Risk scorecard
Each area is scored 0 (clean) to 10 (worst). Higher means more risk.
Regulation
7/10 · HighReal offshore dealing licences (Seychelles FSA SD049, Mauritius FSC GB24203371) plus intermediary-only FSCA and introducer-only UAE licences, but four regulators list STARTRADER as unauthorised and both UK FCA firms tied to the brand have lost authorisation.
Identity & transparency
4/10 · ModerateEntities, numbers and addresses match the Seychelles, Mauritius, South African and Cyprus records and the FSA register lists startrader.com, but ownership is not disclosed and the St Vincent company named in the warnings no longer appears on the site.
Withdrawals & conduct
7/10 · HighAbout 160 of the 200 latest one-star Trustpilot reviews describe cancelled profits or refused withdrawals with account numbers and amounts, matched on BrokersView since 2024; the broker replies and many clients report paid withdrawals.
Reputation
8/10 · CriticalTrustpilot 3.2 from 1,139 reviews with 40% one-star and a largely invited positive side, a repeated money-access pattern on two platforms, and four regulator warning-list entries.
Website claims
6/10 · HighPage titles call it a regulated broker even on the Spanish site the CNMV warned about, the homepage counts 5 regulations but lists four including two non-dealing licences, and a still-hosted 2022 profile lists a now-revoked FCA firm.
Operational history
6/10 · HighVerified continuity from IV Markets (SD049 shown in 2020, ivmarkets.com registered 2018) to the STARTRADER brand in 2022, offset by repeated renames, acquired licence shells and two UK firms losing FCA authorisation in 2026.
Who they are
A quick desk file on the company behind the brand.
- Brand: STARTRADER, formerly IV Markets. ivmarkets.com now redirects to startrader.com. It also runs STARPRIME, an institutional liquidity brand.
- Legal entity: STARTRADER LIMITED (Seychelles, no. 8427362-1) and STARTRADER Financial Markets Limited (Mauritius, no. 212229 GBC) sign the client agreements. Other group companies are STARTRADER International Pty Ltd (South Africa), STARTRADER Global Financial Consultation & Financial Analysis (UAE), STARTRADER (CY) Limited (Cyprus, non-trading) and STARTRADER LLC (St Vincent and the Grenadines).
- Registered: Global Village, Jivan's Complex, Mont Fleuri, Mahe, Seychelles, and The Catalyst, Ebene Cybercity, Mauritius.
- Website: startrader.com, in more than 20 languages including Spanish, French, Italian, German, Japanese and Malay.
- Only licence: offshore dealing licences from the Seychelles FSA (SD049) and the Mauritius FSC (GB24203371), an FSCA Category I intermediary licence (FSP 52464) and a UAE Category 5 introducer licence.
- Offers: CFDs on forex, commodities, indices, shares and ETFs through MT4, MT5, its own app and copy trading, with deposit bonus promotions.
- Not accepted: residents of the United States and of FATF-blacklisted countries, according to the site.
- Age claim: says it was established in 2019. The STARTRADER brand dates from 2022, and the IV Markets site already showed licence SD049 in August 2020.
Regulation
Who really oversees this broker, and what each licence is worth to you.
Proof of regulation on an official register: Yes
We confirmed this broker on a genuine regulator’s register.
Licences the broker publishes
Financial Services Authority (FSA) of Seychelles
Financial Services Commission (FSC) of Mauritius
Financial Sector Conduct Authority (FSCA) of South Africa
Capital Market Authority (CMA), United Arab Emirates, formerly the Securities and Commodities Authority
The Financial Commission
Found by our investigation (4) — the broker does not list these on its own site
Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), United Kingdom
Found by us — not listed by the broker
Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), United Kingdom
Found by us — not listed by the broker
Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC)
Found by us — not listed by the broker
St Vincent and the Grenadines company registration (STARTRADER LLC)
Found by us — not listed by the broker
Why we reached this verdict
How the evidence adds up.
Our verdict rests on regulators' own records, not on review scores.
- The warnings name the website itself. On 31 July 2023 Spain's CNMV warned that STARTRADER and STARTRADER LLC, at startrader.com/es, are not authorised to provide investment services. On 3 April 2024 France's AMF added www.startrader.com to its forex blacklist. The Securities Commission Malaysia lists StarTrader, startrader.com and the brand's official social accounts for unlicensed dealing in securities. On 26 March 2025 Japan's FSA warned STARTRADER LLC for soliciting derivatives trading without registration.
- The selling continues. The Spanish-language site the CNMV named is still live. Its entry notice admits STARTRADER has no CNMV licence and asks visitors to confirm they came on their own initiative, a reverse-solicitation device. Meanwhile the site markets in more than 20 languages.
- The money complaints follow one pattern. We read the 200 most recent one-star Trustpilot reviews, from November 2025 to October 2026. About 160 describe the same sequence: a profitable account is flagged for suspicious or abusive trading, the withdrawal is rejected or the withdrawal button disabled, and profits or balances are removed. Many give account numbers and amounts. BrokersView carries the same story from 2024 and 2025. The client agreement lets STARTRADER void orders and cancel profits for suspicious trading, a term that even includes use of excessive leverage.
- The regulation is thinner than it looks. Only the Seychelles and Mauritius licences allow STARTRADER to deal with clients, and both are offshore with no compensation scheme. On 19 October 2026 the FCA cancelled Startrader Pro Limited for unpaid fees and for not cooperating with the regulator. STARTRADER's still-hosted 2022 company profile lists that firm as its FCA entity. Control of the firm passed to other owners from 2023, so we treat the cancellation as background, not as a finding against today's operation.
- Why likely, not confirmed. STARTRADER is a real broker with licences we verified on the Seychelles, Mauritius and South African registers, and no regulator or court has found fraud. Our six-part scorecard averages about 62%. Under our method, warnings that name the website set a minimum of 70%, which is the figure we publish.
Evidence ledger
Every finding, with its source and how strongly it points.
E1Spain's CNMV published a warning on 31 Jul 2023 naming STARTRADER, STARTRADER LLC and the website https://www.startrader.com/es/ as not authorised to provide investment services in Spain.
Hard proofCNMV warned-companies register (Spain)E2France's AMF lists www.startrader.com on its forex blacklist, published 3 Apr 2024, because it offers financial services or products without being authorised.
Hard proofAMF blacklist (France)E3The Securities Commission Malaysia Investor Alert List names StarTrader with https://www.startrader.com/ and STARTRADER's official Facebook, Instagram, X and TikTok accounts (entry year 2022) for carrying on unlicensed capital market activities of dealing in securities.
E4Japan's Financial Services Agency lists STARTRADER LLC (Euro House, Kingstown, St Vincent and the Grenadines), service name STARTRADER, as warned in March 2025 for soliciting OTC derivatives trading online without registration.
E5Trustpilot shows 1,139 reviews, TrustScore 3.2, 40% one-star. Of the 200 most recent one-star reviews (Nov 2025 to Oct 2026), about 160 describe rejected or delayed withdrawals, disabled withdrawal functions, or profits and balances removed after the account was flagged for suspicious or high-risk trading. Many give account numbers and amounts, for example account 27904699 reporting EUR 3,553 of profit seized and account 34092582 reporting USD 750 withheld as high risk. One-star reviews peaked at 40 in Feb 2026.
E6BrokersView complaints describe the same mechanism. In Nov 2024 profits were deducted for alleged illegal transactions after a withdrawal request. In Mar 2025, USD 2,820 of profit was deducted for alleged high-frequency trading and a further 2,584 USDT was removed from the balance.
ModerateBrokersView complaint pagesE7The client agreement of STARTRADER Financial Markets Limited (15 Jul 2026) lets the company suspend accounts, void orders and cancel associated profits with immediate effect for Suspicious Trading Activity. The term is defined to include scalping, arbitrage, sharing an IP address, trading price gaps around announcements, use of excessive leverage and any behaviour it deems exploitative or abusive. The company may also withhold withdrawals at its discretion in set cases.
E8startrader.com runs in more than 20 languages. The Spanish site named in the CNMV warning is still live. Its entry notice says STARTRADER is not based in Spain or licensed by the CNMV and asks visitors to confirm they came on their own initiative. A similar notice appears in Italian.
E9A company profile dated April 2022, still downloadable from startrader.com, lists under Our Regulations STARTRADER PRO LIMITED (FCA FRN 600837), STARTRADER LIMITED (FSA SD049) and STARTRADER LLC. The last is a St Vincent company registration, not a financial licence.
ModerateSTARTRADER company profile PDFE10The FCA register shows Startrader Pro Limited (FRN 600837, formerly Stater Global Markets Limited) revoked on 19 Oct 2026. The FCA found it failed the suitability threshold: it had not paid fees since May 2023, leading to a county court judgment of GBP 3,705.29, and it did not deal with the FCA openly. Companies House shows control passed to other owners from Feb 2023, and STARTRADER's chief executive left its board in Mar 2022.
ModerateFCA Financial Services RegisterE11The FCA register shows Startrader Broker Ltd (FRN 821704, contact compliance@startrader.com) no longer authorised since 29 Jan 2026. Companies House shows an active proposal to strike the company off.
E12The Seychelles FSA register lists STARTRADER LIMITED as a Securities Dealer at Global Village, Jivan's Complex, Mont Fleuri, with website https://www.startrader.com and email support@startrader.com. This matches the broker's footer and its client agreement (licence SD049).
E13The Mauritius FSC public register lists Startrader Financial Markets Limited with an SEC-2.1B Investment Dealer (Full Service Dealer excluding Underwriting) licence dated 20 Aug 2024, at The Catalyst, Ebene Cybercity. This matches the site and the client agreement (licence GB24203371). The register is searched by name.
StrongFSC Mauritius online public register, search by name StartraderE14The FSCA register lists STARTRADER INTERNATIONAL PTY LTD, FSP 52464, as Authorized since 23 Sep 2022 at Norwich Place West, Sandton. Its approvals are Category I advice and intermediary services, including derivative instruments. The register is searched by FSP number.
ModerateFSCA FAIS register, search FSP number 52464E15The UAE CMA register lists STARTRADER GLOBAL Financial Consultation & Financial Analysis as active (Office 815, Al Manara Tower, Dubai; info.mena@startrader.com) for financial consultation, introduction and promotion. It states that this Category 5 licence does not permit dealing in derivatives or spot FX.
E16The Cyprus companies registry shows STARTRADER (CY) LIMITED, HE 421001, registered on 26 Apr 2021 under the previous name IV MARKETS LIMITED.
ModerateCyprus Registrar of CompaniesE17An archived IV Markets homepage from 6 Aug 2020 says the firm is regulated by the Seychelles FSA under licence SD049. ivmarkets.com, registered in Apr 2018, now redirects to startrader.com. Together these show continuity from IV Markets to STARTRADER.
E18The Financial Commission lists STARTRADER (STARTRADER Limited and STARTRADER LLC) as a member since 31 May 2023, with compensation of up to EUR 20,000 per client for upheld complaints.
E19Impostors use the brand. On 3 Feb 2025 the Seychelles FSA warned that traderstarfx.com misuses licence SD049. On 23 Sep 2025 the FCA added star-trader.net to its warning list. In May 2024 the Financial Commission flagged startraderees.cc as a clone. None of these is connected to startrader.com.
E20About 57% of Trustpilot reviews give four or five stars, many describing fast withdrawals, and STARTRADER replies to every negative review. The profile relies on invited reviews and its ratings are split, with almost nothing in the middle.
E21An FCA warning about the unauthorised trading community FredTrading (fred-frost.com) lists the website freds.startraders.pro. One Trustpilot reviewer says they joined STARTRADER through Fred Trading. startraderes.pro could not be tied to STARTRADER, so this item is not counted against it.
E22ABN Lookup shows the Australian group company, ABN 65 156 005 668, named GKFX Financial Services Australia from 2012, CharterPrime from 2015 and STARTRADER PRIME GLOBAL PTY LTD from Nov 2023, with the business name STARPRIME added in Jun 2026. It runs a separate Australian site that claims AFSL 421210, a licence we could not confirm.
The other side
The strongest case in this broker’s favour.
There is a real business here, and the case for STARTRADER deserves a fair hearing.
- Its dealing licences are genuine. The Seychelles FSA register lists STARTRADER LIMITED with the website startrader.com and the email support@startrader.com. The Mauritius FSC register has listed Startrader Financial Markets Limited as an investment dealer since 20 August 2024.
- The operation has continuity. IV Markets showed the same licence SD049 in August 2020. The Cyprus company HE 421001 was renamed from IV Markets Limited, and ivmarkets.com now redirects to startrader.com.
- It spends openly on its brand, including an NBA partnership announced in January 2026. It is also a Financial Commission member, and that body's fund covers up to EUR 20,000 per upheld complaint.
- About 57% of its 1,139 Trustpilot reviews give four or five stars, many describing quick withdrawals, and the company replies to every negative review.
- Offshore brokers often cancel profits made through bonus abuse, latency arbitrage or account sharing. STARTRADER says the disputed accounts broke its terms, and some of the complainants may have done so.
- Impostors use its name. The Seychelles FSA warned that traderstarfx.com misuses licence SD049, the FCA lists star-trader.net and the Financial Commission flagged startraderees.cc. None of these is STARTRADER.
- The FCA action concerns a UK firm whose ownership moved away from the brand in 2023. The regulator's notice describes unpaid fees and poor cooperation, not harm to clients.
What would change this
What we would need to see to revise the verdict.
These developments would lower our risk score.
- Spain's CNMV, France's AMF, the Securities Commission Malaysia and Japan's FSA withdrawing their warnings, or STARTRADER getting authorised in those markets.
- STARTRADER stopping local-language marketing in countries where it holds no licence.
- A tier-1 or tier-2 dealing licence for retail clients, confirmed on the regulator's register.
- Clear, objective rules on what counts as suspicious trading, published before accounts are opened, plus a sharp fall in complaints about cancelled profits and rejected withdrawals over at least six months.
- Independent rulings, for example from the Financial Commission, finding that disputed profit cancellations were justified.
These would raise it: a regulator finding of client harm, an enforcement action against STARTRADER LIMITED or Startrader Financial Markets Limited, or a demand for extra payments before a withdrawal is released.
Check it yourself
Official registers and warning lists. Verify every claim first-hand.
CNMV warning (Spain)
Warning of 31 Jul 2023 naming STARTRADER LLC and startrader.com/es
AMF blacklist entry (France)
www.startrader.com on the AMF forex blacklist since 3 Apr 2024
Securities Commission Malaysia Investor Alert List
Search the page for StarTrader
Japan FSA list of unregistered firms
Entry for STARTRADER LLC, March 2025 (in Japanese)
IOSCO I-SCAN alerts for STARTRADER
Regulator alerts collected by IOSCO
Seychelles FSA Securities Dealers list
Find STARTRADER LIMITED in the list
UAE CMA licensed company entry
Category 5 licence: consultations, introduction and promotion only
FCA register: Startrader Pro Limited
Authorisation revoked on 19 Oct 2026
FCA Final Notice: Startrader Pro Limited
The FCA's reasons for cancelling the firm
FCA register: Startrader Broker Ltd
No longer authorised since 29 Jan 2026
Cyprus companies registry: HE 421001
STARTRADER (CY) LIMITED, formerly IV MARKETS LIMITED
STARTRADER regulation page
The broker's own list of licences
Trustpilot reviews
1,139 reviews, 40% one-star
Frequently asked questions
Quick answers about this broker’s safety.
Is STARTRADER a scam?
We rate STARTRADER a likely scam, with a 70% risk score. It is a real broker with offshore licences, but regulators in Spain, France, Malaysia and Japan list it as unauthorised in their countries. Many clients also report cancelled profits and blocked withdrawals. We advise against depositing.
Is STARTRADER a fraud?
We found no regulator or court that has charged STARTRADER with fraud. The regulator warnings are about offering trading without a local licence. Client complaints describe profits being cancelled and withdrawals refused, so we assess the risk of losing money with it as high.
Is STARTRADER regulated?
Partly. STARTRADER LIMITED holds Seychelles FSA licence SD049 and Startrader Financial Markets Limited holds Mauritius FSC licence GB24203371, both offshore. Its FSCA licence (FSP 52464) covers only advice and intermediary services, and its UAE licence covers only introduction and promotion.
Is STARTRADER regulated by the FCA in the UK?
No. The FCA cancelled the authorisation of Startrader Pro Limited (FRN 600837) on 19 October 2026, and Startrader Broker Ltd (FRN 821704) stopped being authorised on 29 January 2026. A UK resident trading with STARTRADER today would be dealing with one of its offshore companies.
Which STARTRADER company holds my money?
Depending on where you live, you sign with STARTRADER LIMITED in Seychelles or STARTRADER Financial Markets Limited in Mauritius. Both are offshore dealers with no state compensation scheme. Check the company named on your client agreement.
Why do regulators warn about STARTRADER?
Spain's CNMV (2023), France's AMF (2024), the Securities Commission Malaysia and Japan's FSA (2025) say STARTRADER or STARTRADER LLC offered investment services in their countries without authorisation. The Spanish-language site the CNMV named is still online.
Can I withdraw my money from STARTRADER?
Many clients report successful withdrawals. Still, about 160 of the 200 most recent one-star Trustpilot reviews describe rejected withdrawals, disabled withdrawal buttons or removed profits. These disputes usually start after a profitable period, when the account is flagged for suspicious trading.
Why does STARTRADER cancel profits?
Its client agreement lets it void orders and cancel profits for suspicious trading. The term covers scalping, arbitrage, trading around news gaps, shared IP addresses and even use of excessive leverage. STARTRADER decides when these rules apply, which leaves clients little room to contest a decision.
Is my money safe with STARTRADER?
Not by tier-1 standards. Neither the Seychelles licence nor the Mauritius licence comes with a public compensation scheme. The Financial Commission, a private dispute body STARTRADER belongs to, covers up to EUR 20,000 per upheld complaint.
How long has STARTRADER been operating, and was it IV Markets?
Yes, STARTRADER is the former IV Markets. ivmarkets.com redirects to startrader.com, and IV Markets showed the same Seychelles licence SD049 in August 2020. The STARTRADER brand has been in use since 2022.
Are star-trader.net or traderstarfx.com part of STARTRADER?
No. The FCA lists star-trader.net as unauthorised, the Seychelles FSA warned that traderstarfx.com misuses licence SD049, and the Financial Commission flagged startraderees.cc as a clone. All three are impostors with no link to startrader.com.
What should I do if STARTRADER cancelled my profits?
Ask in writing for the clause and the trades involved, and keep all records. Then file a complaint with the Financial Commission and with the regulator of the company you contracted with. If you paid by card, ask your bank about a chargeback, and ignore paid recovery offers.
What should I check before depositing with any broker?
Confirm the firm on the register of a regulator in your own country, and check national warning lists such as those of the CNMV, the AMF and the FCA. Read the profit-cancellation and withdrawal clauses, and avoid bonuses that restrict withdrawals.
What we recommend
The practical takeaway from everything above.
We advise against opening a STARTRADER account, especially if you live in Spain, France, Malaysia, Japan or the UK.
- If you already hold funds there, request a withdrawal of your free balance now. Keep screenshots of your balance, your trade history and every message.
- Do not accept bonuses. They come with conditions that are often used to cancel profits.
- If profits are cancelled or a withdrawal is refused, ask in writing for the exact clause and the trades involved. Then complain to the Financial Commission and to the regulator of the company you signed with (Seychelles FSA or Mauritius FSC).
- If you paid by card, ask your bank about a chargeback.
- Ignore anyone who offers to recover your money for a fee. Recovery offers are a common follow-up scam.
- If you do deal with STARTRADER, make sure you are on startrader.com. Look-alike sites such as star-trader.net, startraderees.cc and traderstarfx.com are impostors.
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 October 21, 2026. If any detail here is out of date or incorrect, or you represent this broker, please contact us.
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