Is Plus500 a Scam?
Plus500 is a regulated, publicly listed company.
FCA registration 509909 checks out. CySEC license 250/14 checks out. Listed on the London Stock Exchange since 2013. Operating for 17 years. We found no indication of fraud.
The direct answer
No, Plus500 is not a scam. It is a regulated broker that has been operating since 2008. You can verify its FCA registration in under a minute at register.fca.org.uk. The company is publicly listed on the London Stock Exchange, which requires audited annual accounts and full financial disclosure. Scam operations do not list on the LSE.
That said, people lose money trading with Plus500 all the time. 76% of retail accounts end up in the red according to Plus500's own disclosures. That is a risk inherent to CFD trading, not evidence of fraud.
What we checked
FCA register — United Kingdom
| Entity | Plus500UK Ltd |
| FCA reference | 509909 |
| Status | Authorised |
| Permission | Dealing in investments as principal, arranging deals, making arrangements |
| Verify yourself | register.fca.org.uk |
CySEC register — Cyprus
| Entity | Plus500CY Ltd |
| CySEC license | 250/14 |
| Status | Licensed |
| Verify yourself | cysec.gov.cy |
London Stock Exchange
| Ticker | PLUS (LSE Main Market) |
| Listed since | July 2013 |
| What this means | Annual audited accounts required. Full public financial disclosure. No way to fake this. |
Real complaints people have
Legitimate complaints exist. These are not scam behaviour, but they are worth knowing:
- Account closures. Plus500 closes accounts for inactivity, failed identity verification, or trading patterns it considers abusive. It is legal and in the terms. People are surprised by it.
- Spread widening. During major news events EUR/USD spreads can jump from 0.6 to 5+ pips. Normal for a spread-only CFD broker. Not pleasant if you are caught in it.
- Inactivity fee. $10 per month after 3 months with no activity. Clearly stated in the terms but people miss it.
- No phone support. Chat and email only. Frustrating when something goes wrong.
Signs of a real broker clone scam
Scammers sometimes build fake sites that mimic legitimate brokers. Here is how to check you are on the real Plus500:
- URL must be exactly plus500.com. Watch for variations like plus500-fx.com or plus500trading.com.
- At the bottom of the real site you will see the regulated entity named: Plus500UK Ltd, Plus500CY Ltd, or Plus500AU Pty Ltd depending on your country.
- The real Plus500 never calls you unsolicited.
- No one from Plus500 will ask you to send money to a personal bank account or crypto wallet.
Bottom line
Plus500 is not a scam. Public records confirm it. The product carries real financial risk because CFD trading itself is high risk. That is different from fraud. If you open an account, start with the demo and read the overnight fee schedule before you put any real money in.