ICM.com has surrendered its Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) licence, completing its exit from the United Kingdom market. The surrender took effect on 2 April 2026, almost two years after the broker initially applied to cancel its UK authorisation, although the reason for the delay is not clear from available information.
Finance Magnates previously reported in 2024 on ICM.com's plans to relinquish its FCA licence, following a notice posted on the UK regulator's registry page. With the licence now formally surrendered, the broker has wrapped up services under its UK unit. Its UK-specific website is no longer functional and instead displays a message instructing customers to contact customer service to arrange the withdrawal of any remaining funds.
ICM.com’s UK Withdrawal and Financial Context
ICM.com had already scaled back its UK business before the formal licence surrender. The broker withdrew its retail activities around 2023 after reporting a £1 million loss for the 2022 financial year. Although the company has not publicly explained its decision to exit the UK market, it is part of a broader trend of brokers winding down their UK presence.
Several other brands, including AETOS, ADSS, FXTM, HTFX, and GMI Markets, have also left the UK market over recent years. For many of these firms, the decision was described as a strategic geographical move, while for others it formed part of a wider global withdrawal from multiple jurisdictions.
Regulatory Footprint Outside the UK
Despite ending its UK operations, ICM.com remains regulated in other jurisdictions. According to information on its website, the broker holds licences from regulators in Mauritius and Seychelles, both regarded as offshore jurisdictions. It also maintains two licences in the United Arab Emirates, one in Dubai and another in Abu Dhabi, and operates a licensed subsidiary in Switzerland.
Broader UK CFD Market Developments
The UK market has seen both exits and new entrants among contracts for difference (CFD) providers. While firms like ICM.com have departed, a handful of brokers have entered the country. Ultima Markets and Moneta Markets both secured FCA authorisation in the previous year by acquiring existing UK businesses instead of applying for new licences.
At the end of 2024, the FCA disclosed that around 20 percent of local CFD brokers, including spread betting and rolling forex providers, were carrying out little or no activity and were labelled as "halo firms." As of 1 December 2025, Finance Magnates reported that 74 FCA-regulated companies held permission to offer CFD products to retail traders in the United Kingdom.
ICM.com originally obtained its FCA licence in mid-2011, according to the FCA registry, marking the end of a roughly 15-year regulatory relationship with the UK following the 2026 surrender.
