CySEC Publishes September 2026 Warning on Ten Unlicensed Domains
The Cyprus Securities and Exchange Commission (CySEC) issued a formal warning on 4 September 2026, listing ten websites that appear to provide investment or crypto-asset-related services without holding the necessary authorisation in Cyprus. The regulator made clear that none of the domains are connected to entities permitted to deliver investment services or carry out investment activities under Article 5 of Law 87(I)/2017. Additionally, the sites bear no affiliation with crypto-asset service providers registered under the EU's Markets in Crypto-Assets Regulation (MiCA).
The ten flagged domains are: amazon-forex.com, novatradecore.com, vall-fin.com, daoroyal.com, capitaldealhub.com/AI_app_es, digiteamagency.com/second-income/, seamanfx.com, newfuturevip.com, trademarketcup.com, and fxtrade.app.
Operators Remain Unidentified; Complaints Data Not Disclosed
Notably, CySEC did not name the individuals or entities operating behind these websites, nor did it reveal whether any investors had lodged formal complaints. The warning is strictly limited to confirming that the listed domains fall outside the regulator's authorisation regime. This means the notice functions as a status clarification rather than a finding of misconduct.
While several of the domain names — particularly amazon-forex.com and novatradecore.com — could plausibly be mistaken for established financial brands by retail traders, CySEC stopped short of labelling any of them as outright clones or impersonations of licensed firms. The regulator's position is narrower: these sites simply lack the required authorisation, and that is the core issue.
Practical Risks for Traders Using Unauthorised Platforms
From a risk-management standpoint, dealing with an entity that sits outside CySEC's supervisory perimeter carries significant consequences. Clients of unlicensed operators are not covered by the investor-protection mechanisms that apply to regulated firms in Cyprus — including compensation schemes, capital-segregation requirements, and ongoing compliance oversight. A trader who deposits funds with one of the ten flagged sites would have no recourse to CySEC's dispute-resolution or redress frameworks should the platform fail to honour withdrawals, execute trades as agreed, or simply disappear.
CySEC emphasised that superficial indicators — a polished website design, a displayed office address, a claimed licence number, or a brand name that evokes a well-known financial institution — do not, on their own, establish that a regulated entity is behind the operation. In the scam-alerts context, this is a critical point: the visual and branding elements of a trading platform are among the most easily forged elements in the industry.
How Traders Can Verify Before Engaging with a New Platform
The regulator's core recommendation is straightforward: before transferring any funds or opening an account, traders should independently check CySEC's official register to confirm that the entity they are dealing with holds a valid licence for investment services, investment activities, or crypto-asset services in Cyprus. This verification step is especially important for the ten domains listed in the 4 September notice, all of which have been explicitly placed outside the authorisation framework.
It is worth noting that CySEC regularly issues notices of this type as part of an ongoing monitoring process. These publications are not enforcement actions against specific named operators; rather, they serve to flag domains that do not correspond to any authorised entity within the regulator's purview. For retail forex and crypto traders, the practical takeaway is that an unlisted or unauthorised platform offers no regulatory safety net — making due diligence before any deposit an essential first step.
