AMF (France)

The AMF (Autorité des marchés financiers) is France's financial markets regulator. It publishes blacklists of unauthorised sites and protects investors.

The AMF supervises French markets, authorises certain firms and makes sure investors are properly informed. For brokers, the licence often comes from the ACPR, France's banking supervisor, but the AMF oversees conduct rules and how products are marketed.

It regularly publishes blacklists of websites offering forex, CFDs, crypto or unusual investments without authorisation. If you deal with French firms, it is the first place to look when an offer seems too good to be true.

Its counterparts elsewhere are the FCA in the UK, ASIC in Australia and the CFTC and NFA in the US. To check a firm in France, use the REGAFI register and the AMF website.

The full lessonBroker types and regulation: market maker, STP, ECNMarket maker, STP or ECN, conflicts of interest, FCA, ASIC and CFTC/NFA, the registers to check and compensation schemes: how to verify a broker first.