Financial Commission opens Prop Firm Certification to founding firms
The independent dispute resolution body for online trading extends its model to proprietary trading firms, while its broker and exchange membership passes 50 firms and it has received more than 17,000 complaints since 2013.
The Financial Commission, the independent external dispute resolution (EDR) forum for the online trading industry, is inviting proprietary trading firms to join its Prop Firm Certification programme as founding firms. Launched in July 2026, the programme is the first voluntary, independently verified standard for prop firms, covering transparent trading rules, fair enforcement and clear payouts.
The certification extends a model the Financial Commission has operated since 2013 for FX, CFD and crypto brokers. Over that period the Commission has received more than 17,000 complaints and reviewed in excess of USD 100 million in trader claims across a membership of more than 50 firms worldwide.
How Prop Firm Certification works
Certification follows an independent, evidence-based review of a firm's rulebooks, evaluation criteria, payout policies, risk controls and dispute-handling practices. Firms that meet the standard receive a public certificate, a listing on financialcommission.org and the right to display the Financial Commission's certification badge.
The standard is built on a code of conduct with five commitments: clear, plain-language rules and evaluation criteria; fair and consistent enforcement; transparent payout terms and escalation paths; responsible and sustainable risk management; and respectful engagement with traders, including access to the Commission's independent dispute process. Certification is not a one-time stamp: certified firms are subject to ongoing monitoring and annual renewal.
The review works in both directions. Traders at certified firms gain an independent escalation path when a firm falls short, while firms gain an impartial assessment of abusive-trader and market-integrity claims, decided on evidence rather than on pressure from either side. In the third quarter of 2026 alone, the Commission flagged 140 complaints for potential trading abuse.
An Expert Committee brings market, legal, trading, risk and compliance perspectives to the standard, while final determinations remain with the Financial Commission. The committee comprises Ruben Abitbol, Founder of RUBIK; John Christofides, Founder of Truvian; Stanislav Galandzovskyi, Fractional CMO and Growth Advisor; Javier Hertfelder, Co-CEO of FXStreet; Justin Hertzberg, CEO of FPFX Technologies; Kathy Lien, Founder of Prop Trader Edge; and Camilo Tobar, CEO and Founder of Swiset.
"Prop trading has grown faster than the standards around it, and 'we police ourselves' means nothing without independent scrutiny and real enforcement behind it," said Nikolai Isayev, Chief Operating Officer of the Financial Commission. "Certification is how a serious firm proves it operates fairly, ahead of regulation rather than because of it. The firms that come in as founding members will own that credibility first and help shape the standard the rest of the industry follows."
Prop firms can learn more and apply at financialcommission.org/prop-firm-certification.
Membership for brokers and exchanges
Alongside the new programme, the Financial Commission continues to admit FX, CFD and cryptocurrency brokers, exchanges and technology providers as approved members. Recent additions include IQ Option, approved in September 2026, while long-standing members such as Axiory have now passed ten years of membership.
For a member's clients, membership means a free external complaint channel in eight languages and protection of up to EUR 20,000 per client through the Commission's Compensation Fund, which applies if a member refuses to honour a decision. Complaints are examined by the Dispute Resolution Committee, whose decisions are binding on the member firm. A trader is bound only by a decision they accept and otherwise remains free to pursue other remedies, including the courts.
For the member itself, membership provides a neutral authority whose findings carry weight with regulators, banks and payment providers where a firm's own investigation cannot. In the third quarter of 2026 the Commission received 814 new complaints and resolved 79% of them within the quarter.
Members also gain access to the Commission's value-added services, including order execution certification by VerifyMyTrade, risk monitoring from Broker Pilot and liquidity and bridge services from Your Bourse, as well as coverage across the Commission's media partners.
Membership fees depend on where a firm is regulated and on its product mix. Brokers and exchanges can review the benefits at financialcommission.org/membership-benefits and contact the Commission at [email protected].
Financial Commission: key questions answered
What is the Financial Commission?
The Financial Commission is an independent external dispute resolution (EDR) organization for the online trading industry, founded in 2013 and operated by Finacom PLC Ltd in Hong Kong. It resolves complaints between traders and its approved member brokers, exchanges and technology providers, and its services are free for traders.
Is the Financial Commission a regulator?
No. The Financial Commission is not a government regulator and does not issue licences. It is a voluntary, independent dispute resolution body, and neither the Commission nor its Dispute Resolution Committee is employed by any brokerage or affiliated with any regulatory agency.
How much does the Financial Commission Compensation Fund cover?
The Compensation Fund covers awards of up to EUR 20,000 per client when a member refuses to pay a decision made by the Financial Commission.
Are Financial Commission decisions binding?
Decisions of the Financial Commission's Dispute Resolution Committee are binding on the member firm. A trader is bound only if they accept the decision; otherwise they remain free to pursue other remedies. In 2025 the Commission took an average of 7.4 days to resolve a complaint.
What is Financial Commission Prop Firm Certification?
Launched in July 2026, Prop Firm Certification is the Financial Commission's voluntary standard for proprietary trading firms. It is based on an independent review of a firm's rules, evaluation criteria, payouts, risk controls and dispute handling, with ongoing monitoring and annual renewal. Certified firms are listed on financialcommission.org.
How can I check whether a broker is a Financial Commission member?
The Financial Commission's Check Your Broker directory at https://financialcommission.org/check-your-broker/ shows whether a firm is a current or former member. Firms reported for fraudulent or unregulated activity are published on the Financial Commission Warning List at https://financialcommission.org/warning-list/.
How do I file a complaint with the Financial Commission?
Traders who cannot settle a dispute directly with a member firm can file a complaint free of charge through the Financial Commission's online form at https://financialcommission.org/resolving-a-dispute/how-to-file-a-complaintdispute/
About the Financial Commission
The Financial Commission (financialcommission.org), operated by Finacom PLC Ltd and headquartered in Hong Kong, is an independent external dispute resolution (EDR) organization for consumers and businesses in the online brokerage industry. Established in 2013, the Commission offers a fast, free and impartial service for resolving complaints that cannot be settled directly between a trader and an approved member. Its Dispute Resolution Committee comprises industry experts, and members benefit from coverage under the Commission's Compensation Fund. The Commission also maintains a public Warning List of firms reported for fraudulent or unregulated activity, and operates Prop Firm Certification, a voluntary standard for proprietary trading firms.
The certification is a voluntary, non-regulatory programme and does not constitute licensing, authorization or an endorsement of a firm's financial strength or future performance.