With the deadline for MiFID II implementation fast approaching, a lot of confusion and uncertainty still exists within the FX Industry. MiFID II regulation is divided into several distinct rule sets with the legislation applying to a broad range of financial industry players, those who provide investment services, such as investment banks, portfolio managers and brokers, and intermediaries such as inter-dealer brokers and market-makers. The main objective of MiFID II is to ensure the fair, effective and safe operation of financial markets. Failure to comply with the directive could result in significant fines.

When someone starts thinking about opening a Forex brokerage their mind immediately fills with question after question. Which regulatory jurisdiction should I choose? How much capital do I need? What kind of license do I need? How do I get pricing? Where do I base the operation? The “office” / location question is usually the last that comes to mind but the choices made here can determine whether a business succeeds or fails. The following 5 points are therefore worth considering before making any decisions on your brokerage startup: 

The ability to trade using leverage is one of the key advantages associated with “retail” forex trading. This unique factor tends to attract more investors to forex, rather than to equities or other financial instruments, as there is the perceived opportunity to generate profits with little money down.

A money broking license offered by the LFSA (Labuan Financial Services) Malaysia, is fast becoming a sought after license in the Asian region. LFSA, which is an offshore financial regulatory authority for Malaysia, has been in operation since 1996. The region includes over 6500 offshore companies and more than 300 licensed financial institutions including some of the world’s leading banks.