FBS started life in 2009 as Forex Broker Online and grew into one of the most widely advertised brokers in Southeast Asia, Africa and Latin America, claiming 17 million traders and 130,000 partners. Its pitch has always been accessibility: an account from $5, no trading commission, and leverage that most regulators would never allow. In this FBS review we unpack how the brand is split between a Belize company that runs fbs.com and a CySEC-licensed Cyprus firm that serves the EU, because that split decides how well you are protected. Verdict: FBS is cheap to start with and easy to use, but international clients trade with an offshore entity and should treat its 1:3000 leverage with great caution.
FBS at a glance
| Item | Details (as of November 2026) |
|---|---|
| Founded | 2009 (as Forex Broker Online) |
| International entity | FBS Markets Inc, Belize City – FSC Belize (offshore) |
| EU entity | Tradestone Limited, Limassol – CySEC 331/17 |
| Australian entity | Intelligent Financial Markets Pty Ltd – ASIC |
| Minimum deposit | From $5 (Cent from $1 via partner) |
| Maximum leverage | Up to 1:3000 (fbs.com) |
| Spreads | From 0.7 pips, no commission |
| Platforms | MT4, MT5, FBS app |
| Instruments | 550+ CFDs |
Regulation and safety
The fbs.com homepage describes FBS only as a “licensed CFD broker” without naming the company. The detail sits in the trading conditions PDF (last revised January 2026), which identifies FBS Markets Inc, The Bentley, Belize City, as the counterparty, authorised by the Financial Services Commission of Belize. Belize is an offshore jurisdiction: there is no investor compensation scheme comparable to Europe’s, and supervision of conduct is lighter.
In the EU the brand is represented by Tradestone Limited (HE 353534), licensed by CySEC under number 331/17 and a member of the Cyprus Investor Compensation Fund, according to fbs.eu. FBS entered the EU market through this firm in 2017. Independent sources also list an Australian company, Intelligent Financial Markets Pty Ltd, under ASIC licence 426359 (InvestinGoal), which we could not confirm on the ASIC register. EU and Australian clients get 1:30 retail leverage and stronger protection; everyone else signs with Belize.
On the plus side, the Belize terms include negative balance protection, so clients should not owe more than their deposit, although FBS reserves the right to reclaim debts it considers intentional. On the minus side, Wikipedia records a 2021 incident in which researchers found an unprotected server exposing customer data, which FBS secured a few days after being notified (Wikipedia).
Accounts and minimum deposit
FBS has trimmed its once long list of account types. On fbs.com there is essentially one live account with a $5 minimum, plus a Cent account from $1 that can only be opened through a partner’s referral link, swap-free versions and a demo. The EU site offers Standard, Cent and Demo accounts on MT5. There is no raw-spread commission account on the international site.
Spreads, fees and leverage
According to the FBS trading conditions page, forex spreads float from 0.7 pips, trading commission is zero and FBS charges nothing on deposits or withdrawals. Your costs are therefore the spread, overnight swaps, and, on swap-free accounts, a fixed weekly fee on exotic positions held past the second Sunday. Leverage on fbs.com is tiered by account equity:
| Account equity (USD/EUR) | Max leverage, Standard |
|---|---|
| 0 – 199 | up to 1:3000 |
| 200 – 4,999 | up to 1:2000 |
| 5,000 – 29,999 | up to 1:1000 |
| 30,000 – 149,999 | up to 1:500 |
| 150,000+ | 1:400 |
Instrument caps apply on top: metals and crypto CFDs up to 1:500, indices and energies 1:200 (1:500 on US30, US100 and US500), and stock CFDs 1:100. Margin call is at 40% and stop-out at 20%. FBS may reduce leverage without notice, for example before the Monday open. At 1:3000, a price move of roughly 0.03% against you can consume your entire margin, so this setting is better avoided.
Platforms and markets
Clients can trade on MetaTrader 4 or MetaTrader 5, or on the FBS app, which is available for iOS, Android, macOS and Windows. Orders run from 0.01 to 500 lots, with up to 500 open positions including 200 pending orders, and FBS quotes execution from 0.01 seconds without requotes. The fbs.com homepage lists 550+ instruments across forex, metals, energies, indices, stocks and crypto. The EU entity is MT5-only.
Deposits and withdrawals
FBS advertises more than 200 payment methods, including bank cards, bank transfer, e-wallets such as Skrill and Neteller, regional payment systems and cryptocurrency, and says instant withdrawals are available. Payments for the Belize entity are processed by a third-party company in Cyprus. Minimums vary by method; reviewers report around $10 for Neteller.
Who FBS is for
FBS is aimed at beginners and small-account traders in emerging markets who want a tiny first deposit, a friendly mobile app and no commission. It is not ideal for cost-sensitive scalpers, who will find no raw-spread account, or for anyone outside the EU and Australia who wants a top-tier regulator behind their account.
FBS review: final verdict
Our FBS review concludes that the broker delivers on low barriers: $5 to start, zero commission and a capable app. The trade-off is that fbs.com clients rely on an offshore Belize licence, and the 1:3000 leverage is a risk multiplier rather than an advantage. CFDs are high-risk products; if you open an account, keep leverage low, start small and check which FBS entity your agreement names.
Compare FBS with the other top forex brokers, or read our Vantage review and OANDA review.
FAQ
Is FBS regulated?
The international site fbs.com is operated by FBS Markets Inc, regulated offshore by the FSC of Belize. EU clients are served by Tradestone Limited under CySEC licence 331/17, and the group also has an ASIC-licensed Australian entity.
What is the minimum deposit at FBS?
As of November 2026, fbs.com advertises a minimum deposit from $5. The Cent account starts from $1 but can only be opened through a partner referral link.
Does FBS charge commission?
No. FBS says it charges no trading commission on fbs.com, with floating spreads from 0.7 pips, and no commission on deposits or withdrawals. Swaps and a weekly fee on swap-free exotic positions can apply.
What leverage does FBS offer?
Up to 1:3000 on forex at FBS Markets Inc for accounts with less than $200 equity, decreasing in tiers as equity rises. EU and Australian retail clients are limited to 1:30.
Does FBS offer a bonus?
We found no bonus promoted on the fbs.com homepage or trading conditions page in November 2026. If a regional promotion appears, check its current terms before depositing.
Facts compiled on 8 November 2026 from the official website, regulator registers and independent reviews listed in the sources. Fees and conditions change; confirm on the official site before opening an account.
