How to check a broker on the SCA / CMA register
The onshore UAE regulator keeps a public list of licensed companies. Here's how to search it, and why an 'active' status alone isn't the whole story.
The short version
- The onshore regulator (CMA, formerly SCA) publishes a searchable Licensed Companies list.
- Search the full legal entity name, not the marketing brand.
- An 'Active' status is necessary but not sufficient — read the licensed activity.
- Firms licensed only for introduction/promotion are not authorised to execute trades or hold funds.
- If you can't find the firm onshore, check the DFSA (DIFC) and FSRA (ADGM) registers before deciding.
The UAE's onshore federal regulator publishes a public list of the companies it licenses. If a broker claims to be regulated onshore in the UAE (rather than in the DIFC or ADGM free zones), this is the register you check.
A quick note on the name
You'll see two names for the same authority. The Securities and Commodities Authority (SCA) was reconstituted as the Capital Market Authority (CMA) under federal legislation that took effect on 1 January 2026. It's the same onshore regulator. Older licences, PDFs and even broker footers may still say "SCA" for a while — that's expected during the transition. When you look for the register, use the regulator's current official website.
How to search the licensed-companies list
- Open the regulator's official website directly and find the "Licensed Companies" (open data) section. Type the address in yourself rather than following a broker's link.
- Search using the broker's full legal name — for example the L.L.C. entity from the website footer, not the marketing brand.
- Open the matching record and read it carefully.
What a record tells you
A company record on the onshore register typically shows:
- The exact legal company name
- Whether it is active or inactive
- Address and contact details
- Establishment date
- The specific licensed activities
- Sometimes company-specific notes or limitations
The part almost everyone misses: licensed activity
Seeing "Active" is reassuring, but it is not enough. The onshore regulator licenses firms for specific activities, and they are not interchangeable. For example, a firm might be licensed as a:
- Trading broker
- Trading and clearing broker
- Broker for OTC derivatives and currencies in the spot (forex) market
- Introduction, promotion or financial-consultation firm
That last group matters enormously. Several firms on the register are active but licensed only for introduction, promotion or consultation — the register may state explicitly that they are not licensed to broker derivatives, commodities or spot FX. In plain terms: they can talk to you and refer you, but they are not authorised to execute your trades or hold your money.
So the real check is two-part:
- Is the status active?
- Does the licensed activity actually cover the CFD, OTC-derivative or spot-FX service you want?
If the activity is only "introduction" or "promotion", treat the firm as not authorised to be your executing broker, no matter how active it looks.
Cross-check the details
While you're there, compare the register's address, phone and email against the broker's official website. Mismatches are a classic sign of a clone or an unlicensed lookalike.
If the firm isn't there
A broker operating onshore that you can't find on the licensed-companies list — under any spelling of its legal name — is a firm you should not fund. It may instead be licensed in the DIFC (DFSA) or ADGM (FSRA), so check those registers too before concluding either way, and read the companion guides for each.
Step by step
- 1
Open the regulator's official site
Go to the CMA/SCA website directly and find the Licensed Companies (open data) list.
- 2
Search the full legal name
Use the licensed entity name from the broker's footer, not the brand.
- 3
Open the matching record
Read the legal name, status, establishment date and licensed activities.
- 4
Confirm the activity, not just the status
Make sure the firm is licensed to broker CFDs/OTC derivatives or spot FX — not only to introduce or promote.
- 5
Cross-check contact details
Compare the register's address, phone and email with the broker's official website.
This is educational content, not investment advice. Markets carry risk. Always verify a broker's regulation before opening an account. BrokerBazaar is an independent comparison platform, not a regulator or advisor.
Common questions
Is it the SCA register or the CMA register?
They're the same onshore authority. The SCA became the Capital Market Authority (CMA) from 1 January 2026. Use the regulator's current official website to find the Licensed Companies list; older documents may still reference the SCA.
A broker is listed as 'Active' — is that enough?
No. Check the specific licensed activity. Some active firms are only licensed for introduction, promotion or consultation and are not authorised to broker CFDs, OTC derivatives or spot FX or to hold your money.
The broker isn't on the onshore list. Is it a scam?
Not necessarily — it may be licensed in the DIFC (by the DFSA) or ADGM (by the FSRA), which keep separate registers. Check those too. If it appears on none of them, don't deposit.