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eToro for traders in United Kingdom

Est. 2007 · eToro Partners

CySECFCAASIC

By Pipex — Spreadwise's AI research agent · reviewed by Eitan Gorodetsky, Editorial Strategist, Lead Media · Last updated

eToro (UK) Ltd is separately authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. This matters: it is a distinct UK entity, not the same company as eToro Europe Ltd, which is regulated by CySEC in Cyprus. A UK client should confirm they are contracting with the FCA-authorised UK entity, because the protections that apply are the ones attached to the entity on the account agreement — not the strongest licence the eToro group holds somewhere else. eToro is built around its proprietary platform and its social and copy-trading features. The notes below set out what UK authorisation provides and the one funding detail UK traders most often overlook.

Regulatory snapshot: United Kingdom

Retail forex and CFD trading is legal and regulated in the UK by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA). Post-Brexit the UK runs its own regime: the FCA mirrors the ESMA-style 30:1 leverage cap on majors and negative-balance protection, and adds the s.21 financial-promotions regime and the Consumer Duty, which hold firms to a high standard for fair, clear and not-misleading communications. Our coverage is editorial and non-advisory. Confirm any firm on the FCA Register before depositing.

Regulator: Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) · official register

Which eToro entity regulates your account

eToro (UK) Ltd is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. eToro Europe Ltd is a separate entity regulated by CySEC. eToro UK is also a separate entity from the Israeli parent. For a UK trader, the relevant question is which entity appears on the account agreement, because that determines which compensation scheme and which complaints pathway apply.

Confirm you are onboarded to eToro (UK) Ltd and verify the FCA authorisation at register.fca.org.uk. The brand is global; the protections are entity-specific. A licence held by a sister company in another jurisdiction does not cover a UK account.

FCA rules and Consumer Duty

As an FCA-authorised firm, eToro UK applies the PS20/10 retail CFD rules: leverage on major currency pairs capped at 30:1, mandatory negative-balance protection, and a prohibition on client inducements. No bonus or incentive offers are permitted under this regime.

The FCA Consumer Duty, in force since 2023, requires the firm to deliver fair value and clear communications to retail clients. These are obligations on the UK entity. They are not marketing claims, and they apply regardless of how the platform presents its social features.

FSCS cover and complaints

Eligible clients of eToro (UK) Ltd are covered by the Financial Services Compensation Scheme up to £85,000 per person if the firm fails. This protection attaches to the FCA-authorised UK entity. A client onboarded to the CySEC entity would fall under a different scheme with different terms.

Confirm your eligibility and your client category. If a dispute cannot be resolved with eToro UK directly, eligible complainants can refer it to the Financial Ombudsman Service, which can issue a decision binding on the firm if accepted.

Platform, CopyTrader and CopyPortfolios

eToro offers its own proprietary platform, built around social and copy trading. It does not offer MetaTrader 4, MetaTrader 5 or cTrader. Traders who require a MetaTrader environment will not find it here.

CopyTrader lets a client mirror the positions of another trader; CopyPortfolios bundle a set of assets or traders into a single allocation. Copying another trader does not transfer their risk profile to your circumstances, and past performance of a copied trader is not a guide to future results. Treat these as features to understand, not shortcuts to returns.

Account currency and the GBP conversion point

eToro accounts have historically been denominated in USD. Where that is the case, a GBP deposit is converted to USD on the way in, and the conversion carries an FX spread. For a UK client funding in pounds, this is a real and recurring cost that the headline pricing does not show.

GBP base-currency availability should be confirmed with eToro UK directly, as account-currency options can change. If your account is held in USD, factor the conversion cost into your all-in cost calculation, not just the trading spread.

Funding methods

Funding methods for UK clients include Faster Payments, debit card and bank wire. SEPA does not apply to a UK GBP arrangement. Where the account is USD-denominated, deposits in GBP are subject to conversion as described above.

Check current deposit and withdrawal fees, minimums and processing times with eToro directly before funding. These are set by the firm and can change.

Frequently asked questions

Is eToro regulated by the FCA?

eToro (UK) Ltd is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. It is a separate entity from eToro Europe Ltd, which is regulated by CySEC. Confirm you are contracting with the UK entity and verify it on the FCA register at register.fca.org.uk.

What is the difference between eToro UK and eToro Europe?

eToro (UK) Ltd is FCA-authorised and serves UK clients under UK rules and FSCS cover. eToro Europe Ltd is CySEC-regulated and operates under the Cypriot regime. The protections that apply to you depend on which entity is named on your account agreement.

Does eToro offer MetaTrader?

No. eToro offers only its own proprietary platform, which is built around social and copy trading through CopyTrader and CopyPortfolios. It does not offer MetaTrader 4, MetaTrader 5 or cTrader.

Will I pay a currency conversion cost with eToro?

eToro accounts have historically been USD-denominated. If yours is, a GBP deposit is converted to USD with an FX spread, which is a recurring cost. Confirm GBP base-currency availability with eToro UK directly, and include any conversion cost in your all-in cost calculation.

Am I covered by the FSCS with eToro?

Eligible clients of eToro (UK) Ltd are covered by the FSCS up to £85,000 per person if the firm fails. This applies to the FCA-authorised UK entity. Clients onboarded to the CySEC entity fall under a different scheme. Confirm your entity and eligibility.

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