BDSwiss Review

Is BDSwiss a Trusted Forex Broker?

BDSwiss was once regarded as a strong and well-known name in the forex industry, however developments of recent years have raised red flags, leading us to question their reliability.  We are aware that circumstances change, so in this updated BDSwiss Review 2025, we take a second look at the broker’s current position and reasses them using our proprietary FX Trust Score Index. We focus on regulation and compliance, security and fund protection, customer support, online reputation and  trading conditions.

The reputation of BDSwiss declined following the loss of several licences and reports that some payment providers had restricted operations. This was huge cause for concern as it threatened fund security – traders could have lost their capital or at the very least, had it frozen. The overall picture this paints is that BDSwiss has lost its financial strength and cannot full protect its client base.

Our recent research shows that today, BDSwiss mainly operates under its offshore entity registered in Seychelles. Although it is regulated by the FSA in this jurisdiction, it does not adhere to the strict compliance requirements imposed by its former European regulators.

We suggest that traders approach with caution, ensuring they understand which entity they are dealing with, before registering an account or depositing funds.

Introduction to BDSwiss: A Brief Overview

Founded in 2012, BDSwiss is a recognised online broker, regulated by the Financial Services Authority (FSA) of Seychelles, Financial Services Commission of Mauritius (FCM) and the International Services Authority of Mwali, Comoros (MISA).

BDSwiss was originally headquartered in Limassol, Cyprus, but moved offshore approximately one year ago in October of 2024. It now operates from a Seychelles licensed entity called BDS Ltd. BDSwiss vacated its Limassol office, which was registered under the company name ‘B2B unit, Viverno Markets Ltd’ and no longer has a physical presence on the island. This is not to say there should be alarm bells, however it is important to note such a move and that BDSwiss is no longer licenced by the Cyprus Securities and Exchange Commission (CySEC). Seychelles, Mauritius and Comoros offer traders limited protection compared to CySEC.

Despite these changes, BDSwiss continues to offer a broad range of CFDs across forex, commodities, indices, stocks and cryptocurrencies.  Let us take a closer look.

Is BDSwiss safe?

Licensing and Regulation

BDSwiss was once held licences with highly-respected financial authorities such as CySEC (Cyprus) and the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) of the UK. According to an official announcement on the CySEC website, the board made a decision to withdraw the investment firm license of Viverno Markets Ltd on the 17th March 2025, citing the company had not provided investment services or conducted any activity for six months prior to its license suspension.

According to an official announcement on the FCA (UK) website on the 5th August 2021, it stopped BDSwiss Holding Plc and other members of its group, from offering high risk contracts for differences (CFDs) to UK investors. It claimed that “The BDSwiss Group used the fact that one of its firms was regulated in the UK to convey legitimacy on the group as a whole. However, 99% of UK consumers taken on by the group traded through the group’s overseas entities…(which) had no authorisation to provide regulated services in the UK, and consumers who traded with the overseas firms lost the protections given to consumers who trade with an authorised firm”.

At the time of writing, BDSwiss is regulated by the Financial Services Authority (FSA) of Seychelles, Financial Services Commission of Mauritius (FCM) and the International Services Authority of Mwali, Comoros (MISA).

Security of Funds & Protection

Regulated by three bodies, BDSwiss regards client fund safety as important. It states in its Risk Disclosure that clients funds “may” be held in segregated accounts but “this may not afford complete protection”. 

Furthermore, the Seychelles company is not a member of any Investor Compensation Fund, which means that traders are not eligible for compensation in the event that BDSwiss files for bankruptcy.

It is absolutely critical that traders understand the level of protection offered by their chosen broker.

The BDSwiss Trading Platforms

BDSwiss offers access to the popular MetaTrader 4 (MT4) and MetaTrader 5 (MT5) platforms, which are both available on desktop, mobile and via web browser. MT4 and MT5 have dominated the forex industry for many years and are still the preferred platforms for CFD trading. They are reliable, fast at order execution and offer a wide range of tools.

The web-based version, BDSwiss WebTrader, is more simplified and features basic charting, order management and trade execution tools, designed for convenience rather than advanced analysis.

Overall, BDSwiss offers dependable trading platforms , accessible on all devices, which are familiar to most traders around the world.

BDSwiss’ Trading Assets

BDSwiss provides access to a wide selection of CFDs across several major asset classes, including forex, commodities, indices, shares, and cryptocurrencies. Traders can choose from more than 250 instruments, depending on the entity they register with.

The broker offers over 50 forex pairs, covering major, minor, and selected exotic currencies, along with CFDs on leading global indices such as the S&P 500, NASDAQ, DAX, and FTSE 100. Commodity trading includes popular markets like gold, silver, crude oil, and natural gas, while share CFDs feature well-known companies listed in the US and Europe.

BDSwiss also supports cryptocurrency trading on selected coins, including Bitcoin, Ethereum, and Litecoin, though availability varies by region due to local regulations.

While this product range remains competitive, it’s worth noting that the number of instruments has been reduced compared to previous years, reflecting the broker’s restructuring and shift away from certain regional markets.

Trading Conditions at BDSwiss

Spreads & Commissions

BDSwiss offers a tiered pricing model, where trading costs vary depending on the account type selected.

The Classic account features spreads from 1.5 pips on EUR/USD with no commission.

The Raw account provides access to 0.0-pip spreads on major pairs, with a $5 per lot round-turn commission.

The VIP account typically has spreads from 1.1 pips and no commission.

While these rates remain reasonable, the overall competitiveness has lessened slightly compared to other leading global brokers. Traders should also note that exact costs can fluctuate depending on liquidity conditions and the entity with which the account is held.

BDSwiss does not charge deposit fees and only applies withdrawal fees in limited cases, though some traders have reported longer withdrawal times following recent changes to the broker’s payment partners.

Leverage

The leverage available at BDSwiss depends on both regulatory jurisdiction and asset class. Clients trading under the Seychelles Financial Services Authority (FSA) licence can use leverage up to 1:500, whereas traders under European regulation (CySEC) remain capped at 1:30, in line with ESMA rules.

Leverage levels are also instrument-specific for example, forex pairs typically offer the highest ratios, while indices, commodities and cryptocurrencies are subject to lower limits. BDSwiss encourages clients to use leverage responsibly, as higher exposure can increase both potential gains and potential losses.

BDSwiss’ Customer Support

BDSwiss provides multilingual customer support available 24/5, aligning with the global forex trading week. Clients can reach the support team via live chat, email, or phone, with contact details clearly listed on the company’s website. The live chat option remains the most efficient method for resolving general queries, while account-specific or verification-related issues are typically handled by email.

The broker currently supports several major languages, including English, German, Spanish, French, and Arabic, among others, a reflection of its international client base. However, since recent operational changes and regional restructuring, some users have reported longer response times and less direct access to regional support representatives than before.

Despite these challenges, BDSwiss support staff are generally regarded as knowledgeable and courteous, offering clear guidance on platform usage, account funding, and compliance documentation. Traders seeking urgent assistance outside regular trading hours may find the availability more limited compared to other global brokers with 24/7 coverage.

The FXTS Verdict: Is BDSwiss a Trusted Broker?

BDSwiss remains a recognised name in the online trading industry, but its reputation has declined in recent years following regulatory and operational challenges. While the broker still provides access to a solid range of platforms and trading instruments, the suspension and revocation of some regulatory licences have raised concerns among traders and payment providers alike.

On the positive side, BDSwiss continues to offer competitive spreads through its Raw and VIP accounts, as well as strong platform options via MetaTrader 4 and MetaTrader 5. However, the broker’s reduced global presence, slower withdrawals and fewer payment options now place it behind other multi-regulated competitors.

In our independent FX Trust Score Index assessment, BDSwiss achieved an overall FX Trust Score of 50%, reflecting mixed performance across key categories such as regulation, transparency, customer support and fund security. Traders considering BDSwiss should exercise caution and ensure they are registering under the appropriate regulatory entity.

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