BTPStocks review – 5 things you should know about btpstocks.io

Beware! BTPStocks 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.

BTPStocks is part of a group of fraudulent websites posing as legitimate forex brokers. In this review, we will take a detailed look at how to recognize such scams and how to select trustworthy financial service providers.

BTPStocks Regulation and safety of funds

If a financial services provider is legitimate, you will find on its website clear and detailed information about the company that owns and operates it, where it is based, and what licences it has. Genuine brokers also provide access to a comprehensive set of legal documentation.

The availability of such information does not guarantee that it is not false or misleading. But the absence of these elements is very indicative that in all likelihood you are dealing with scammers.

BTPStocks claims to offer its services in Europe and provides an office address in Monaco.

But nowhere on the website is a company name given. The text of the Terms and Conditions also does not specify a legal entity name or applicable jurisdiction.

An image of a Vanuatu offshore incorporation certificate can be found on the website.

The document is in the name of Credit Financier Invest Limited. This offshore company is listed as the owner of other shady brokers we have reviewed – Sbtradetek, ReoTrader, ExtraDex and Instant Stock System.

We doubt that there is any real connection between this company and the scam websites. But even if this is their real owner, offshore registration does not give a company the right to offer its services in European regulated jurisdictions.

If you have decided to invest in financial instruments, and especially if you are a novice trader, you should use the services of a licensed broker based in a jurisdiction with strong regulations.

Depending on your location, it is advisable to choose a company that is regulated by an institution such as Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) in the US, Australian Securities and Exchanges Commission (ASIC), UK’s Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) or some EU regulator like Cyprus Securities and Exchange Commission (CySEC).

Clients of these brokers receive protections such as negative balance protection and segregation of the client’s funds from the broker’s funds.  In the EU and the UK, brokers must also participate in guarantee schemes that cover a certain amount of the trader’s investment if the broker becomes insolvent. These guarantees amount to up to 20 000 EUR in the EU and 85 000 GBP in the UK.

However, the likelihood of such a bankruptcy is low because regulators also have significant net capital requirements that companies must maintain – EUR 730 000 in UK and Cyprus, AUD 1000 000 in Australia and at least 20 million USD in the United States.

BTPStocks Trading software

After registering an account, we get access to a pretty basic web trading platform that doesn’t feature extensive customization options or advanced functionality. We’ve seen the exact same platform being used by multiple fake brokers we’ve encountered.

Scammers are using rigged trading software to fool their victims into believing that their money is really being invested and even turning a profit.

While this platform has the basic functionality to place orders, it cannot compare to the capabilities provided by MetaTrader 4 (MT4) and MetaTrader 5 (MT5). It is no coincidence that these platforms have established themselves as the industry standard.

They offer a wide range of features, including a variety of options for customization, multiple account usage, designing and implementing custom scripts for automated trading and backtesting trade strategies.

BTPStocks Trading instruments

BTPStocks advertises that it offers trading in all major asset classes. However, no detailed information on trading conditions can be found on the website.

BTPStocks Spreads and cost of trading

In the trading platform we see a rather disadvantageous spread of 2 pips, besides it is not clear if BTPStocks charges additional commissions.

BTPStocks Maximum leverage

BTPStocks offers a maximum leverage of 1:100, which is further proof that it is not a regulated broker operating in the EU.

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 and the United Kingdom and 1:50 in the United States.

Another such evidence is BP Stocks’ claim that it offers bonuses. Regulated brokers are prohibited from offering bonuses and promotions. Scammers often use promises of supposedly generous bonuses to tie their potential victims to extortionate terms. BP Stocks does not provide clear information about the conditions attached to bonuses.

If you are nevertheless willing to take the risk of high-leverage trading and want to take advantage of bonuses, promotions and prize games, the best option is to use the services of offshore brokers operating under an established brand.

BTPStocks Deposit and withdrawal methods

We weren’t at all surprised that the only payment method accepted by  BTPStocks is cryptocurrencies.

Cryptocurrencies are the payment method of choice for most financial scammers. The reason for this is that on the one hand cryptocurrencies provide a degree of anonymity and on the other hand they do not allow the defrauded person to ask for a refund.

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, bank transfer or popular e-wallets like PayPal, Neteller or Skrill.

BTPStocks Minimum deposit

BTPStocks requires a minimum deposit of 150 USD. For the same or often lower amount you could open a starter trading account with an established broker.

BTPStocks Withdrawal requirements

The only withdrawal condition stated in the BTPStocks documentation is that such transactions are not allowed 20 banking days after registration. But you can expect hidden fees and other unpleasant surprises when dealing with such fishy websites.