Who owns FXCM?
FXCM is run by Stratos Markets Limited, United Kingdom. It holds a licence from FCA for investment firm. The company is subsidiary of Jefferies Financial Group (via Stratos). Press reports this link; we have not confirmed it in a register yet.
| Ultimate owner | FXCM / Stratos Group International (subsidiary of Jefferies Financial Group (via Stratos); majority sale to AvaTrade agreed Oct 2026, pending) |
|---|---|
| Operating company | Stratos Markets Limited, United Kingdom · reg. 04072877 |
| Licenses | FCA 217689 |
| Website | fxcm.com |
| Sister brokers | 1 |
| Fines and actions | 2 |
| Owner proof | reported |
| Last checked | 15 Oct 2026 |
In numbers
- FXCM / Stratos Group International owns 2 brand families with 2 websites in our data.
- 2 regulator fines against the owner since 2014, about €11 million in total (converted to euros).
- FXCM / Stratos Group International has owned FXCM since 2026-10.
Licences
| Regulator | Type | Valid | Check it |
|---|---|---|---|
| FCA 217689 | investment firm | active | register |
About FXCM / Stratos Group International
US-founded FX broker rescued by Jefferies in 2015 (Swiss franc shock), fully owned by Jefferies from 2023 and renamed Stratos. Banned from the US by the CFTC in 2017. In Oct 2026 its UK client book went to Trade Nation and AvaTrade agreed to buy most of the FXCM business and brand.
Headquarters: United States · Founded: 1999 · Ownership: subsidiary of Jefferies Financial Group (via Stratos); majority sale to AvaTrade agreed Oct 2026, pending
How we know, and what we could not confirm
How we know: Brand rights and majority of business being acquired by AvaTrade (announced 9 Oct 2026, terms undisclosed); UK client book sold to Trade Nation (transfer due late Nov 2026).
- The owner link comes from press reports; we have not confirmed it in a register or in the brand’s own terms.
1 sister broker
Same owner, but check which company holds your account. The offshore company often has no compensation scheme.
Everything FXCM / Stratos Group International owns, with fines and sources →
Regulator fines
| Date | Company | Regulator / court | Amount | Reason |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2017-02-06 | Forex Capital Markets LLC, FXCM Holdings LLC and two founders | CFTC | USD 7,000,000 | CFTC found FXCM hid its link to its main market maker and misdescribed its 'No Dealing Desk' model; also false statements to NFA. FXCM agreed to withdraw from CFTC registration (exit from US). source |
| 2014-02-26 | Forex Capital Markets Ltd and FXCM Securities Ltd (FXCM UK) | FCA | GBP 4,000,000 | Kept about £6m of price-improvement profits that belonged to UK clients and did not tell the FCA about a parallel US probe; ~£6m restitution paid on top. source |
Ratings elsewhere
- Trustpilot: read the reviews there
Ratings from other websites, with their source. We do not copy their reviews, and they do not change our facts.
Questions and answers
Who owns FXCM?
Stratos Markets Limited runs it. Press reports this link; we have not confirmed it in a register yet.
Is FXCM licensed?
Yes. Its operator Stratos Markets Limited holds a licence from FCA for investment firm.
What are the sister brokers of FXCM?
Tradu.
Has the owner of FXCM been fined?
2 records on file. The latest: CFTC, 2017-02-06.
Sources
- https://www.financemagnates.com/forex/avatrade-acquires-majority-of-fxcm-in-landmark-consolidation-play/
- https://www.financemagnates.com/forex/exclusive-trade-nation-acquires-fxcms-uk-client-book/
- https://www.fxcm.com/about/about-fxcm/
- https://www.fxcm.com/markets/legal/
- https://www.financemagnates.com/forex/brokers/fxcms-uk-arm-lost-22-million-in-2025-ahead-of-sale-to-trade-nation/
- https://www.fxcm.com/uk/why-fxcm/international-sites-offices/
Last checked 15 Oct 2026. How we check facts. CFDs are complex. Most retail accounts lose money.