FSC (Financial Services Commission) - Financial Regulator Information

Check a firm on the FSC public list in LicenSys

Key

A trader can settle in a minute whether the number a broker quotes exists, whether it is still active, and whether the website taking deposits matches the domain the FSC has on file for that licensee.

The FSC publishes its licensed and registered service providers at https://licensys.belizefsc.org.bz/#/publicSearch, the address given in the FSC's own FAQ. Search by licence or registration number, by category or by name, and each row shows the number, category, licensee name, e mail, domain name on record, registration date and status.

You can access the LicenSys platform by visiting: https://licensys.belizefsc.org.bz/

Quoted in Frequently Asked QuestionsRead the source

A list of the names of registered agents and publication of its contact information is available on the Commission’s webpage, https://licensys.belizefsc.org.bz/#/publicSearch

Quoted in Frequently Asked QuestionsRead the source

Digital Certificates and Extracts: Verify and download official digital certificates and extracts securely.

Check a firm on the FSC public list in LicenSys

Key

You can access the LicenSys platform by visiting: https://licensys.belizefsc.org.bz/

Quoted in Frequently Asked QuestionsRead the source

A list of the names of registered agents and publication of its contact information is available on the Commission’s webpage, https://licensys.belizefsc.org.bz/#/publicSearch

Quoted in Frequently Asked QuestionsRead the source

Digital Certificates and Extracts: Verify and download official digital certificates and extracts securely.

A licensee may not act outside the licence it holds

Key

A licence number on a broker's website means only the activity in that category. A registered agent or payment processing licence does not authorise dealing in securities, and a trader should match the category shown on the register against the service actually being sold.

The FSC states that a licensee shall not provide or purport to provide services outside the scope of its licence, and it lists the FSCA regulated services one by one, from accounting and bill pay to money exchange, mortgage lending, payment processing, registered agent and safe custody. Securities activities sit under a separate Securities Industry Act registration.

A Licensee shall not provide or purport to provide services that are outside the scope of the licence they hold.

Quoted in Types of LicensesRead the source

The following highlights the types of services that a person licensed by the Financial Services Commission (the ‘Commission’) under the Financial Services Commission Act (‘FSCA’) can provide based on the types of licence they hold.

Quoted in Types of LicensesRead the source

This includes overseeing the registration of entities and professionals operating within Belize’s securities market, ensuring adherence to the specific regulatory requirements governing securities activities.

QuotedRead the source

retail clients
scope of authorisation
licence categories

FSCA licence fees run to 25,000 USD a year

Key

USD 25000Licensing Fees, Schedule 1 License Fees, rows 2 to 13

This is the price of the licence a broker is relying on. The trading category is the most expensive annual fee on the schedule, which tells a trader how much a firm must pay every year to keep that permission alive, and what it loses if it does not renew.

Licence fees follow Schedule I of the Financial Services Commission (Licensing) Regulations, 2023. Most categories carry a 1,000 USD application fee, and annual fees range from 5,000 USD for accounting, bill pay, financial advisory, money exchange and payment processing to 7,500 USD for financial leasing, intermediation and money broking, 10,000 USD for mortgage lending and safe custody, and 25,000 USD for trading in commodity based and other financial instruments. Application fees are non refundable.

The following are the prescribed fees (both application fees and annual fees) in accordance with Schedule I of the Financial Services Commission (Licensing) Regulations, 2023, S.I. No. 120 of 2023.

Quoted in Licensing FeesRead the source

Note that Application Fees are Non-Refundable.

Quoted in Licensing FeesRead the source

licence fee
cost to obtain
annual fee

Complain to the firm first, then to the FSC online

Key

Going straight to the FSC without a documented attempt at the firm sends a trader back a step. Keeping the written exchange, and asking for a formal response in writing, is what makes the FSC stage possible.

The FSC sets a three step route: complain in writing to the regulated entity, which must have a complaints procedure, obtain a formal response from it, then lodge the complaint with the FSC through the online complaints form with the supporting documents. The trigger for step three is that the matter is unresolved or that no response arrives within a reasonable timeframe, and the FSC's pages state no fixed filing deadline.

Each entity regulated by the FSC is required to have a procedure to deal with complaints.

QuotedRead the source

If the matter is not resolved to your satisfaction by the registered entity or if you have not received a response within a reasonable timeframe, you may raise the issue with the FSC by filling out the below form.

Quoted in ComplaintsRead the source

Use the online complaints form to provide all necessary information and supporting documentation for review.

QuotedRead the source

retail clients
complaint route

FSC became an IOSCO Ordinary Member in January 2026

Key

MMoU signatory status is the channel through which another country's regulator can obtain information from the FSC about a firm or an account, which matters to a trader who may need help from a home regulator.

The FSC records that in January 2026 it was admitted as an Ordinary Member of IOSCO, after acceptance as an Associate Member in May 2024 and designation as a signatory of the IOSCO Multilateral Memorandum of Understanding in December 2025.

In January 2026, the Financial Services Commission (FSC) of Belize was admitted as an Ordinary Member of IOSCO, marking a significant milestone in Belize’s continued integration into the international framework for cross-border securities regulation, supervision, and enforcement cooperation.

QuotedRead the source

This achievement builds on the FSC’s acceptance as an IOSCO Associate Member in May 2024, followed by its designation as a signatory of the IOSCO Multilateral Memorandum of Understanding (MMoU) in December 2025.

QuotedRead the source

iosco
membership standing
cross border

Warning notices and revocation notices sit on separate pages

Useful

A firm can appear nowhere on the licensed list and still be trading, or can have held a licence that was later suspended. These two pages are where that shows up, and they are not part of the register search.

The FSC keeps a Warning Notices page for persons and companies that may be operating in breach of the FSC Act or the Securities Industry Act, and a separate Suspension & Revocation Notice page listing past suspensions and revocations of licences.

Warning notices includes warnings made on persons, whether these are individuals or companies, to alert the public and the financial services sector that, where such person offer financial services as defined in the Financial Services Commission Act, No. 8 of 2023 (the “FSC Act”) and/or the Securities Industry Act, 2021 (SIA) from the address listed, may be operating in breach of the FSC Act and/or SIA, and any other applicable Laws of Belize.

QuotedRead the source

Our documents are organised by topic. Here you will find all past posted Suspension and Revocation Notices in one convenient place.

QuotedRead the source

license verification
enforcement
warning notices

The register runs on LicenSys and shows current status

Useful

Because the public list is generated from the live licensing system, a lapsed or annulled permission shows in the same table as a valid one. Reading the status column, not just the presence of a name, is what tells a trader the licence is current.

Licensing, registration, renewals, amendments, compliance and reporting all run through LicenSys, and the public search draws on the same records. The result rows carry a status field, with Active and Annulled among the values shown, and the current list held 120 entries when read on 27 August 2026.

LicenSys is a modern digital platform designed to offer services under the Financial Services Commission Act, No. 8 of 2023 (FSCA) and the Securities Industry Act, 2021 (SIA) ensuring greater efficiency, security and accessibility.

QuotedRead the source

Real-Time Updates: Track the progress and status of your application.

QuotedRead the source

public register
licensys

Investor protection rests on verification and complaints

Useful

It sets a realistic expectation. The protection on offer is supervision, published alerts and a complaints channel, and the pages read for this report publish no compensation cap or guarantee fund for money lost with a licensed firm.

The FSC's own Rights and Responsibilities of Investors page places the duty to verify a provider on the investor.

Protecting investors from unfair, improper, or fraudulent practices;

Quoted in The Financial Services CommissionRead the source

You have a responsibility to ask questions, verify and conduct your own research on the investment product or service.

QuotedRead the source

You are entitled to lodge a complaint with the FSC if you experience any grievance about an investment service, product, service provider or individual.

QuotedRead the source

retail clients
protection scope
investor education

Complaints must be in English and may be forwarded on

Useful

It tells a trader outside Belize exactly what to submit, and sets the expectation that a matter about an entity supervised elsewhere can be passed to that other authority rather than decided by the FSC.

A complaint to the FSC must be made in English and must include the complainant's full name, mailing address and contact number, the name of the regulated entity, and full details of the complaint. Where the FSC considers the matter falls within the jurisdiction of another organisation, regulator or agency, in Belize or elsewhere, it may forward the information to that body.

Your complaint to the FSC must be made in English and must include the following information

Quoted in ComplaintsRead the source

If the FSC considers that your matter falls within the jurisdiction of another government organization, regulator or agency, in Belize or elsewhere, we may forward your information to that entity.

QuotedRead the source

complaint route
jurisdiction

A licence is granted for a fixed period of one year

Useful

A licence certificate dated a year or more ago proves nothing on its own. Checking the register in the first months of a calendar year, when renewals are being processed, is the moment a lapse would show.

The FSC states that a licence may be granted for a fixed period of one year. Renewal opens on 1 October in any given year, and licence holders are encouraged to submit the renewal application no later than 31 December, through LicenSys.

A licence may be granted by the Commission for a fixed period of one (1) year.

Quoted in Frequently Asked QuestionsRead the source

The opening date for renewal is 1st October in any given year. Licence holders are encouraged to submit their renewal application no later than 31st December.

Quoted in Frequently Asked QuestionsRead the source

public register
licensing requirements
renewal

Capital and economic substance come before the licence

Useful

It shows the licence carries a financial and local presence test at entry, and that the capital can be evidenced by a guarantee or insurance rather than cash held for clients.

The FSC states that a licence shall not be granted unless the applicant satisfies it that the requirements of the Capital Requirement Regulations and the Economic Substance Act have been met. A company can meet capitalisation through a bank or licensed financial institution or a parent company guarantee, and a sole practitioner through approved indemnity insurance.

A licence shall not be granted unless the applicant satisfies the Commission that it has met the requirements of the Capital Requirements Regulations and the Economic Substance Act.

Quoted in Frequently Asked QuestionsRead the source

Where the applicant is a sole practitioner, the capitalisation requirement may be met via the request for approval to accept proof of indemnity insurance by an insurance provider licensed under the Insurance Act or International Insurance Act and the proposed indemnity insurance coverage must be in an amount appropriate to the activities, scale and complexity of the operations or business activities of the applicant.

Quoted in Frequently Asked QuestionsRead the source

The FSC covers non-bank services in or from Belize

Context

It marks the edge of the licence: banking is outside this remit, and the permission attaches to services provided in or from within Belize, which is what a trader is relying on when a broker cites a Belize licence.

The FSC describes itself as the statutory authority regulating and supervising non-bank financial services provided by entities licensed or registered under the Financial Services Commission Act, No. 8 of 2023 and the Securities Industry Act, 2021, with further oversight under the Municipal Securities Act, 2023, the Belize Companies Act, 2022 and the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Act, 2025.

The Financial Services Commission (FSC) is a statutory authority established in Belize to regulate & supervise non-bank financial services, provided by entities licensed or registered under the Financial Services Commission Act, No. 8 of 2023 and the Securities Industry Act, 2021 (SIA).

Quoted in The Financial Services CommissionRead the source

The legislative mandate of the FSC is to provide regulatory services that protects the public interest and enhance public confidence in the sectors it regulates.

Quoted in The Financial Services CommissionRead the source

scope of authorisation
jurisdiction

Securities registration costs BZ$30,000 a year to trade

Useful

BZD 30000Securities Fees, Registration Fees rows 5 to 9 and Late Payment Fees row 17

It shows what a securities registration in Belize actually costs a firm each year, and what happens if a firm falls behind: the late fee compounds monthly, so a registration in arrears can become expensive to restore.

Securities fees follow Schedule II of the Securities Industry Regulations, 2023. Trading in securities as agent or as principal carries a BZ$3,000 application fee, a BZ$30,000 registration fee and a BZ$30,000 annual renewal fee, while providing investment advice is BZ$15,000 a year and arranging transactions in securities is BZ$10,000 a year. Late payment of the annual renewal fee adds one further annual fee for each month it is unpaid, up to six months.

The following are the prescribed fees (both application fees and annual fees) in accordance with Schedule II of the Securities Industry Regulations, 2023, S.I. No. 139 of 2023.

Quoted in Securities FeesRead the source

The late fee is equal to the relevant annual renewal fee for each month or part of a month during which the fee is unpaid up to six (6) months after the annual renewal date.

Quoted in Securities FeesRead the source

Full fee for function with the highest fee and $5,000 for each additional Category.

Quoted in Securities FeesRead the source

cost to obtain
annual fee
securities

Operating without a licence is a criminal offence

Useful

It is the legal basis for the warning notices, and it means a firm claiming Belize regulation without an entry on the licensed list is not in a grey area under Belize law.

The FSC states that section 7(1) of the Financial Services Commission Act prohibits carrying on or transacting any financial services without a licence from the FSC, and that doing so would constitute a criminal offence. Financial services are a regulated activity by virtue of section 6 of the Act.

Section 7(1) of the FSCA prohibits persons from carrying on or transacting any financial services, including registered agents without a licence from the FSC; and doing so without a licence would constitute a criminal offence.

Quoted in Frequently Asked QuestionsRead the source

scope of authorisation
enforcement
definitions

FSCFinancial Services Commission

About this information

FSCFinancial Services Commission

About Financial Services Commission

Legislative Framework

Contact Information

Main Site

Live chat

Phone

Hotline

Email

Instruments and Trading Limits

Regulated financial instruments

About and how to use Financial Services Commission

How to verify a licence

How to complain

Jurisdiction and scope

What is protected

Using this regulator

Good to know

Key insights and tips

Check a firm on the FSC public list in LicenSys

Official documents examined

Licensed Brokers

About this information

Performance Metrics

Overview

Key Performance Indicators

Client Protection Details

Client Fund Insurance

Account Managed Separately

Operational Metrics

Compliance Status

Advanced Metrics

Licensing Information

Regulatory Performance Scores

Regulatory Support Features

Core Performance Metrics

License Value

Performance Summary

About and how to use Financial Services Commission

How to verify a licence

How to complain

Jurisdiction and scope

What is protected

Using this regulator

Good to know

Key insights and tips

Check a firm on the FSC public list in LicenSys

Official documents examined

Negative Balance Protection

Investment Professional Support

Geographic Coverage

Regulatory Features

Trading Information

International Memberships

IOSCO Membership

Benefits:

FATF Membership

Benefits:

Regulatory

Institutional

Risk Management

Investment Protection

Client Fund Insurance Rating

A licensee may not act outside the licence it holds

FSCA licence fees run to 25,000 USD a year

Complain to the firm first, then to the FSC online

FSC became an IOSCO Ordinary Member in January 2026

Verifying a firmThe FSC publishes its licensees in LicenSys, with a status field and a domain name

Warning notices and revocation notices sit on separate pages

The registerThe public list is generated from the FSC's live licensing system

The register runs on LicenSys and shows current status

Investor protectionProtection here means supervision, published alerts and a complaints channel

Investor protection rests on verification and complaints

ComplaintsThree steps: the firm, its formal response, then the FSC online form

Complaints must be in English and may be forwarded on

Getting and keeping a licenceLicences run for one year and require capital and local substance up front

A licence is granted for a fixed period of one year

Capital and economic substance come before the licence