Malaysian Watchdog Warns of Admiral Markets Clone

Malaysia’s financial regulator has backlisted yet another group of FX and investment websites, citing their brands are not authorised to operate in the country.
The most notable addition to the warning list of the Securities Commission (SC) is a clone firm that was apparently claiming affiliation with Admiral Markets, a multi-regulated FX and CFDs brokerage firm.
The original  is licensed by the UK ‎Financial ‎Conduct Authority (FCA), the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC), and the Cyprus Securities and Exchange Commission (CySEC). The regulatory approvals allow the brokerage firm to offer a set of financial services and ‎also approved to ‎provide cross-border services across the EU / EEA under ‎European passport rights.‎
However, Admiral Markets’ European authorisation does not entail passporting rights to promote its products in Malaysia.
Elsewhere,  has red-flagged a set of FX and crypto firms including Pocket Option, Forex Islamic Account, Syarikat Tiens Syariah and HM Wealth Management.
Huobi Gets approval to Operate in Malaysia
The watchdog advises its citizens not to make use of such services nor to make any investment with companies or individuals that are not approved or licensed by the SC.
Anyone who engages in regulated activities without a valid license or registration from the SC is committing an offence under the Capital Markets and Services Act 2007. If convicted, they may be punished with imprisonment of up to ten years and fined.
However, Malaysia is bracing for the arrival of crypto businesses. Earlier in November, the country’s financial watchdog allowed cryptocurrency exchange, Huobi, a former ‘big three’ platform, to launch regulated services in Malaysia through a local partnership model. Named ‘Huobi Labuan,’ the company has received a digital asset trading brokerage services license in September.
After the initial filing, they get up to nine months to meet the SC’s regulation standards, during which the exchange is permitted to provide spot and derivatives trading services.
Malaysian law requires cryptocurrency exchanges to register as Digital Assets Exchanges with the SC. Following a nine-month-long probationary period, Huobi Labuan would be eligible to receive full approval from the local securities watchdog.