Rivobanc review – 5 things you should know about rivobanc.com

Beware! Rivobanc is an offshore broker! Your investment may be at risk.

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Don’t put all your eggs in one basket. Open trading accounts with at least two brokers.

Rivobanc  presents itself to us as a trustworthy forex broker that will help us take our trading to the next level. But fact checking shows that this is yet another online scam disguised as a regulated broker. In this review, we will look at the clues that this is not an authorised financial services provider and point out suitable and credible alternatives for investors.

Rivobanc Regulation and safety of funds

When you visit the website of a legitimate broker you can expect to find clear and detailed information about the company that owns and operates it, where it is based and what regulatory regimes it is subject to.

Rivobanc is completely anonymous. Neither the website nor the Terms and Conditions and other documentation mention the name of a legal entity. That in itself is a big enough red flag that we are dealing with a scam.

The website and the text of the Terms and Conditions provide a contact address in Switzerland.

But at the same time the Terms and Conditions state that the applicable laws are those of Estonia.

Regulations in both countries prevent anonymous websites from offering brokerage services. A check of the Swiss Financial Market Supervisory Authority and Estonian Financial Supervision Authority databases confirms that there is no authorised broker using the Rivobanc brand and domain.

Before investing your money in financial instruments, it is imperative to make sure you do so through a licensed intermediary and not one of the many scammers lurking online.

There are many benefits for retail traders to trade through a licensed broker in the EU. These brokers must comply with all the requirements of the European Securities and Markets Authority (ЕSМА). They must maintain a minimum net capital of at least EUR 730 000, which guarantees that the company is financially stable and has a serious long-term approach. When clients deposit money in their trading accounts, they are kept segregated from the broker’s operating funds in separate bank accounts.

All brokers licensed in EU countries are members of the Investor Compensation Fund, which may cover a maximum of EUR 20,000 per person in the event of broker insolvency.

Rivobanc Trading software

Rivobanc  claims to offer the industry’s most widely used trading platform, MetaTrader 5 (MT5). But links to download the desktop version or mobile apps lead to the website of the software’s developer, MetaQuotes. Real brokers use MetaTrader platforms that are configured specifically for them.

We were not able to register an account with the Rivobanc, so we do not know if registration provided access to any trading software.

Account registration requires a promotional code.  Real forex brokers allow easy Demo account creation. On the other hand, some scams prefer to handpick their potential victims by spamming social networks and online forums. We have every reason to believe that this is the case with Rivobanc.

The website also offers links to remote access software. Scammers often convince potential victims to grant access to their devices, ostensibly to provide technical assistance.

Rivobanc Trading instruments

On the website, we see claims that Rivobanc offers trading in a large number of currency pairs, stocks, indices, commodities and cryptocurrencies. But the website does not offer a comprehensive list of specific financial instruments.

We have not been able to confirm whether Rivobanc offers any actual trading.

Rivobanc Spreads and cost of trading

Rivobanc provides absolutely no information on arguably the most important parameter of trading – the price paid by the investor in the form of spreads and commissions. Legitimate brokers always provide transparency about this.

Rivobanc Maximum leverage

According to the homepage of the website, Rivobanc offers a maximum leverage of 1:500, but the descriptions of the different account types state a level of 1:50.

In either case, this indicates that Rivobanc could not really be a regulated broker based in Switzerland or an EU country.

Regulated brokers do not offer such levels to retail traders as trading with high leverage carries risks of sudden and excessive losses. A maximum leverage of 1:30 is allowed in the European Union. This maximum level only applies to trading major currency pairs, with even more limited leverage for more volatile assets.

Rivobanc Deposit and withdrawal methods

The Terms and Conditions of Rivobanc mention a bank account but do not provide clear information on the availability of payment methods.

Experience with scams of this type has shown that fraudsters direct their potential victims to payment methods that do not allow refunds or chargebacks, most commonly cryptocurrencies.

While there are some legitimate brokers that accept digital currencies like Bitcoin, they do so alongside other transparent payment methods such as credit/debit card or popular e-wallets like PayPal, Neteller or Skrill.

Rivobanc Minimum deposit

According to the homepage of the website, the minimum deposit is 250 USD, and according to the account descriptions – 250 EUR. For a much lower amount you could open a starter account with a well established broker.

Rivobanc Withdrawal requirements

Rivobanc promises zero deposit and withdrawal fees, but we have no reason to believe anything on this website.

According to the Terms and Conditions, trading profits are not considered client funds and in the event of a withdrawal, Rivobanc has “full right to reclaim any and all such funds”

Rivobanc also claims to offer bonuses, which is prohibited to regulated brokers. Scammers often use promises of supposedly generous bonuses to tie their potential victims to extortionate terms. Rivobanc does not provide clear information about the conditions attached to bonuses.