In Italy, the National Commission for Companies and the Stock Exchange (CONSOB) – known locally as the Commissione Nazionale per le Società e la Borsa – is tasked with regulating the country’s financial markets and issuing licences to brokers.
Alongside the European Securities and Markets Association (ESMA), CONSOB sets the rules for financial services companies. It also serves a supervisory role and slaps penalties on brokers who flout regulations.
Italy’s regulator is classified as a ‘green-tier’ regulator under our Regulation & Trust Rating. As a consequence, day traders who deal in the Mediterranean country can expect robust protection from bad actors.
Explore the best brokers that are regulated by CONSOB. We have verified that they are listed on the organization’s Register of Investment Firms (or Albo delle Imprese di Investimento, in local parlance).
Best CONSOB Brokers
Our tests reveal these 2 CONSOB-regulated trading platforms are a cut above the rest:
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- Demo account
- Min. deposit: $0
- Min. trade: 0.01 Lots
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- Demo account
- Regulator: FCA, CMVM, SCB, FSC, BACEN, CVM, CONSOB
- Platforms: ActivTrades, MT4, MT5, TradingView
Learn how we test brokers and why you can trust our ratings.
Here is a short overview of each broker's pros and cons
- IG 4.8/5 Founded in 1974, IG is part of IG Group Holdings Plc, a publicly traded (LSE: IGG) brokerage. The brand offers a top-tier selection of 17,000+ markets, with a range of user-friendly platforms and investing apps. For 50 years, IG has maintained its position as an industry leader, excelling in all key areas for traders.
- ActivTrades 3.4/5 ActivTrades is a UK-headquartered CFD and forex broker established in 2001. The award-winning brokerage has secured licenses from trusted bodies, notably the UK’s FCA, and facilitates trading on over 1000 instruments spanning 7 asset classes, with over 93.60% of orders are executed at the requested price.
CONSOB Brokers Comparison
| Broker | Minimum Deposit | Markets | Platforms | Leverage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| IG | $0 | CFDs (not in US), Forex, Stocks, Indices, Commodities, ETFs, Futures, Options, Crypto, Spread Betting (UK only) | Web, L2 Dealer, MT4, TradingView, AutoChartist, TradingCentral, ProRealTime | 1:30 (Retail), 1:250 (Pro) |
| ActivTrades | $0 | CFDs, Forex, Stocks, Indices, Commodities, Bonds, ETFs, Futures, Cryptos (location dependent) | ActivTrades, MT4, MT5, TradingView | 1:30 (UK and EU), 1:400 (Global & Pro) |
Community Sentiment
See how users rate these brokers based on the average customer ratings submitted on DayTrading.com, plus ratings from Trustpilot, the Apple App Store and Google Play.
| Broker | Our Users' Rating | Trustpilot Score | Trustpilot Reviews | iOS App Rating | Android App Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| IG | 10204 | ||||
| ActivTrades | 1061 |
IG
IG continues to provide a comprehensive package with an intuitive web platform, best-in-class education for beginners, advanced charting tools bolstered by its recent TradingView integration, real-time data, and robust trade execution for experienced day traders.
Christian Harris, Reviewer
IG quick facts
- Demo Account
- ✔Yes
- Instruments
- CFDs (not in US), Forex, Stocks, Indices, Commodities, ETFs, Futures, Options, Crypto, Spread Betting (UK only)
- Regulator
- CFTC, NFA, FCA, BaFin, ASIC, FINMA, MAS, JFSA, FMA, DFSA, BMA, CONSOB
- Platforms
- Web, L2 Dealer, MT4, TradingView, AutoChartist, TradingCentral, ProRealTime
- Minimum Deposit
- $0
- Minimum Trade
- 0.01 Lots
- Account Currencies
- USD, EUR, GBP, CAD, AUD, JPY, ZAR, SEK, DKK, CHF, HKD, SGD
Pros
- IG obtained a crypto asset license from the FCA, allowing it to re-enter the UK market to provide buying, selling and storing opportunities on 55+ digital tokens with fees from 1.49%, and all within an FCA-licensed environment.
- The ProRealTime advanced charting platform is free as long as certain modest monthly trading activity requirements are met.
- The IG app offers a superb mobile trading experience with a clean design that helped it secure Runner Up at our 'Best Trading App' award.
Cons
- IG has discontinued its swap-free account, reducing its appeal to Islamic traders.
- IG applies an inactivity fee of $12-$18 per month after 2 years, deterring casual investors.
- Beginners might find IG’s fee structure complex, with various fees for different types of trades or services, potentially leading to confusion or unexpected charges.
ActivTrades
ActivTrades is an obvious choice for day traders at all levels, with almost unmatched execution speeds of 4ms and a choice of leading trading software, from MT4, MT5 and TradingView to ActivTrader, which sports a simple and elegant interface that aspiring traders will enjoy using.
Christian Harris, Reviewer
ActivTrades quick facts
- Demo Account
- ✔Yes
- Instruments
- CFDs, Forex, Stocks, Indices, Commodities, Bonds, ETFs, Futures, Cryptos (location dependent)
- Regulator
- FCA, CMVM, SCB, FSC, BACEN, CVM, CONSOB
- Platforms
- ActivTrades, MT4, MT5, TradingView
- Minimum Deposit
- $0
- Minimum Trade
- 0.01 Lots
- Account Currencies
- USD, EUR, GBP, CHF
Pros
- ActivTrades offers tight spreads, particularly for forex trading with spreads starting from 0.5 pips on major currency pairs without additional commissions. The €/£10 inactivity fee doesn’t kick in for 52 weeks either, so it doesn’t penalize active traders.
- ActivTrades is highly trusted, boasting 20+ years in the industry, authorization from 3 ‘green tier’ bodies under DayTrading.com’s Regulation & Trust Rating, and it goes the extra mile for UK traders with £1M in investor compensation (exceeding the £85K through the FSCS) in the event of brokerage insolvency.
- Although cTrader isn’t supported, MT4, MT5, TradingView and the broker’s ActivTrader cater to diverse trading needs, with the firm’s web-accessible platform hitting the mark for beginners during testing with a slick look and feel.
Cons
- ActivTrades still has some way to go to match firms like XTB and CMC Markets in the education department, with some well-presented, informative webinars but limited courses and quizzes for a more comprehensive and engaging learning journey.
- Its research tools are good but not great, with a growing ‘Analysis’ hub but no Trading Central or Autochartist for advanced technical summaries which could help aspiring traders identify opportunities in fast-moving markets.
- There's a varied selection of 1000+ markets, such as forex, commodities, indices, and ETFs, but the range of asset classes overall is limited, notably there are zero stocks outside the US, UK and Europe, while BlackBull offers a superior 26,000+ markets.
Methodology
To identify the top brokers that are regulated by CONSOB, we:
- Examined our database of 143 brokers to locate those claiming to be regulated by CONSOB.
- Used CONSOB’s online database to confirm they are indeed regulated in Italy.
- Ranked them by their rating, blending the findings of our investment experts with 100+ data points.
How Can I Check If A Broker Is Regulated By CONSOB?
Through its Register of Investment Firms, CONSOB provides – in the form of various separate lists – a database of financial firms that are authorized to trade in Italy. These are organized according to where the firm is located, and whether it operates branches in the country.
CONSOB provides an up-to-date list warning list of companies found to have acted unlawfully, as well as a searchable archive for traders to peruse. It handily provides reports from supervisory authorities all over the globe as well as its own.
Unfortunately, the regulator doesn’t provide an easy-to-navigate broker search facility for quick results. But with some light detective work, it’s still possible to get the answers you need.
Within a few minutes, I was able to confirm that FXCM is approved to do business in Italy. I opened the Register of Investment Firms, then clicked on each of the lists and searched for ‘Stratos Europe Limited’ (the company that operates under the trade name FXCM).
After some brief research, I found the broker on the list of investment firms authorized in other EU states without branches in Italy. The document provides the broker’s address and a rundown of services it is allowed to provide.
Royston WildAuthor
Day traders in Italy can also use brokers that are registered in other parts of the European Economic Area, or EEA. This territory comprises all 27 European Union (EU) countries and four European Free Trade Association (EFTA) nations. This concept – commonly known as ‘passporting’ – works in accordance with the free movement of goods and services under the single market.
What Rules Must CONSOB-Regulated Brokers Follow?
Online brokers must adhere to Italy’s strict regulatory system if they wish to set up shop and remain in operation. They must meet criteria set by CONSOB and by ESMA, a body that governs financial services across all EU states.
Regulations are greatly influenced by the Markets in Financial Instruments Directive II (MiFID II). This framework was introduced at the EU level to improve the transparency, stability and functionality of financial markets, and to bolster protections for traders and investors.
Under MiFID II rules, brokers must:
- Strive to achieve the best possible results for their clients, taking into account items like dealing costs, trading speed, and the probability of execution and settlement.
- Clearly communicate the risks associated with their products, and ensure that advertising is not misleading as to the returns a trader can expect to make.
- Restrict leverage to 1:30 for major forex pairs (like the EUR/USD and USD/JPY), and 1:20 for other currency pairings.
- Offer negative balance protection to prevent retail investors from going into debt when using leveraged products.
- Close a trader’s position if the value of their trading account falls below 50% of the required margin to keep their leveraged positions open. This is known as margin close-out.
- Use segregated accounts to protect customers’ assets in the event that the trading firm goes bust.
- Separate charges for research and transactions, thus providing better price transparency for customers and reducing the risk of overcharging.
- Provide regular and detailed trading data to regulators, which helps lawmakers to better identify and crack down on market manipulation.
Bottom Line
Ensuring that the broker you choose is authorized to trade is essential regardless of what territory you’re based in. Fortunately, traders in Italy can have confidence that they are well protected if they use a trading platform approved by the country’s CONSOB.
However, investors should be mindful that fraudulent parties are still in operation. Additionally, day trading as an occupation is naturally risky, so never speculate with money that you can’t afford to lose.
Article Sources
- Commissione Nazionale per le Società e la Borsa (CONSOB)
- Investment Firms - CONSOB
- Register of Investment Firms (Albo delle Imprese di Investimento) - CONSOB
- List of investment firms authorized in other EU states without branches in Italy - CONSOB
- Warnings - CONSOB
- European Economic Area (EEA) - Eurostat
- What is ‘passporting’ and why does it matter? – UK Finance
- European Securities and Markets Association (ESMA)
- MiFID II - ESMA
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