Risk scorecard
Each area is scored 0 (clean) to 10 (worst). Higher means more risk.
Regulation
7/10 · HighNo licence of its own; it wears the genuine Archax Ltd's FCA authorisation (reference 838656), and BaFin has issued warning-list hits on both domains.
Identity & transparency
10/10 · CriticalConfirmed impersonation of the FCA-authorised Archax Ltd; BaFin calls it identity theft, and the true operator is undisclosed.
Withdrawals & conduct
4/10 · ModerateNo verified withdrawal-complaint pattern is documented for this short-lived, now-offline site; some general reports of funds held exist, and money sent to an impersonator is at high risk by nature.
Reputation
8/10 · CriticalA government regulator warning plus independent scam-alert writeups; the positive reviews online belong to the genuine archax.com, not to this operation.
Website claims
9/10 · CriticalPresented itself as a regulated investment platform while wearing another firm's FCA identity, which is a false regulatory claim.
Operational history
8/10 · CriticalNo genuine history of its own; a short-lived operation active around 2024 and now defunct, borrowing the real firm's 2018 and 2020 heritage.
Who they are
A quick desk file on the company behind the brand.
- Brand: Archax Finance, using the copied name Archax Ltd
- What it really is: a clone impersonating the genuine, FCA-authorised Archax Ltd
- Websites: archax-finance.com and archax.ltd (both now offline; domains lapsed)
- Firm being impersonated: Archax Ltd, FCA reference 838656, archax.com, 71-75 Shelton Street, London (a real company, no. 11302455, incorporated 2018)
- Regulator action: BaFin warnings on 6 and 15 March 2024; the FCA repeatedly flags Archax clones
- Own licence: none; it borrowed the real firm's FCA identity
- Offered: an online investment and trading platform
- Operator's real identity and country: not disclosed
- Age claim: any long history it implied belongs to the real Archax, not to these sites
Regulation
Who really oversees this broker, and what each licence is worth to you.
Proof of regulation on an official register: No
We could not confirm this broker on any genuine regulator’s register.
Licences the broker publishes
Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) - impersonated
Why we reached this verdict
How the evidence adds up.
We rate this a confirmed clone scam. The core evidence comes from financial regulators, not from reviews.
- BaFin named the exact websites. Germany's regulator warned that archax.ltd (6 March 2024) and archax-finance.com (15 March 2024) offered investment services without the required authorisation. A regulator naming the precise domain is the strongest kind of evidence.
- BaFin calls it identity theft. It states archax.ltd has no connection to the company with the same name Archax Ltd. that is registered with the British FCA, and describes it as a case of identity theft.
- The real firm is elsewhere. The genuine Archax Ltd is FCA-authorised (reference 838656) and trades at archax.com. The clone used a different pair of domains, so it is not that firm.
- There is a repeat pattern. An earlier BaFin warning (September 2022) describes the same Archax identity being misused through europemarket.io alongside fake licences.
- The sites are gone. Neither clone domain resolves any more, which fits an operation that has closed and may resurface under a new name.
Evidence ledger
Every finding, with its source and how strongly it points.
E1BaFin, Germany's financial regulator, warns that archax.ltd offered financial and investment services without the required authorisation, and states it has no connection to the FCA-registered Archax Ltd, calling it a case of identity theft.
Hard proofBaFin (German financial regulator)E2BaFin warns that the operator of archax-finance.com is providing financial and investment services on that website without the required authorisation (15 March 2024).
Hard proofBaFin (German financial regulator)E3The genuine Archax Ltd is authorised by the FCA under reference 838656 and operates at archax.com, and the FCA warns that fraudsters clone the firm. The suspect used different domains, so it is not the authorised firm.
Hard proofFinancial Conduct Authority (FCA)E4The genuine Archax Ltd is a real, active UK company (no. 11302455, incorporated 10 April 2018) at 71-75 Shelton Street, London, the identity the clone copied.
ModerateUK Companies HouseE5An earlier BaFin warning (26 September 2022) describes the same Archax name being misused via europemarket.io, with identity theft of the British Archax Ltd and fake licences, showing a repeat impersonation pattern.
E6An independent broker-review page concludes archax-finance.com is unregulated and appears to be a scam, and notes the site is now offline.
ModerateIndependent broker-review siteE7Both suspect domains, archax-finance.com and archax.ltd, no longer resolve (NXDOMAIN), consistent with a defunct operation.
ModerateDNS lookup
The other side
The strongest case in this broker’s favour.
We tested the innocent explanations before concluding. Here is the fair other side.
- Could this be an official regional arm of Archax? BaFin answers directly: no connection, identity theft. The real firm operates from archax.com.
- Could the complaints be planted by a competitor? The decisive evidence is a government regulator's warning, which does not depend on user reviews.
- Is the real Archax implicated? No. Archax Ltd (reference 838656, archax.com, company 11302455) is a genuine, active, FCA-authorised business and the victim here. Nothing in this report reflects on it.
- Is the real Archax a scam? No, and we found no evidence of fraud by the genuine firm. The problem is other people copying its name.
What would change this
What we would need to see to revise the verdict.
What would change our view.
- Proof that archax-finance.com or archax.ltd were actually run by the genuine Archax Ltd, for example a listing on archax.com or on the firm's FCA record. We found the opposite.
- BaFin or the FCA withdrawing their warnings about these names.
- Evidence that the sites only mirrored public content and never took client money. Even then, the identity-theft finding would stand.
Check it yourself
Official registers and warning lists. Verify every claim first-hand.
BaFin warning: archax.ltd (identity theft)
Germany's regulator warns this site is unauthorised and calls it identity theft of the real Archax Ltd.
BaFin warning: archax-finance.com
Germany's regulator warns this site offered investment services without authorisation.
FCA: Archax clone warning and genuine firm details
Shows the genuine Archax Ltd (reference 838656, archax.com) and that scammers clone it.
Genuine Archax Ltd on Companies House
The real, active UK company whose name was copied (incorporated 2018).
BaFin warning: earlier Archax-name impersonation (europemarket.io)
A 2022 warning about the same Archax identity theft with fake licences.
Frequently asked questions
Quick answers about this broker’s safety.
Is Archax Finance (archax-finance.com) a scam?
Yes. It is a clone that copied the name of the FCA-authorised firm Archax Ltd. BaFin, Germany's financial regulator, has warned against both archax.ltd and archax-finance.com for offering investment services without authorisation.
Is Archax Finance a fraud?
We assess the risk of fraud as high. BaFin calls the use of the Archax name on these sites identity theft, and the operation presented another firm's regulatory identity as its own. That is how an impersonation scam behaves. We hold evidence of the conduct rather than a court ruling.
Is this the same company as the real Archax?
No. The genuine Archax Ltd is a legitimate, FCA-authorised digital-securities exchange at archax.com (reference 838656). archax-finance.com and archax.ltd are copycats with no connection to it.
Is archax-finance.com regulated?
No. It holds no licence of its own. It leaned on the genuine Archax Ltd's FCA authorisation, which belongs to a different company.
Can I withdraw or get my money back?
The sites are now offline and the operators are anonymous, so recovery is difficult. Contact your bank or card provider about a chargeback and report it to your regulator and the police.
Is my money safe with them?
No. Money sent to an impersonator using a stolen identity is at high risk. Do not deposit.
Who owns Archax Finance?
The true operator was never disclosed. It hid behind the identity of the real Archax Ltd, and that anonymity is itself a warning sign.
How old is it?
The clone sites were active around 2024 and are now offline. The since-2018 and 2020 history belongs to the real Archax Ltd, not to these websites.
Is it a clone firm?
Yes. It is a clone of the FCA-authorised Archax Ltd. The FCA regularly warns that scammers copy Archax's name and reference number.
What is BaFin and why does its warning matter?
BaFin is Germany's financial regulator. It publicly named both archax.ltd and archax-finance.com as unauthorised. A regulator naming the exact website is strong, primary evidence.
The website will not load. Does that mean it is safe now?
No. It means the operation appears to have shut down or moved on. Scammers often reappear under new names, so stay cautious of any new site using the Archax name other than archax.com.
What should I check before depositing with any broker?
Look up the licence number on the regulator's own register, confirm the website listed on the register matches the site you are using, and be wary of any firm that shares another company's name, address or reference number.
Scan history
How this broker’s safety assessment has changed across scans.
What changed since September 6, 2026
- September 6, 2026CurrentConfirmed scam90% risk
- September 6, 2026Confirmed scam90% risk
Past scans are archived snapshots kept for transparency and are not indexed by search engines.
What we recommend
The practical takeaway from everything above.
What to do.
- Do not deposit with, or send ID documents to, anyone using archax-finance.com or archax.ltd. Both are flagged by BaFin.
- If you want the genuine firm, use archax.com and check reference 838656 on the FCA register yourself.
- If you already paid, ask your bank or card provider about a chargeback and report it to your local regulator and the police.
- Ignore anyone who contacts you offering to recover your funds for an upfront fee. That is a common follow-up scam.
- As a rule, never trust a licence number a website shows you. Look it up on the regulator's own register and check the website matches.
This is an independent assessment of risk, not a legal ruling. Scores and verdicts follow the Wikilix broker-safety methodology and can change as new evidence appears. Review scores are treated with caution when a broker’s reviews look manipulated. Last reviewed September 6, 2026. If any detail here is out of date or incorrect, or you represent this broker, please contact us.