Check the firm in the live directory on the International Financial Services Centres Authority (IFSCA) website, then match its legal identity, authorization details, and permitted activity to the service being offered. A similar name—or a certificate or link supplied by the firm—is not enough. If the result is absent, unclear, or inconsistent, pause and confirm through IFSCA’s official contact channels before sharing money or personal information.
Start with IFSCA’s official directory
Go to the regulator’s own website and open its Directory. IFSCA advises the public: “Always access the Directory from our website to see if an entity is registered or authorised or licensed with the Authority.” Do not rely on a search result, screenshot, certificate, or directory link sent by the firm as your only check. IFSCA’s consumer-protection guidance also warns about unauthorized firms and false claims of association with regulated entities.
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Search for the exact firm and its activity
- Search the legal name. Use the global search or name search in the Directory. If the firm advertises under a brand or trading name, search that too, then establish whether it corresponds to the legal entity listed by IFSCA.
- Select the relevant category and subcategory. Compare the directory entry with the service the firm is offering. A firm authorized for one type of financial activity should not be assumed to be authorized for another.
- Check the sector-specific list where appropriate. IFSCA publishes separate information for capital-market intermediaries, including distinct categories such as broker-dealers, investment advisers, custodians, and distributors. Its fund-management page lists registered fund management entities (FMEs) separately from authorized schemes or funds. IFSCA also provides lists for TechFin and ancillary services.
Match the directory record to the firm
Do more than find a similar name. Compare several details in the entry with information obtained independently, not just details the firm gives you.
- Identity: exact legal name and registered address.
- Authorization: registration, authorization, or license number, plus the category and subcategory.
- Validity: registration or authorization date and the validity-from and validity-to dates, where shown. Check that the permission is valid for the date you intend to use the service.
- Contact and website: listed website, email, phone, and contact person. A mismatch deserves investigation; contact details alone do not prove that a communication is genuine.
- Scope: whether the recorded activity covers the specific service or product offered. For a fund, check the manager and the scheme or fund as separate items.
What to do if the result is missing or does not match
Do not treat a failed search as proof that a firm is unauthorized, but do not treat it as clearance either. The entity may use a different legal name or appear under another category; the discrepancy could also reflect a status issue. A similar name may belong to a different firm. IFSCA warns that unauthorized operators may use names resembling authorized firms or falsely claim an association with regulated entities.
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- Recheck the spelling and search the firm’s legal name as well as its advertised name.
- Review the relevant category and sector-specific list rather than relying on a broad name match.
- If the record remains absent, ambiguous, expired, or inconsistent, pause the transaction and use the contact or complaint guidance reached from IFSCA’s official website.
IFSCA’s consumer-protection page also links to IOSCO’s I-SCAN alerts, which can provide context about warnings concerning firms potentially unauthorized in a jurisdiction. An alert is useful context; the IFSCA Directory is the direct place to check a firm’s IFSCA status.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.What authorization does—and does not—establish
A directory entry helps answer whether an entity is registered, authorized, or licensed by IFSCA for a stated activity and period. It does not establish that an investment is suitable, profitable, or risk-free, or that a particular offer is legitimate simply because a similarly named entity appears in the Directory. Do not infer IFSCA authorization of a crypto exchange or crypto-asset service from unrelated claims; consult the regulator’s specific consumer cautions.
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