Is Plus500 Safe? Regulation and Risk Explained
Plus500 is a regulated CFD broker overseen by the FCA, CySEC and ASIC, with a publicly listed parent company trading on the London Stock Exchange. Client money is held in segregated accounts under regulatory oversight. However, regulation does not protect you from trading losses: 80% of retail CFD accounts lose money (as of June 2026).
Reviewed by Yaniv Barshaf · Fees verified June 2026 · Our methodology
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Plus500: 80% of retail investor accounts lose money when trading CFDs with this provider. You should consider whether you can afford to take the high risk of losing your money.
Additional fees apply, including an Overnight Funding Fee, a Currency Conversion Fee, an Inactivity Fee, and a Guaranteed Stop Order (a wider spread is applied once used).
Plus500CY Ltd is authorized & regulated by CySEC (#250/14).
Who regulates Plus500
Plus500 operates through several regulated entities in different jurisdictions. In the UK it is overseen by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA); in Cyprus and much of the EU by the Cyprus Securities and Exchange Commission (CySEC); and in Australia by the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC). Plus500CY Ltd is authorized & regulated by CySEC (#250/14). These are established regulators that impose requirements on capital adequacy, client-money segregation, marketing conduct and financial reporting. Multi-jurisdiction regulation of this kind is a strong indicator that a broker operates within recognised legal frameworks rather than offshore with minimal oversight, and it is one of the first things to check when assessing whether any CFD provider is trustworthy.
A publicly listed parent company
Plus500 was founded in 2008, and its parent company has been publicly listed on the London Stock Exchange, where it is a constituent of the main market. A public listing brings a layer of scrutiny that privately held brokers do not face: audited financial statements, continuous disclosure obligations, and oversight from the exchange, institutional shareholders and financial analysts. It does not guarantee that any individual trade will be profitable, nor does it remove the inherent risk of CFDs, but it does mean the company's finances are transparent and regularly examined. For a trader weighing up counterparty risk, a long-established, listed and multi-regulated operator generally represents a more accountable choice than an unlisted, lightly regulated alternative.
How your money is protected
Regulated brokers are required to hold client funds in segregated accounts, kept separate from the firm's own operating money, so that client balances are ring-fenced if the firm runs into difficulty. Beyond segregation, compensation schemes may apply depending on the entity you deal with. Clients of the UK entity, Plus500UK Ltd, fall under the Financial Services Compensation Scheme (FSCS), which covers eligible investment claims up to £85,000 per person, per firm, if the firm fails. Clients of the Cyprus entity fall under the CySEC-administered Investor Compensation Fund, which can pay eligible claims up to €20,000. These schemes cover firm failure and shortfalls in segregated funds; they do not cover money lost through trading (as of June 2026).
What regulation does NOT protect you from
It is essential to separate firm safety from trading safety. Regulation, segregation and compensation schemes address what happens if the broker fails; they do nothing to protect you from losses caused by the market moving against you. CFDs are leveraged products, which magnifies both gains and losses, and it is entirely possible to lose money rapidly even with a fully regulated, financially sound broker. This is why the headline figure matters: 80% of retail CFD accounts lose money. No amount of regulatory pedigree changes that statistic. When people ask whether Plus500 is safe, the honest answer is that the firm is well regulated and transparent, but CFD trading itself carries a high risk of loss that regulation cannot remove.
Costs to factor into your assessment
Safety also means understanding what you will be charged. Plus500 charges no commission, with its cost built into the spread, but additional fees apply. An Overnight Funding Fee is charged daily on positions held past the daily cut-off, at instrument-specific rates shown on the platform. A Currency Conversion Fee of up to 0.7% applies to realised profit and loss in non-base currencies. An Inactivity Fee of up to $10 per month applies after three months without logging in, reset by logging in. A Guaranteed Stop Order is available, but a wider spread is applied once it is used. Withdrawals are free, with frequency limits and minimums of $100 by bank transfer or $50 by e-wallet. The platform is user-friendly, but that convenience does not reduce the underlying risk.
The bottom line
Plus500 is a well-regulated, transparent broker: overseen by the FCA, CySEC and ASIC, with a parent listed on the London Stock Exchange and client funds held in segregated accounts. UK clients of Plus500UK Ltd have FSCS cover up to £85,000 for eligible investment claims if the firm fails. That said, none of this protects you from the market: 80% of retail CFD accounts lose money. The platform is user-friendly, but CFDs remain high-risk leveraged products. Weigh the Overnight Funding, Currency Conversion, Inactivity and Guaranteed Stop Order costs before you commit. Plus500CY Ltd is authorized & regulated by CySEC (#250/14).
Plus500
Best for CFD trading with a user-friendly platform
Capital at risk. This is not financial advice. Investing involves risk of loss.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Plus500 regulated in the UK?
Yes. In the UK, Plus500 is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA). It is also regulated by CySEC in Cyprus and ASIC in Australia. Plus500CY Ltd is authorized & regulated by CySEC (#250/14) (as of June 2026).
Is my money safe with Plus500?
Client funds are held in segregated accounts under regulatory oversight, and UK clients of Plus500UK Ltd are covered by the FSCS up to £85,000 for eligible investment claims if the firm fails. This protection covers firm failure, not losses from trading.
Is Plus500 a legitimate company?
Yes. Plus500 was founded in 2008 and its parent company is publicly listed on the London Stock Exchange, subject to audited accounts and continuous disclosure. It is regulated across multiple jurisdictions by the FCA, CySEC and ASIC.
Can I still lose money with a regulated broker?
Yes. Regulation protects against firm failure, not trading losses. CFDs are leveraged, so losses can occur rapidly regardless of how well regulated the broker is. 80% of retail CFD accounts lose money, a risk regulation cannot remove.