Non-license signals

SVG registration is often a company-registration signal for international brokers, not the same as strong retail broker conduct supervision. Treat it as weak protection unless stronger licensed entities are also verified.

UK Companies House confirms company incorporation and filings; it is not FCA authorization. Treat it as identity evidence, not broker regulatory protection.

Hong Kong Companies Registry records company incorporation. It is useful for identity checks but is not the same as an SFC license for securities or futures services.

FinCEN’s MSB registration site lists money-services businesses registered under Bank Secrecy Act rules. The site reproduces information supplied by registrants. FinCEN explicitly says inclusion is not a recommendation, certification of legitimacy, or government endorsement. It does not authorize a firm to offer securities or leveraged trading.

FDIC insurance concerns eligible deposits at insured banks. The BankFind directory helps identify the bank; a broker’s mention of FDIC often relates to bank deposits or a cash-sweep arrangement rather than its investment products. Verify the actual receiving bank, deposit ownership category, aggregation of other deposits, and any pass-through conditions. A brokerage brand is not itself proof that every balance is insured.

SIPC helps recover eligible missing customer cash and securities when a member brokerage fails financially. Membership is a separate protection signal, not SEC registration, FINRA authorization, or a guarantee against investment losses.