How to Verify an Exchange's Regulation
Step 1 — Find the exchange's regulation claim
The exchange's website footer, "Legal" page or "About" page will list which authorities it is registered with. It may say something like: "Registered as a Money Services Business with FinCEN," or "Authorised under MiCA as a CASP." Note the registering authority and the entity name.
Step 2 — Go to the official register directly
Do not use the link on the exchange's website. Type the register URL yourself:
| Regulator | Official Register |
|---|---|
| FinCEN (US MSB) | fincen.gov/msb-registrant-search |
| NYDFS (New York) | dfs.ny.gov (virtual currency licensees) |
| FCA (UK cryptoasset register) | register.fca.org.uk |
| MiCA / CASP (EU) | national NCA registers + ESMA |
| MAS (Singapore) | eservices.mas.gov.sg/fid |
| VARA (Dubai) | vara.ae public register |
Step 3 — Search for the entity
Search by the legal entity name the exchange operates under (not just its brand). The register will show the registered firm. Check that:
- The firm name matches the entity behind the exchange you are using
- The status shows "Registered," "Authorised" or "Active" — not "Revoked" or "Cancelled"
- The permitted activities include virtual asset or cryptoasset services
- The jurisdiction covers your country of residence
Red flags — signs the regulation is fake
These are signs an exchange is not genuinely regulated where it claims to be:
- The entity does not appear in the official register
- The name on the register differs from the exchange's operating entity with no explanation
- The registration status shows "Revoked" or has lapsed
- The exchange claims to be "in the process of registration" — pending is not the same as authorised
- The exchange relies only on an obscure offshore registration and offers no protection to users in your region
- The website has no physical address or shows a PO box only
What a register entry shows — example
On the FinCEN MSB search, a registered exchange appears under its legal entity with its registration status and business type. On the NYDFS list, licensed virtual currency businesses (BitLicense or limited-purpose trust charter holders) are named directly. Always match the entity name to the exchange's own legal disclosures.
Every exchange on this site has had its registration status checked against official public registers. Each review names the registering authority so you can verify it yourself. Where a specific registration number is not independently confirmable, we state the authority only rather than publish an unverified number.
Impersonation and clone scams
Scammers create fake sites and apps that copy the name and branding of a real regulated exchange to deceive users. The real firm holds the registration; the criminals only pretend to.
Check that the exact website domain matches the one the exchange publishes and that the app is from the official developer in your app store. A slight difference in domain spelling or an unofficial download link is a serious warning sign. Many regulators publish scam and warning lists — check them before depositing.