Is Pepperstone Legal in Australia? Is it Safe?
Reliability is the key criterion for choosing any broker. If you have doubts about the reliability of a company, it is not recommended to work with it. Traders from Australia often ask “Is Pepperstone safe? Does the company operate legally in the territory of the country, can it be trusted?" Traders Union analysts have prepared a detailed analysis, where we will see whether Pepperstone is legal in Australia and whether you can work with this broker.
Short summary about the broker Pepperstone
Pepperstone (Pepperstone.com) was founded in 2010 in Melbourne, Australia,
by professional traders who were not satisfied with the quality of services provided by most brokers. The founders
decided to avoid many of the disadvantages of competitors, including high commissions, delayed execution of orders,
etc. The founders therefore focused on improving the technical component. The company has set itself the goal of
changing the “rules of the game” and setting the bar high for online trading.
Today, Pepperstone offers clients all over the world some of the best technological solutions and favorable trading
conditions. The company also provides professional tools that help traders not only master the fine art of trading,
but also significantly increase trading efficiencies. In addition, Pepperstone’s platform is scrutinized by seven
regulatory authorities, including ASIC (Australian Securities and
Investments Commission, AFSL No.414530), FCA (UK Financial
Conduct Authority, 684312), DFSA
(F004356), BaFin (151148), CMA (128), SCB
(SIA-F217), and CySec (388/20). Moreover,
with Pepperstone, clients' assets are maintained in aggregated accounts with several major, global banking
institutions. These facts confirm the reliability of the company and guarantee the safety of the client's capital.
| 💰 Account currency: | AUD, USD, JPY, GBP, EUR, CAD, CHF, NZD, SGD and HKD |
| 🚀 Minimum deposit: | $1 |
| ⚖️ Leverage: | Up to 1:30 (for Australia), 500:1 Pro |
| 💱 Spread: | from 0.0 pips |
| 🔧 Instruments: | CFDs on Forex, Index, Stocks, Currency Indices, Commodities, ETFs, Crypto |
| 💹 Margin Call / Stop Out: | 90% / 20% |
Pros and cons of Pepperstone
👍 Advantages of trading with Pepperstone:
•Attractive trading conditions;
•Fast order execution - 30 ms on average;
•1,200+ trading instruments;
•Low fees; and
•No inactivity fee.
👎 Disadvantages of Pepperstone:
•Support service works only 24/5;
•No cent account;
•Not available to US clients;
•Limited passive trading opportunities;
•Limited analytical materials available on the site. The only way to resolve this issue is to connect to trading signals;
•No news section; and
•Demo accounts can only trade for free for one month only.
What information should a broker disclose?
Only the broker that discloses all legal information can be considered reliable. You need to take notice of this factor when choosing the company.
The official website of the broker should contain the following information:
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The name of the legal entity.
-
Country of registration.
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Number of the registration certificate.
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Legal address, factual addresses of the offices of the broker.
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License to conduct financial activity.
The information must be published either in a special section on the website of the broker or in the disclaimer. Make sure to check it.
The official website of the broker must also provide internal regulatory documents. Before you start working with a company, review Terms of Use, Privacy Policy, Disclaimer, Risks Notice, and other documents.
Broker regulation
ASIC
The Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC) is the official financial regulatory body of Australia. The commission regulates the operation of banks, investment companies, Forex brokers, and participants of exchange and over-the-counter trading.
ASIC is a reputable authority. The license of this regulator is recognized as reliable in the entire world. Brokers with licenses issued by ASIC also operate outside Australia, for example in the EU countries, the UK, Asia, etc.
FCA
The FCA (Financial Conduct Authority) is the financial regulator of the UK. It is a non-government body that operates in cooperation with the Bank of English and the HM Treasury. The mission of the FCA is to regulate the operation of financial and investment companies, including Forex brokers.
A broker with the FCA license is fully legal in the UK. The document issued by this regulator is highly regarded also outside the UK. Also, the companies with licenses issued in other jurisdictions can operate in the UK.
DFSA (Dubai Financial Services Authority)
The DFSA is the financial regulator in Dubai, UAE. They are responsible for regulating and supervising financial services, including banks, insurance companies, investment firms, and other financial institutions operating within the Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC). The DFSA aims to maintain the integrity and stability of the financial system, protect investors, and promote transparency and confidence in the DIFC's financial markets.
BaFin (Bundesanstalt für Finanzdienstleistungsaufsicht)
BaFin is the financial regulatory authority in Germany. It is responsible for supervising and regulating banks, insurance companies, securities trading, and other financial services providers. BaFin ensures the stability, integrity, and transparency of Germany's financial markets, promotes fair competition, and protects the interests of consumers and investors. It also plays a crucial role in enforcing compliance with financial regulations and preventing financial crimes.
CMA (Capital Market Authority)
The CMA is the regulatory body for capital markets in various countries, including Saudi Arabia, Oman, and Kuwait. It oversees and regulates activities related to securities, equities, bonds, and other investment products. The CMA's primary objectives are to develop and maintain fair, transparent, and efficient capital markets, protect investors' interests, and ensure the integrity and stability of the financial system. It sets rules and regulations for market participants, monitors compliance, and promotes investor education and awareness.
SCB
The Securities Commission of The Bahamas is an independent regulatory body of The Bahamas subordinated to the Ministry of Finance. The regulator supervises the securities market, investments, all exchange and non-exchange markets, including Forex. Obtaining a SCB license is mandatory for operating in The Bahamas.
SCB licenses are rather popular among Forex brokers, as the regulator has minimum requirements. The SCB has signs of an offshore regulator. However, a license of this regulator does not mean that a broker is unreliable. Before you start working with a company that operates on the SCB license, we recommend that you read the company review and user feedback about the company.
CYSEC
The Cyprus Securities and Exchange Commission (CySec) is the financial regulator authority of Cyprus. The regulator has the power to audit companies and issue licenses to conduct financial activities in the territory of the country.
Cyprus is an EU member and therefore the CySec license also allows companies to operate in the entire territory of the EU. Furthermore, the document issued by the regulator is considered reliable beyond the borders of the EU countries.
Is Pepperstone legal in Australia? Broker’s license
Security (Protection for Investors)
Pepperstone is regulated by ASIC and the FCA. This ensures the transparency of the platform.
Pepperstone conducts financial activities strictly according to its own regulations and regulatory requirements. It is a guarantee of clearly defined rights and obligations, as well as the safety of assets.
👍 Advantages
- Client assets are held in segregated accounts with major banks
- Provides negative balance protection
- Dispute resolution is carried out with via an independent and neutral party
- If the Pepperstone platform, due to circumstances, is unable to provide additional financial services, traders will receive compensation
👎 Disadvantages
- Regulators do not consider claims for moral damages
Brokers that are similar to Pepperstone
In addition to license and reliability, you also need to take notice of the trading conditions of brokers. This is important both for beginners and experienced traders, as the demands of the clients with different experience differ. Traders Union analysts have prepared a comparison table of Pepperstone with similar brokers.
Comparison of Pepperstone with other Brokers
| Pepperstone | RoboForex | Pocket Option | Exness | AMarkets | Tickmill | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Trading platform |
MT4, MobileTrading, WebTrader, cTrader, MT5, TradingView |
MT4, MT5, R MobileTrader, R StocksTrader, R WebTrader |
Pocket Option, MT5, MT4 |
Exness Trade App (mobile), Exness Terminal (web), MetaTrader5, MetaTrader4 |
MT4, MT5, AMarkets App |
MT4, MT5, Tickmill Mobile App |
Min deposit |
$1 |
$10 |
$5 |
$10 |
$100 |
$100 |
Leverage |
From 1:1 |
From 1:1 |
From 1:1 |
From 1:1 |
From 1:1 |
From 1:1 |
Trust management |
No |
No |
No |
No |
No |
Yes |
Accrual of % on the balance |
No |
No |
No |
No |
No |
No |
Spread |
From 0 points |
From 0 points |
From 1.2 point |
From 1 point |
From 0 points |
From 0 points |
Level of margin call / stop out |
No |
No |
No |
No |
No |
No |
Execution of orders |
Instant Execution |
Market Execution, Instant Execution |
Market Execution |
Market Execution, Instant Execution |
Market Execution, Instant Execution |
Market Execution |
No deposit bonus |
No |
No |
No |
No |
No |
$30 |
Cent accounts |
No |
Yes |
No |
No |
No |
No |
Pepperstone is particularly suitable for novice market participants as well as more seasoned trading professionals. In general, the Pepperstone platform offers everything novice traders need for comfortable trading such as favorable conditions, reliability, a wide selection of trading options, along with an assortment of first rate educational materials.
The minimum deposit in RoboForex is $10. Leverage up to 1:2000. Traders choose RoboForex for reliability, favorable trading conditions, minimum spreads, and commission fees. The company is recommended for beginner traders and experienced investors.
Pocket Option offers a wide range of trading instruments and copy trading services. It constantly improves its service quality and expands the list of assets and trading platforms. The broker is suitable even for novice traders without significant capital due to the low initial deposit. Experienced traders who work with CFDs and binary options can also use Pocket Option’s services.
Exness broker is a trusted broker partner that is compliant with all relevant terms. Exness complies with all payment obligations and pays money earned.
AMarkets is a broker that is more suitable for professional trading. Everything here is designed to accommodate trading with EAs and that is the broker’s strength. The weakness of the broker is that it won’t be easy for traders without experience to work here.
Tickmill is a suitable broker for both professional traders and novices. The company is good for robotic trading as well as for short-term strategies.
Conclusions
Traders Union showed that Pepperstone is indeed very reliable and legal in Australia. The company holds all necessary licenses to conduct financial activity; it complies with all key requirements of the regulator. Legality of the broker’s operation in the country is one of the key criteria for choosing the company for trading. It is important to take this into consideration, as well as the trading conditions. In this case, we can say that the broker meets all the reliability requirements.
FAQ
Can I work with a broker who does not hold the license?
Trading with a broker without the license involves high risks. The license guarantees that the company performs its obligations. Working with a broker without the license creates a risk of manipulations with quotes, failure to pay, and other schemes.
Where can I complain if a broker with a license violated its obligations?
If a broker allows a violation of the conditions, you can appeal to the authority that issued the license and to the court.
How do I choose the best broker in Australia for beginners?
Novice traders need to consider the brokers with licenses issued in Australia or other European Union countries, availability of a demo account or cent account, the level of commissions and fees and minimum deposit, as well as educational materials.
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Team that worked on the article
Mikhail Vnuchkov joined Traders Union as an author in 2020. He began his professional career as a journalist-observer at a small online financial publication, where he covered global economic events and discussed their impact on the segment of financial investment, including investor income. With five years of experience in finance, Mikhail joined Traders Union team, where he is in charge of forming the pool of latest news for traders, who trade stocks, cryptocurrencies, Forex instruments and fixed income.
The area of responsibility of Mikhail includes covering the news of currency and stock markets, fact checking, updating and editing the content published on the Traders Union website. He successfully analyzes complex financial issues and explains their meaning in simple and understandable language for ordinary people. Mikhail generates content that provides full contact with the readers.
Mikhail’s motto: Learn something new and share your experience – never stop!
Olga Shendetskaya has been a part of the Traders Union team as an author, editor and proofreader since 2017. Since 2020, Shendetskaya has been the assistant chief editor of the website of Traders Union, an international association of traders. She has over 10 years of experience of working with economic and financial texts. In the period of 2017-2020, Olga has worked as a journalist and editor of laftNews news agency, economic and financial news sections. At the moment, Olga is a part of the team of top industry experts involved in creation of educational articles in finance and investment, overseeing their writing and publication on the Traders Union website.
Olga has extensive experience in writing and editing articles about the specifics of working in the Forex market, cryptocurrency market, stock exchanges and also in the segment of financial investment in general. This level of expertise allows Olga to create unique and comprehensive articles, describing complex investment mechanisms in a simple and accessible way for traders of any level.
Olga’s motto: Do well and you’ll be well!