The most broadly licensed operator still offering this product. Binary options sit on the BVI and Vanuatu entities, not on the UAE or Labuan licence — but a group that holds real licences in six jurisdictions has considerably more to lose from a withdrawal scandal than an anonymous offshore shell.
Which entity would hold your money
This is the part that decides what happens if a withdrawal is refused, and the part most reviews skip.
| Entity | Regulator | Licence |
|---|---|---|
| Deriv Capital Contracts & Currencies L.L.C. | UAE SCA | 20200000243 |
| Deriv (FX) Ltd | Labuan FSA (Malaysia) | MB/18/0024 |
| Deriv (BVI) Ltd | BVI FSC | SIBA/L/18/1114 |
| Deriv (V) Ltd | Vanuatu FSC | 14556 |
| Deriv (Mauritius) Ltd | FSC Mauritius | — |
| Deriv Investments (Cayman) Ltd | CIMA | — |
Binary options are booked on: Deriv (BVI) Ltd / Deriv (V) Ltd.
How it scores
| Criterion | Weight | Score |
|---|---|---|
| Licensing and legal entity | 35% | 8/10 |
| Withdrawal record | 25% | 8/10 |
| Regulator actions | 20% | 8/10 |
| Cost and payout structure | 10% | 7/10 |
| Platform and support | 10% | 8/10 |
| Weighted total | 7.9 |
What works
- Licences in six jurisdictions, including a UAE SCA licence
- Operating since 1999 — by far the longest record in the sector
- Synthetic indices trade at weekends, independent of real markets
- Deposits from $5
What does not
- Binary options are booked on the offshore entities, not the licensed ones
- No EEA, UK, US or Canadian clients
- Platform range is large enough to be confusing at first
Where it accepts clients
This is a plain link and earns us nothing. We include providers we have no commercial relationship with, because a ranking that only listed our partners would not be a ranking.
Frequently asked questions
Is Deriv regulated?
Group entities hold licences, but the entity behind binary options is Deriv (BVI) Ltd / Deriv (V) Ltd. A licence held by one company in a group does not extend to another — check which entity appears on your client agreement.
How is the rating calculated?
Five weighted criteria, published in full at how we rate. Licensing carries 35% because on an unsupervised counterparty everything else is contingent. The score is derived from the sub-scores, not assigned.
Where does Deriv accept clients?
Among the markets we cover: South Africa, United Arab Emirates, Philippines, Kenya, Nigeria, Thailand, México, Perú. It does not accept clients in the EEA, the UK, the United States, Canada or Australia, where the product is prohibited for retail clients.
What should I check before depositing?
Verify the licence in the regulator’s own register rather than on the broker’s site, identify the legal entity named on the client agreement, and confirm the withdrawal method and processing time in writing.
Risk warning: binary options are high-risk speculative instruments and most retail accounts lose money. Nothing here is investment advice.