Where your money sits matters more than where the market goes.

Most of the energy in trading goes on the market: which way it will move, when to get in, where to get out. Far less goes on a question that matters more over time: once you send money to a broker, where does it actually go?

Knowing how to check a forex broker before you deposit is not about being suspicious. It is about understanding the journey your money takes, from the moment it leaves your bank to the moment it comes back. This guide follows that journey in four stages and lists the questions worth asking at each one.

Key takeaways

• Follow the money: who receives it, who holds it, and how it gets back to you.

• The company that holds your account should be the same company that holds the license.

• Ask how client money is held, and get the answer in writing.

• A broker's withdrawal process tells you more than its deposit process.

• Complete verification when you open the account, not on the day you need your money.

1. Stage 1: before you send anything

Start with the company, not the marketing. Every legitimate broker names its legal entity, its registration details, and its regulator, usually in the website footer and in the client agreement. Write these down, because you will use them at every stage that follows.

• The legal entity name, exactly as written.

• The regulator and licence number.

• The country where the company is registered, which may differ from the country of its regulator.

• The client agreement, which is the document that actually governs your account.

Checking that the license is genuine takes a few minutes on the regulator's own website. We cover the steps and what a license can and cannot do for you in our guide to what a forex broker license does.

2. Stage 2: the deposit

When you fund an account, your money usually passes through a payment provider before it reaches the broker: a card processor, a bank, an e-wallet, or another payment service. That is normal. What matters is that every link in the chain is visible.

• Who receives the payment? The name on your card statement or bank transfer should match the broker or a payment provider it openly names.

• Is the method available where you live? Payment options vary by country, so check before you plan a deposit around one.

• Are there fees on your side? Your own bank or provider may charge for international transfers or currency conversion, even when the broker does not.

• What currency is your account in? Depositing in a different currency means a conversion and a cost.

Be cautious of any request to send money to a personal account, to a third party you have never heard of, or by a method that cannot be traced back to the broker. At Nexora, there are more than 50 deposit and withdrawal methods, and the ones available to you are shown at the point of deposit based on your country.

3. Stage 3: while your money is with the broker

Once funds reach your trading account, they are rarely just sitting still. Part of your balance is set aside as margin whenever you hold a leveraged position, and the rest is what you have left to work with.

Balance, equity, and free margin

If equity falls far enough relative to the margin in use, positions can be closed automatically at what is called the stop out level. Knowing these four numbers is part of knowing where your money is at any moment.

How client money is held

Ask the broker directly how client funds are held: in what kind of account, with which institutions, and whether they are kept apart from the company's own money. Arrangements differ between regulators, so the answer should come from the broker in writing rather than from an assumption. It is also fair to ask what would happen to client money if the company stopped trading, and whether any compensation scheme covers your account. Many jurisdictions do not have one.

4. Stage 4: getting it back

Withdrawals are the real test of a broker, so understand the process before you deposit, not after.

• Verification first. Brokers generally have to verify your identity and address before paying out. Upload your documents when you open the account.

• Back to source. Many brokers return funds to the method you deposited with first, as an anti-money laundering measure. If you deposited by card, expect at least part of a withdrawal to go back to that card.

• Your name only. Withdrawals are paid to accounts and methods in the account holder's own name, never to a third party.

• Processing and arrival are different steps. Once the broker has processed a request, your own bank or provider still adds its own time.

• Read the conditions. Promotions such as deposit bonuses usually come with terms that can affect withdrawals. Read them before you accept an offer, not afterwards.

5. Six questions to ask before you deposit

Ask them of us too. A broker worth funding answers these questions plainly, and in writing.

6. Warning signs

• Pressure to deposit quickly, or to deposit more than you planned.

• A licence number that does not appear on the regulator's register, or a company name that differs from the one on your agreement.

• Requests to pay into a personal account or through an unnamed intermediary.

• Promises of guaranteed returns or "risk-free" trading.

• Vague or changing answers about how withdrawals work.

7. After you have checked

Learning how to check a forex broker takes an afternoon, and it is one of the best-spent afternoons in trading. Once you are comfortable with where your money will sit, the next step is practice rather than speed: a free demo account lets you learn the platform with no real money at risk. When you are ready, you can open a live account in the Nexora client area, and our guide to the five asset classes explains what you can trade and what moves each market.