Beware! Alpha Pro Assets is an offshore broker! Your investment may be at risk.
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If the claims on the Alpha Pro Assets website are to be believed, this is an established, award-winning and regulated forex broker operating in one of the leading global financial centres. But it would be a mistake to trust such boasts without subjecting them to verification. And verification shows that Alpha Pro Assets is none of the things it claims to be. Let’s take a detailed look at why Alpha Pro Assets is in fact a scam, and you should under no circumstances trust it with your money.
Alpha Pro Assets Regulation and safety of funds
Guaranteed Funds | Segregated Accounts | Negative balance protection | |
Alpha Pro Assets | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ |
UK regulated brokers | £85 000 | Yes | Yes |
EU regulated brokers | €20 000 | Yes | Yes |
AU regulated brokers | No | Yes | Yes |
US regulted brokers | Yes | Yes | No |
The first and primary clue to the fraudulent nature of Alpha Pro Assets is the complete anonymity of this website. Nowhere is the name of the company behind this supposed broker listed. The text of the Terms and Conditions also does not include a legal company name and other specific information, rendering the document legally invalid.
Alpha Pro Assets claims to be based in London and even provides an image of a purported business licence. But this document is also obviously fake due to the lack of a company name.
To operate as a broker in this jurisdiction a company needs the appropriate licence from the Financial Conduct Authority. But in the registry of the regulator we find just the opposite – a warning that Alpha Pro Assets is unlicensed.
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. Licensed financial services providers are also required to provide a comprehensive set of legal documentation.
If you want to trade on financial markets without being scammed, you can turn to some of the legitimate brokers that actually operate from established financial hubs like the UK. These brokers have to meet stringent requirements for financial stability and transparency of operations imposed by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA). They must provide clients with negative balance protection and to participate in a guarantee fund that covers up to GBP 85,000 of a client’s investment should the broker go into insolvency. These brokers are also required to keep their clients’ money segregated from their own operating funds in separate bank accounts.
Alpha Pro Assets Trading software
Analytical tools | Auto trading | Custom indicators | Mobile apps | |
Alpha Pro Assets platform | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ |
MT4 | 30+ indicators | ✅ | ✅ | Android and iOS |
MT5 | 50+ indicators | ✅ | ✅ | Android and iOS |
cTrader | 40+ indicators | ✅ | ✅ | Android and iOS |
Alpha Pro Assets promises the popular trading software MetaTrader 5 (MT5). But after signing up for an account, you only get access to a poor imitation of trading software that has nothing to do with MetaTrader or any other established platform.
But even if Alpha Pro Assets had a more convincing platform, that would not make this website credible. Fake brokers use rigged trading software to mislead their victims that their money is really being invested. But this trade is entirely sham.
It is advisable to contact one of the many legitimate brokers that offer MT5 or the still very popular MT4. These platforms have established themselves as leaders because they offer a wide range of features, including a wide variety of options for customization, multiple account usage, designing and implementing custom scripts for automated trading and backtesting trade strategies.
Alpha Pro Assets Trading instruments
Currency | Stocks | Indices | Crypto | Commodities | |
Alpha Pro Assets | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | x |
XM | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes |
FP Markets | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Octa | x | x | x | x | x |
Alpha Pro Assets advertises trading in tens of thousands of instruments, including cryptocurrencies. But this anonymous website has neither legal authorisation nor real trading software. Moreover, FCA regulations prohibit brokers from offering cryptocurrency trading.
In addition, Alpha Pro Assets offers binary options trading, which is also prohibited in the United Kingdom and many other regulated jurisdictions.
Alpha Pro Assets Spreads and cost of trading
Alpha Pro Assets | XM | FP Markets | Octa | |
Spread EURUSD | ❌ | 0.6 | 1.2 | 0.9 |
Spread GBPUSD | ❌ | 1.3 | 1.5 | x |
Spread USDJPY | ❌ | 1.3 | 1.5 | x |
Alpha Pro Assets does not provide any information regarding price and other underlying trading parameters. Instead, we see promises of guaranteed profits on the website.
A genuine broker will not and cannot promise you guaranteed profits. In fact, licensed companies are obliged by regulators to warn their clients about the high risk of losses when trading financial instruments.
Alpha Pro Assets Maximum leverage
Forex | Stocks | Crypto | Gold | Indices | |
Alpha Pro Assets | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ |
UK regulated brokers | 30:1 | 5:1 | ❌ | 10:1 | 10:1 |
EU regulated brokers | 30:1 | 5:1 | 2:1 | 10:1 | 10:1 |
AU regulated brokers | 30:1 | 5:1 | 2:1 | 10:1 | 10:1 |
US regulated brokers | 50:1 | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ |
High leverage creates the opportunity for more significant profit, but correspondingly increases the risk of sudden and excessive losses. All leading regulators therefore restrict leverage for retail traders. The FCA, like EU regulators, limits leverage to 1:30 for trading in major currency pairs and even lower levels for more volatile assets.
Regulated brokers offer higher leverage only to professional clients who must meet very high standards for capital and experience and forgo the guarantees enjoyed by retail traders.
If you don’t qualify as a professional trader but are willing to take the risk of high-leverage trading, the most viable option is to use the services of an offshore affiliate of an established brand.
Alpha Pro Assets Deposit and withdrawal methods
Deposit time | Withdrawal time | Price | |
Crypto | 24 hours | 24 hours | Fee depends on crypto |
Alpha Pro Assets’ deposit menu theoretically includes multiple options, but in practice the only option actualy available is a transfer to a bitcoin wallet.
Scammers prefer cryptocurrencies because these transactions are not subject to refunds. 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.
Alpha Pro Assets Minimum deposit
Alpha Pro Assets | XM | FP Markets | Octa | |
Minimum deposit | $500 | $5 | $100 | $100 |
Alpha Pro Assets requires a minimum investment of 500 USD. For 50 USD or even as little as 5 USD, you could open a trading account with a truly licensed and award-winning broker.
Alpha Pro Assets Withdrawal requirements
Trading volume | Fee/Tax on withdrawal | Minimum withdrawal | |
Alpha Pro Assets | Not specified | Not specified | Not specified |
UK regulated brokers | No | No | No |
EU regulated brokers | No | No | No |
AU regulated brokers | No | No | No |
US regulated brokers | No | No | No |
Since Alpha Pro Assets does not provide proper legal documentation, it is unclear what traps the fraudsters may have set. Typically, fake brokers make withdrawing money impossible through huge fees and impossible-to-fulfil traded volume conditions.