How to verify a broker licence in Kenya
Four checks, in this order
- Find the number, not the badge. A logo is not a licence. The broker pages here print the licence number we found, or say plainly that none is published for this country.
- Read it in the register. Open the regulator's own register and search the number. The regulator for Kenya and its register are named on every broker page we publish.
- Check the name on the licence against the name on the contract. This is where most of the confusion lives: the brand you signed up with and the entity on the client agreement are often different companies in different countries. Our entity column exists for this reason.
- Check the permissions, not just the presence. A firm can be on a register for one activity and not for the one it is selling you.
What goes wrong locally
Common local scams: Ponzi/pyramid 'forex investment' schemes and 'account manager' cons promising guaranteed returns, often via M-Pesa; fake/cloned unlicensed platforms; social-media signal/copy-trade fraud. CMA urges verification on its register and reporting to the Capital Markets Fraud Investigation Unit. KYC documents: national ID (or passport), KRA PIN certificate, and proof of address (utility bill/bank statement).
Brokers here without a local licence
| Broker | Onboarding entity | Max leverage |
|---|---|---|
| BlackBull Markets | Not served - Kenya is explicitly on BlackBul | — |
| Eightcap | Eightcap Global Limited | 500.0geo |
| Fusion Markets | Kenyan retail clients are onboarded under th | 500.0geo |
| Trade Nation | Trade Nation Ltd | 200.0geo |
| Alpari | Parlance Trading Ltd | 3000.0geo |
| BDSwiss | Kenyan clients are onboarded under the offsh | 2000.0geo |
| CMC Markets | CMC Markets does not accept clients resident | — |
| FXGT | GT Global Ltd | 5000.0geo |
| LiteFinance | LiteFinance Global LLC | 500.0geo |
| Moneta Markets | Moneta Markets Ltd | 1000.0geo |
| ThinkMarkets | TF Global Markets Int Ltd | 500.0geo |
| Vantage | Kenyan retail clients are onboarded by the o | 500.0geo |
| XTB | XTB does NOT serve Kenya - Kenyan residents | — |
| FBS | FBS Markets Inc | 3000.0geo |
| IG Markets | IG International Ltd | 200.0geo |
| Mitrade | Mitrade Holding Ltd | 200.0geo |
| MultiBank Group | Kenyan clients served via offshore entity (B | 500.0geo |
| OctaFX | Octa Markets Ltd | 1000.0geo |
| AvaTrade | Ava Trade Markets Ltd | 400.0geo |
| CAPEX | KW Investments Ltd | — |
| CFI | No verified Kenya-local entity; Kenyan clien | — |
| T4Trade | Tradeco Ltd | 1000.0geo |
| CMTrading | GCMT Limited | 200.0geo |
| Hisa (Hisa app) | Faida Investment Bank Ltd | — |
| Plus500 | Plus500CY Ltd | 30.0geo |
FAQ (2)
How do I check a broker licence in Kenya?
Common local scams: Ponzi/pyramid 'forex investment' schemes and 'account manager' cons promising guaranteed returns, often via M-Pesa; fake/cloned unlicensed platforms; social-media signal/copy-trade fraud. CMA urges verification on its register and reporting to the Capital Mark
The broker shows a licence from another country. Does it count?
It means a foreign entity regulates that company, not that it is authorised to serve Kenya residents. The two are different questions and the broker page names which entity signs the client.