JP Markets Broker Review

Is JP Markets Safe?

JP Markets is a South African brokerage firm founded in 2016 and regulated by the FSCA through licence no 46855. Through an aggressive marketing and “Partner” programme, mainly over social media, JP Markets became one of the largest brokers in the country.

Since JP Markets was founded, we have received many complaints from their clients. These range from deposits not reflecting, to withdrawals never appearing and, most worrying, direct manipulation of the spread and client trades. Customer support is described as poor and often unresponsive, particularly in cases of funding issues.

Considering the sheer number of complaints, we recommend that traders steer clear of JP Markets. We remind traders that you should never sign up with a broker over social media.

If you have had any issues with JP Markets, or any other broker, please let us know through our Broker Scam Report

Legal Issues

Since 2020, JP Markets has been embroiled in a legal battle with the South African regulator following numerous client complaints. See below for more details:

In June 2020, the FSCA provisionally suspended the licence of JP Markets SA, citing complaints from clients that JP Markets was not honouring withdrawal requests and was manipulating market data.  Source: https://www.iol.co.za/personal-finance/fsca-provisionally-suspends-the-licence-of-jp-markets-sa-49743265 and https://www.financemagnates.com/forex/brokers/south-africa-regulator-temporarily-suspends-license-of-jp-markets/.

In September 2020, the FSCA successfully filed for JP Markets to be liquidated and funds returned to clients. JP Markets appealed this decision.

In October 2021, the Supreme Court of Appeal of South Africa found in favour of JP Markets, stating that there was no evidence that JP Markets was a “systemic risk to its clients or to financial markets generally.” Source: https://www.moneyweb.co.za/news/south-africa/fsca-was-wrong-to-shut-down-jp-markets-supreme-court/.

In May 2023, the FSCA fined JP Markets 100,000 Rand for operating without a licence, but simultaneously restored its Financial Service Provider licence. Source: https://www.moneyweb.co.za/news/companies-and-deals/fsca-fines-and-licenses-online-trading-firm-jp-markets-in-same-week/

For more detail on the JP Markets saga and what it means for the Forex industry regulation in South Africa, you can read our opinion piece in the Daily Maverick here: https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/opinionista/2021-10-25-back-to-square-one-what-jp-markets-exoneration-means-for-the-forex-trading-industry/

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Editorial Team

 

Chris Cammack
Head of Content

Chris joined the company in 2019 after ten years experience in research, editorial and design for political and financial publications. His background has given him a deep knowledge of international financial markets and the geopolitics that affects them. Chris has a keen eye for editing and a voracious appetite for financial and political current affairs. He ensures that our content across all sites meets the standards of quality and transparency that our readers expect.

 

Alison Heyerdahl
Senior Financial Writer

Alison joined the team as a writer in 2021. She has a medical degree with a focus on physiotherapy and a bachelor’s in psychology. However, her interest in forex trading and her love for writing led her to switch careers, and she now has over eight years experience in research and content development. She has tested and reviewed 100+ brokers and has a great understanding of the Forex trading world.

 

Ida Hermansen
Financial Writer

Ida joined our team as a financial writer in 2023. She has a degree in Digital Marketing and a background in content writing and SEO. In addition to her marketing and writing skills, Ida also has an interest in cryptocurrencies and blockchain networks. Her interest in crypto trading led to a wider fascination with Forex technical analysis and price movement. She continues to develop her skills and knowledge in Forex trading and keeps a close eye on which Forex brokers offer the best trading environments for new traders.

 

Vanessa Marcos
Financial Writer

Vanessa joined the team in 2023. Born and raised in southern Portugal, she has a BA in Journalism and a Master’s in Literary Theory, both from Lisbon University. Since 2011, she has worked in social media, copywriting, content management, ghost-writing, and SEO. Vanessa loves to write, and although she is a generalist in digital marketing, she always draws on her creativity in her work. She is constantly researching new subjects and finds the analytical depth of Forex trading fascinating.