Risk scorecard
Each area is scored 0 (clean) to 10 (worst). Higher means more risk.
Regulation
10/10 · CriticalNo licence anywhere; five regulators warned or acted, including a permanent FMA stop order upheld by the High Court.
Identity & transparency
7/10 · HighA real Delaware entity is confirmed on the state register, but Validus falsely claimed a Dubai DIFC headquarters and operated behind a shifting US and UAE structure with several sub-brands.
Withdrawals & conduct
10/10 · CriticalRegulator-confirmed and user-reported inability to withdraw; FSMA found no actual trades were made; a systematic fund-denial pattern across users and platforms.
Reputation
9/10 · CriticalTrustpilot 1.5 of 5 over 82 reviews, five regulator warnings, and independent Ponzi and victim-recovery coverage across platforms.
Website claims
10/10 · CriticalPromised 2 to 3% weekly and up to 350% returns and a false DIFC headquarters; the FMA found the representations false or misleading.
Operational history
6/10 · HighEntity and domain verified to mid-2021, but the record is one of enforcement action and a collapsed, frozen platform, so its age gives no reassurance.
Who they are
A quick desk file on the company behind the brand.
Validus is an unlicensed investment and multi-level-marketing scheme that presented itself as a financial-education membership company.
- Brand: Validus / Team Validus (also used the names Vewards, V Mastery and V-Connect)
- Legal entity: Validus International LLC (Delaware, USA); linked entities Validus-FZCO (Dubai) and VMarketing Ltd
- Registered: Delaware Division of Corporations, file number 6182023, formed 20 August 2021
- Website: teamvalidus.com (plus validusofficial.com, teamvalidus-official.com, app.teamvalidus.com and other mirrors)
- Only licence: None. No financial regulator has ever licensed Validus.
- Offers: Paid education packages plus a pooled crypto and forex investment promising 2 to 3% weekly returns, with MLM recruitment commissions.
- Not accepted: Not authorised to solicit investors in Australia, Belgium, Canada and Quebec, New Zealand or the Dubai DIFC.
- Age claim: Claimed 250,000 members within its first year; the entity and main domain both date to mid-2021.
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.
No licence claims on record.
Why we reached this verdict
How the evidence adds up.
The evidence comes from primary regulator records, not opinion.
- A permanent stop order. New Zealand's FMA made a permanent stop order against Validus International LLC and Validus-FZCO under the Financial Markets Conduct Act. Validus appealed and the High Court dismissed the appeal (VALIDUS FZCO v FMA [2023] NZHC 1701). The FMA said attendees would not receive the promoted returns or be able to withdraw their money.
- Five regulators, one operation. ASIC (Australia), FSMA (Belgium) and the AMF in Quebec (via the CSA) each published alerts naming teamvalidus.com. The DFSA (Dubai) confirmed Validus-FZCO and VMarketing Ltd were never licensed and that the claim of a DIFC headquarters is false.
- No real trading. Belgium's FSMA found that in a number of cases no actual transactions were ever made by the operator, the hallmark of a Ponzi scheme. ASIC described the recruitment model as a classic sign of a pyramid scheme.
- Money does not come back. On Trustpilot the operation scores 1.5 out of 5 across 82 reviews, dominated by consistent reports of frozen accounts, blocked withdrawals and a platform that closed payments and shut down.
- No licence anywhere. Validus holds no authorisation from any financial regulator, yet solicited deposits worldwide for purported trading returns. Its leadership has been linked in industry reporting to earlier collapsed crypto schemes.
We assess the risk of fraud as high. A rename or new front would not clear this history.
Evidence ledger
Every finding, with its source and how strongly it points.
E1New Zealand's FMA made a permanent stop order against Validus International LLC and Validus-FZCO; the High Court dismissed the appeal ([2023] NZHC 1701). The FMA states seminar attendees would not receive the promoted 2 to 3% weekly / 350% returns or be able to withdraw their money, and found the representations false or misleading.
E2ASIC scam alert (18 Nov 2022) names teamvalidus.com and other Validus sites, describes a 300% return from pooled crypto and forex trading, warns it is unlicensed in Australia, and calls the recruitment model a classic sign of a pyramid scheme.
Hard proofASIC (Australia)E3FSMA warning (14 Dec 2022) names teamvalidus.com, validusofficial.com and teamvalidus-official.com, describes an MLM pyramid structure selling forex-derivatives training, and states that in a number of cases no actual transactions were ever made by the operator.
Hard proofFSMA (Belgium)E4Canadian Securities Administrators / AMF Quebec investor alert (20 Jun 2022) states Team Validus (teamvalidus.com, team-validus.com, teamvalidus-official.com and others) is not registered with the AMF and is not authorised to solicit investors in Quebec.
E5DFSA clarification (22 Dec 2023) confirms Validus-FZCO and VMarketing Ltd were never licensed by the DFSA, that the Team Validus / Vewards / V Mastery / V-Connect brands are all Validus and unauthorised, and that the claim of a Validus headquarters in the DIFC is false.
Hard proofDFSA (Dubai)E6Trustpilot rates teamvalidus.com 1.5 of 5 across 82 reviews, dominated by fund-integrity complaints from users in several countries: cannot withdraw, money held for over a year, platform closed payments and shut down, and repeated descriptions of a Ponzi scheme.
StrongTrustpilotE7The Delaware Division of Corporations register confirms VALIDUS INTERNATIONAL LLC, file number 6182023, formation date 20 Aug 2021, matching the entity named in the FMA stop order.
E8RDAP records show teamvalidus.com was registered on 15 Jun 2021 through GoDaddy, consistent with the 2021 formation of the company and inconsistent with any long trading history.
WeakVerisign RDAPE9The Validus homepage self-describes the business as a Network Marketing company and claims 250,000 members joined worldwide before its first anniversary, evidencing a recruitment-driven MLM rather than a licensed brokerage.
The other side
The strongest case in this broker’s favour.
We looked for an innocent explanation and could not sustain one.
- Is it a real regulated group? No regulator has ever licensed Validus. The DFSA states plainly it was never licensed and does not sit in the DIFC.
- Is it just aggressive but genuine trading? Belgium's FSMA found no actual trades were made in cases it examined, and New Zealand's FMA found the offer related to financial products that did not exist as described.
- Could the warnings be about a different Validus? No. The alerts name the exact domain teamvalidus.com and the exact Delaware entity Validus International LLC, which we confirmed on the state register.
- Is it simply a lawful education business? It marketed itself that way, but regulators found the real offer was an investment product with promised returns, which needs authorisation it never held.
The one point in its favour is that the operating company genuinely exists and is registered in Delaware. That corporate reality does not make the scheme lawful or safe.
What would change this
What we would need to see to revise the verdict.
Our verdict rests on regulator enforcement, so it would take a great deal to move it.
- The FMA formally revoking or lifting its permanent stop order against Validus.
- ASIC, FSMA, the AMF and the DFSA all withdrawing their warnings as issued in error.
- Independent proof that client funds were actually traded and that withdrawals were paid in full on demand.
- A licence from a recognised financial regulator authorising Validus to take investment deposits.
None of these exist today, and several of the regulator actions have already survived a court challenge.
Check it yourself
Official registers and warning lists. Verify every claim first-hand.
FMA (New Zealand) warning against Validus
New Zealand regulator public warning against Validus
FMA permanent stop order (media release)
Permanent stop order on Validus International LLC and Validus-FZCO, upheld by the High Court
ASIC (Australia) scam alert
Australian scam alert naming teamvalidus.com and the 300% return pitch
FSMA (Belgium) warning
Belgian regulator warning; found no actual trades were made in cases examined
CSA / AMF (Quebec, Canada) investor alert
Not registered or authorised to solicit investors in Quebec
DFSA (Dubai) clarification
Confirms Validus-FZCO and VMarketing Ltd were never licensed and the DIFC headquarters claim is false
Delaware Division of Corporations name search
Search Validus International (file 6182023) to see the formation date of 20 Aug 2021
Trustpilot reviews of teamvalidus.com
Independent customer reviews, 1.5 of 5 across 82 reviews
Frequently asked questions
Quick answers about this broker’s safety.
Is Validus a scam?
Yes. Validus is an unlicensed investment scheme built on multi-level marketing. Five financial regulators have warned against it or acted to stop it, and users report they cannot withdraw their money.
Is Validus a fraud?
We assess the risk of fraud as high. New Zealand's FMA found Validus made false or misleading representations, and a High Court judge described the model as inviting participation in non-existent financial products. We hold strong evidence of serious misconduct rather than a criminal conviction.
Is Validus regulated or licensed?
No. No financial regulator has ever licensed Validus. Dubai's DFSA confirmed that Validus-FZCO and VMarketing Ltd were never licensed and that the claim of a DIFC headquarters is false.
Can I withdraw my money from Validus?
Most users say no. New Zealand's FMA stated investors would not be able to withdraw, and Trustpilot reviews describe frozen accounts and a platform that closed payments and shut down.
Is my money safe with Validus?
No. There is no client-money protection, no licence and no compensation scheme. Belgium's FSMA found that in a number of cases no actual trades were even made.
Who owns Validus?
The named company is Validus International LLC, registered in Delaware since August 2021, with linked entities Validus-FZCO in Dubai and VMarketing Ltd. The FMA names Dr Parwiz Daud as Chief Network Officer, and its leadership has been linked in reporting to earlier collapsed crypto schemes.
How old is Validus?
The main domain and the Delaware company both date to mid-2021, so the operation is around five years old. Its recent years have been marked by regulator action and a collapsed platform.
What returns did Validus promise?
It promised roughly 2 to 3% per week and up to 350% over 60 weeks from pooled crypto and forex trading, with monthly figures quoted elsewhere too. Returns like these are not achievable and are a hallmark of a Ponzi scheme.
Is Validus a pyramid or MLM scheme?
Yes. ASIC described the recruitment model as a classic sign of a pyramid scheme, and Validus itself marketed a network-marketing membership that rewarded recruiting new members.
Is Validus a clone of a real broker?
No. It is not impersonating a specific regulated firm. It is its own brand that operated without any licence.
What should I do if I invested in Validus?
Stop paying, save all records (amounts, dates, emails, wallet addresses) and report to your national financial regulator and the police. Do not pay anyone who promises to recover your funds for an upfront fee.
What should I check before trusting any platform like Validus?
Check the regulator's own public register for a real licence, be wary of guaranteed weekly returns and recruitment rewards, and read independent reviews. If an operation is on a regulator warning list, avoid it.
Scan history
How this broker’s safety assessment has changed across scans.
What changed since September 14, 2026
- September 14, 2026CurrentConfirmed scam96% risk
- September 14, 2026Confirmed scam94% 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.
Treat Validus as an active scam and do not send it money.
- Do not deposit or buy any Validus package, and ignore any offer of guaranteed weekly returns.
- If you already paid, stop sending money, gather your records (amounts, dates, wallet addresses, account emails) and report to your local financial regulator and the police.
- Beware recovery scams. Anyone who contacts you promising to get your Validus money back for an upfront fee is almost always a second scam. Some already appear in the reviews.
- Verify independently. Read the regulator warnings linked below before believing anyone who says Validus is safe or relaunching.
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 14, 2026. If any detail here is out of date or incorrect, or you represent this broker, please contact us.
What traders say about Validus
Comments on Validus are posted on its profile
Nobody has commented on Validus yet. If you have traded with them, your experience helps the next reader decide.
Write the first comment