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Freedom251 › Blog › consumer protection

How to Check Whether an IFSC Financial Firm Is Authorized by IFSCA

By Freedom251 Team · · 3 min read

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Check the firm in the live Directory linked from the International Financial Services Centres Authority (IFSCA) website, then match its exact legal identity, authorization details and permitted activity to the service being offered. A similar name—or a certificate supplied by the firm—is not enough. If the record is missing, unclear or inconsistent, pause and confirm through IFSCA’s official contact route before sharing money or personal information.

Start with IFSCA’s official Directory

Go to IFSCA’s official website and open its Directory from there. IFSCA advises: “Always access the Directory from our website to see if an entity is registered or authorised or licensed with the Authority.” This helps avoid relying on an outdated screenshot, a misleading link or a document supplied by the firm. Directory records can change, so check the live entry rather than a copied listing.

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Search for the right entity

Use the Directory’s global search or name search to look for the firm’s exact legal name. You can also search a claimed trading or brand name, but resolve any difference against the legal entity shown in the official record. If several results appear, do not assume that a familiar-looking name belongs to the firm contacting you.

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Check that the authorization covers the service

Compare the Directory category and subcategory with what the firm is offering. IFSCA lists different types of regulated activity separately; for example, capital-market intermediaries include broker-dealers, investment advisers, custodians and distributors. A record for one type of activity does not by itself establish permission to provide another.

Use the sector-specific list where appropriate, as well as the main Directory. Do not infer IFSCA oversight of a crypto exchange or crypto-asset service from an unrelated regulatory claim; IFSCA publishes a specific caution about such claims.

Match the record’s identity and validity details

Compare several fields in the official entry with information obtained independently—not just details on the firm’s own website or message. The Directory includes:

  • Registered legal name, address and contact person
  • Registration, authorization or license number and the date it was granted
  • Validity dates (“from” and “to”), where shown
  • Phone number, email address, website and any remarks

Check that the record is valid for the date you intend to engage the firm, and that its listed website and contact details align with independently verified information. A matching name alone does not confirm that the firm contacting you is the same entity or that its authorization covers the offer.

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If you cannot confirm a match, stop and verify

An absent search result does not, by itself, prove that a firm is unauthorized: it may use a different legal name, appear under another category or have a status issue that needs clarification. Treat the result as unresolved. Do not let the firm’s own assurances settle a mismatch, and avoid sending money or personal information until you have checked through an official route.

  1. Return to IFSCA’s website and use its consumer-protection contacts or complaint guidance to ask about the entity and activity.
  2. Check IFSCA’s linked IOSCO I-SCAN alerts for relevant warnings. An alert can provide useful context, but it is not a substitute for checking the IFSCA Directory for IFSCA status.

IFSCA warns that unauthorized firms may use names similar to authorized firms or falsely claim an association with regulated entities. Its consumer-protection page also lists cautions, including one about unregistered broker-dealers dated 20 September 2024 and one about unauthorized entities dated 2 November 2023. Those notices illustrate the kinds of warnings available; they do not establish the present status of any particular firm.

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What the check does—and does not—tell you

An IFSCA record helps answer whether an entity is registered, authorized or licensed for the activity shown. It does not establish that an investment is suitable, profitable or risk-free, nor does it guarantee that a person contacting you is genuinely acting for the listed entity. Check the identity, activity and current validity separately, and assess any investment on its own merits.

Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.

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