What is FXSharp?
FXSharp is an independent forex broker review platform that publishes evaluations of retail forex and CFD brokers, with new broker reviews added on an ongoing basis. Reviews are published in English. FXSharp operates as a global publisher; scores follow the published methodology, and any advertising is labeled as advertising. Coverage includes brokers regulated by tier-1 authorities such as the FCA (Financial Conduct Authority, United Kingdom), CySEC (Cyprus Securities and Exchange Commission), ASIC (Australian Securities and Investments Commission), NFA (National Futures Association, United States), FINMA (Swiss Financial Market Supervisory Authority), BaFin (Federal Financial Supervisory Authority, Germany), MAS (Monetary Authority of Singapore), JFSA (Japan Financial Services Agency), CIRO (Canadian Investment Regulatory Organization), and DFSA (Dubai Financial Services Authority), alongside offshore operators in lower-tier jurisdictions. The current scoring framework is FXSharp Broker Rating Methodology v3, published in May 2026.
What does FXSharp do?
FXSharp publishes broker reviews, head-to-head comparisons, and category rankings such as lowest-spread brokers, US-regulated brokers, MT5-supported brokers, and brokers for beginners. Each review covers regulatory status, license documentation, business history, trading platforms (MT4, MT5, cTrader, TradingView, and proprietary terminals such as TWS, NinjaTrader, and xStation), execution conditions, client fund safety arrangements, and public enforcement records. Reviews follow a six-step research protocol: primary source scanning, regulator database verification, warning list checking, jurisdiction-specific permission checks, independent third-party cross-verification, and platform feature confirmation. Editorial output is a structured public-record reference for retail investors comparing brokers, not investment advice.
How does FXSharp score brokers?
FXSharp scores each broker on a 0-10 scale across six dimensions: License, Business, Software, Risk Control, Regulation, and Influence. The composite score is calculated, not subjective. Regulation carries 25% weight, License 20%, Risk Control 20%, Business 15%, Software 10%, and Influence 10%. Grade bands map 9.5-10 to A+, 9.0-9.49 to A, 8.0-8.99 to B+, 7.0-7.99 to B, 6.0-6.99 to C, and below 6.0 to D. Enforcement fines above 10 million USD within a five-year window trigger a 3.0-point deduction on the License component, while operators with no warning or revocation in the same window receive a one-point uplift.
Which regulators and jurisdictions does FXSharp cover?
FXSharp classifies regulators into a four-tier ladder based on enforcement record, investor compensation schemes, and licensing rigor. Tier 1 covers regulators with active enforcement and statutory compensation funds (FSCS in the United Kingdom, SIPC in the United States, ICF in Cyprus, CIPF in Canada). Tier 4 covers shell registries that score zero on both the License and Regulation components. The full classification used in FXSharp scoring is shown below.
| Tier | Description | Examples | License multiplier |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tier 1 | Real investor protection, active enforcement | FCA, SEC, CFTC/NFA, ASIC, BaFin, FINMA, MAS, JFSA, SFC, CIRO, FMA-NZ | ×2.0 |
| Tier 2 | Strong framework, smaller enforcement budget | CySEC, DFSA, FSCA, BMA, FSC Mauritius, CMA Kenya, CIMA | ×1.0 |
| Tier 3 | Paper rules, limited cross-border enforcement | Labuan FSA, SCA UAE, Seychelles FSA, Belize FSC, BVI FSC | ×0.5 |
| Tier 4 | Paper-only shell registries | SVG FSA, Marshall Islands, Vanuatu, Saint Lucia, Comoros, Anjouan | ×0 |
Why is FXSharp's editorial team anonymous?
FXSharp operates three functional editorial roles: General Editorial Management, Regulation Research, and Industry and Product Editorial. Individual editor names are not published. The platform documents the reason as exposure protection: editors and researchers who publish negative reviews of unregulated or fined brokers face legal harassment, SLAPP-style defamation suits, doxxing attempts, and coordinated social media campaigns. FXSharp positions reliability on methodology transparency and source disclosure rather than personal bylines, citing the editorial model used by The Economist and Wikipedia. All editorial staff sign internal independence agreements that prohibit broker affiliations, paid external broker content, and public broker recommendations on personal social media accounts.
What languages does FXSharp publish in?
FXSharp publishes all broker and prop firm reviews in English. Regulator names, license numbers, fine amounts, and jurisdiction codes are quoted exactly as they appear in the official registers.
How does FXSharp stay independent?
Editorial independence rests on three written rules. First, review scores are calculated with the published methodology from regulator registers and verified data. Second, brokers do not preview review content before publication. Third, editorial staff cannot hold trading accounts at the brokers they cover. Any commercial relationship, such as advertising or a sponsored placement, is labeled where it appears and listed on the Advertising Disclosure page.
FXSharp coverage and reach
FXSharp coverage spans tier-1 regulated firms such as Interactive Brokers, OANDA, and Charles Schwab, as well as large-volume international brokers such as Webull and Moomoo. New broker reviews are added continuously, and the live broker index on the public site reflects the current scope rather than a fixed catalog. The active methodology version (v3) was published in May 2026 and aligns FXSharp scores within 1.5 points of independent industry benchmarks. Reviews flag broker insolvency events, regulator warning entries, and license suspensions occurring within the previous five years. The platform does not hold a brokerage license, does not accept client funds, and does not execute trades; its sole function is publishing reviews and comparisons of third-party brokers.
This content is for informational purposes only and is not investment advice, broker recommendation, or solicitation. Trading forex and CFDs carries high risk; between 74% and 89% of retail investor accounts lose money when trading CFDs, according to disclosures published by tier-1 regulated brokers. Verify any regulatory, license, or compensation-scheme claim directly on the relevant regulator's official register before opening or funding a broker account.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who owns FXSharp?
FXSharp is operated by FXSharp as an independent publishing platform. The operating entity does not hold a broker license, does not accept client deposits, and does not execute trades. Specific corporate parent, registered office, and shareholder details are not published on the public site. The platform's sole function is publishing broker reviews, comparisons, and category rankings.
How does FXSharp make money?
FXSharp does not publish a detailed revenue breakdown. Revenue may come from advertising and partnerships; every paid placement is labeled where it appears and listed on the Advertising Disclosure page. Review scores are calculated with the published methodology.
How often are FXSharp reviews updated?
FXSharp reviews are revised when a broker's regulatory status changes, when a regulator publishes a public warning or fine, when a license is suspended or revoked, or when material trading conditions shift (spreads, leverage caps, minimum deposits, account types). Methodology versions are revised periodically; version 3 of the scoring framework was published in May 2026.
Can a broker pay FXSharp for a higher score?
No. FXSharp's editorial policy states that scores are calculated from public records and verifiable data using fixed methodology weights. Brokers cannot pay to alter scores, change rankings, edit review text, remove negative findings, or preview content before publication. The score formula and tier classifications are documented publicly so any score can be reverse-checked against the broker's public record.
Is FXSharp a broker or a regulated financial services firm?
No. FXSharp does not hold a financial services license, does not accept deposits, does not execute trades, and does not offer brokerage accounts, signals, or managed portfolios. FXSharp is a publishing platform that reviews third-party forex and CFD brokers. Account opening, deposits, trading, and withdrawals all take place on the broker's own platform under that broker's regulatory framework, not under FXSharp.