTY LTD | 2022-09-23 | |
| Absa Group(Global network record) | 1986/004794/06 | Regulated | ABSA BANK LIMITED | 2024-02-09 | |
| African Bank Limited(Global network record) | 46094 | Regulated | AFRICAN BANK LTD | 2015-11-08 | |
| Al Baraka Bank Pakistan(Global network record) | 1989/003295/06 | Regulated | ALBARAKA BANK LIMITED | 2005-11-08 | |
| Bank Zero(Global network record) | MBOOO1 | Regulated | BANK ZERO MUTUAL BANK | 2020-10-20 | |
| Bidvestbank(Global network record) | 25466 | Regulated | BIDVEST BANK LIMITED | 2006-10-08 | |
| Discovery Bank(Global network record) | 48657 | Regulated | DISCOVERY BANK LIMITED | 2017-10-10 | |
| FXGM(Global network record) | 47709 | Regulated | NAXEX INVEST LTD | 2017-04-04 | |
| Investec(Global network record) | 1969/004763/06 | Regulated | INVESTEC BANK LIMITED | 2004-12-02 | |
| Klips(Global network record) | 47742 | Regulated | KLIPS SA (PTY) LTD | 2017-02-07 | |
| MAKE(Global network record) | 53179 | Regulated | MAKE CAPITAL MARKET (PTY) LTD | 2023-10-17 | |
| Moneta Markets(Global network record) | 47490 | Regulated | MONETA MARKETS (PTY) LTD | 2016-11-08 | |
| SIKHULA(Global network record) | 2017/315029/07 | Regulated | SIKHULA VENTURE CAPITAL (PTY) LTD | 2017 | |
| TymeBank(Global network record) | Number pending check | Regulated | TYME BANK LTD | 2018-07-24 | |
| CXM(Global network record) | 52108 | Regulated | JAROCEL PTY LTD | 08-04-2022 | |
| DNKR(Global network record) | 49288 | Regulated | DNKR ZA (Pty) Ltd | 2018-07-10 | |
| NRDX(Global network record) | 49648 | Regulated | NRDX (PTY) LTD | 2018/10/10 | |
| RAISE(Global network record) | 50506 | Regulated | RAISE GLOBAL SA (PTY) LTD | 2020/10/06 | |
| RAZE(Global network record) | 53229 | Offshore | RAZE MARKETS SOUTH AFRICA (PTY) LTD | 2023-12-18 | |
| ROCKETX(Global network record) | 52142 | Regulated | ROCKETX (PTY) LTD | 2023-11-05 | |
| Sharenet(Global network record) | 41688 | Regulated | Sharenet | — | |
| SOOLIKE(Global network record) | 53244 | Regulated | SOOLIKE CAPITAL MARKETS (PTY) LTD | 2024-02-22 | |
| Standard Bank PLC(Global network record) | Number pending check | Regulated | Standard Bank PLC | — |
FSCA (South Africa): 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 (South Africa)?
FSCA (Financial Sector Conduct Authority) supervises financial institutions in South Africa under Securities and Capital Markets Act of South Africa 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 (South Africa) 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 South Africa.). 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 65 recorded licence entries?
Our database currently tracks 65 licence records referencing FSCA (46 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 RegTech Codex relevant to FSCA and South Africa.
RegTech & Prudential Compliance
European Financial Regulatory Architecture in 2026: DORA ICT Operational Resilience, MiCA CASP Prudential Supervision, and EU AMLA Direct Oversight
A comprehensive statutory compliance briefing analyzing Regulation (EU) 2022/2554 (DORA) ICT incident reporting and TLPT mandates, Regulation (EU) 2023/1114 (MiCA) Class 1-3 CASP and EMT/ART reserve rules, Regulation (EU) 2023/1113 Travel Rule, and Frankfurt AMLA direct supervision.
Regulatory Compliance & Licensing
FATF Travel Rule (Recommendation 16) Cross-Border VASP Compliance, EU AMLR/AMLA Supervision & FCA/MAS Client Asset Segregation Audits: 2026 Codex
Cross-border Virtual Asset Service Provider (VASP) compliance refers to the synchronized execution of cryptographic wire-transfer messaging under FATF Recommendation 16, direct supranational AML supervision under EU Regulation (EU) 2024/1624 (AMLR) and Regulation (EU) 2024/1113 (TFR), and statutory daily client asset segregation reconciliations mandated by the UK FCA CASS 7/CASS 15 and MAS PSN02/CMSA frameworks.
EU MiCA & DORA Compliance
EU DORA & MiCA Compliance Rules: ICT Incident Reporting, CTPP Oversight & CASP Licensing (2026)
The EU Digital Operational Resilience Act (DORA) mandates major ICT incident reporting within 4 hours (Source: Regulation EU 2022/2554, 2025-01-17) and full MiCA CASP authorization by July 1, 2026 (Source: ESMA, 2026-07-01).
EU MiCA & DORA Compliance
EU Digital Operational Resilience Act (DORA) ICT Risk & 4-Hour Incident SLA: Statutory Capital Floors, Prudential Ratios & Licensing Thresholds (4 Hours Major ICT Incident Alert Benchmark)
EU Digital Operational Resilience Act (DORA) ICT Risk & 4-Hour Incident SLA (EU-DORA-2022-2554) stands at 4 Hours (Major ICT Incident Alert) (Source: ESMA / EBA / EIOPA Joint RTS, 2026-10-20), governing initial permanent
Statutory licensing classes, base capital rules, and investor protection summaries for FSCA (South Africa) 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.