MultiBank Group vs Pepperstone: Which Broker Is Better?

MultiBank Group operates through a network of entities that includes MEX Australia Pty Ltd, authorised by ASIC under licence number 416279; MEX Asset Management GmbH, supervised by BaFin under number 119375; and MEX Europe Ltd, regulated by CySEC under licence number 430/23. The group also has an entity supervised by the SCA in the UAE and an international entity in Belize serving different markets.

The group’s multiple entities provide broad regulatory coverage, but they do not mean that every client receives the same protection available under ASIC, BaFin or CySEC. The actual entity may affect leverage, products, complaint procedures and investor protection, so traders should also verify the permitted scope of each legal company.

When researching MultiBank Group licences, traders should look beyond the number of licences and identify the entity shown in the client agreement. This is especially important for Arabic-speaking traders who may be directed to the UAE or international entity and need to balance global availability with the oversight applied to their account.

MultiBank Group entities apply client-money protection rules according to the regulator responsible for each legal company. These arrangements include separating eligible client funds from the group’s operating capital and business expenses, helping prevent client money from being used to finance the broker’s daily operations.

Fund custody rules, negative balance protection and investor compensation arrangements are not uniform across the ASIC, BaFin, CySEC, SCA and international Belize entities. Traders should verify the specific MEX or MultiBank company named in their client agreement instead of relying on the total number of licences held across the wider group.

Pepperstone operates through several regulated entities, including Pepperstone Group Limited, authorised by ASIC under licence number 414530; Pepperstone Limited, authorised by the UK FCA under licence number 684312; and Pepperstone EU Limited, regulated by CySEC under licence number 388/20. The group also includes an entity supervised by the DFSA in Dubai and another regulated by the SCB in the Bahamas for different regions.

The FCA, ASIC and CySEC licences provide Pepperstone with a strong regulatory foundation, but account conditions and client protection are not identical across all entities. Leverage, investor protection, complaint procedures and negative-balance protection may differ according to the client’s country and the legal company accepting the account.

Before opening a Standard or Razor account, traders should verify the entity name and licence number shown during registration. This is especially important for traders choosing Pepperstone for low spreads and fast execution, as the account may be assigned either to a highly regulated entity or to an international company offering more flexibility under different protection rules.

Regulated Pepperstone entities hold eligible client funds in accounts separate from the company’s operating capital. Pepperstone also states that client money is held with tier-one banks under the requirements applying to the relevant legal entity. Eligible retail clients may receive negative balance protection, helping limit liability arising from a negative trading-account balance.

Certain clients registered with UK or European entities may qualify for statutory investor compensation schemes, subject to eligibility conditions and legal limits. Protection is not identical across the FCA, ASIC, CySEC, DFSA and Bahamas entities. Traders should verify the company responsible for their account and the safeguards that apply before depositing.