A brand is not a legal entity
Two similar websites can belong to different companies. Before comparing a platform, record the company named in its agreement, the exact domain, the named authority and the country from which you apply. A regulator logo does not answer those questions. The name on the application should match the entity you search for in the official register.
Build a verifiable record
The French AMF directs investors to official registers to check authorisations. Save the register entry and its date, then compare the provider’s contact details with the agreement. An absent result, different activity or mismatched domain is a reason to pause. Absence from a blacklist is not evidence of authorisation.
Compare the service separately
A regulatory check does not establish execution quality or product suitability. Request account terms, withdrawal policy, available instruments and contractual protections. Assess each item separately rather than turning a licence into an overall score. A COF partnership does not replace any of these checks.
A check in practice: one brand, several entities
Two pages can show the same logo while linking to different agreements. Record the legal name offered during registration, the domain used, the residence accepted and the entity named in the agreement. A brand name alone does not establish that one entity's authorisation covers another.
The file should remain reviewable without relying on a sales conversation: the register link checked, dated legal documents and written answers to inconsistencies. If the information does not match, the price comparison remains incomplete. A form accepting an address does not, by itself, establish that the offer is intended for that residence.
A useful record to keep
A control sheet can separate “provider statement” from “independent check”. Leaving a field blank is preferable to treating a regulator logo as a completed verification.
Your verification grid
| Item | Document or check to request |
|---|---|
| Contracting entity | Copy its legal name from the agreement, rather than the brand logo. |
| Domain | Compare the application domain with the domains associated in the register checked. |
| Activity | Read the authorised services; registration does not authorise every activity. |
| Residence | Ask for the restrictions applying to your country and retain their wording. |
| Complaints | Identify the complaints channel and authority relevant to this legal entity. |
Practical questions
Is a company authorised if it is absent from a blacklist?
No. An alert list and an authorisation register answer different questions. Search for the entity and activity in the relevant register, then compare domains. A search without a result must remain inconclusive.
What if the agreement address differs from the register?
Retain both versions and request a written explanation. A difference can have several causes; this guide cannot determine the cause alone. A partner's commercial opinion does not replace that check.
To complete this file: Broker fees: compare the complete cost ; Broker withdrawals: documents to read before depositing.
Sources and limitations
AMF — Vérifier une autorisation. Editorial consultation: 8 October 2026. Supplier statements do not replace independent checks. Re-read terms at the time of your decision.
COFIATRADING has commercial relationships with partners presented on the site. This guide is educational, without personalised investment advice. Trading involves capital loss risk; past performance does not guarantee future results.
Continue checking: current offers and access, public evidence, Desk space and Academy resources.