Deriv review
Deriv began trading in 1999 as Binary.com, a binary-options broker founded by Jean-Yves Sireau, and rebranded to Deriv in 2020 as it expanded into CFDs, multipliers and forex. Its signature products are synthetic indices, simulated instruments such as Volatility, Crash/Boom and Jump indices that trade 24/7 independent of real-world market hours, plus multipliers, a leveraged product with losses capped at the initial stake. The group is regulated in the EU through Malta's MFSA via Deriv Investments Europe Limited, and separately licensed in the UAE, Labuan, the British Virgin Islands, Vanuatu, Mauritius and the Cayman Islands; a further entity in St Vincent and the Grenadines carries no formal licence. Sireau stepped back from the CEO role in 2025, handing the position to long-time COO Rakshit Choudhary.
Deriv key facts
- Website: deriv.com
- Category: CFD, synthetic indices and multipliers broker
- Founded: 1999, as Binary.com
- Headquarters: Malaysia
- Regulation: MFSA Malta, plus entities in UAE, Labuan, BVI, Vanuatu, Mauritius and Cayman Islands
- Platforms: Deriv Trader, Deriv MT5, Deriv X, Deriv cTrader, Deriv Bot
- Minimum deposit: $5
- Max leverage: Up to 1:1000, capped at 1:30 for MFSA retail clients
- Signature products: Synthetic indices and multipliers
- CEO: Jean-Yves Sireau
- FYI Score: 92.8/100 (ranked #15 of the 136 CFD brokers we track)
Regulation & licences
- Deriv Investments Europe Limited is licensed by Malta's MFSA and passports across the EU; a separate UAE entity, Deriv Capital Contracts & Currencies LLC, is licensed by the UAE's Securities and Commodities Authority.
- Deriv (FX) Ltd in Labuan, Malaysia, Deriv (BVI) Ltd, Deriv (V) Ltd in Vanuatu, Deriv (Mauritius) Ltd and Deriv Investments Cayman Limited each hold a local licence, but oversight and investor protection vary considerably across these jurisdictions.
- Deriv (SVG) LLC, registered in St Vincent and the Grenadines, carries no formal financial-services licence and is used to onboard clients from regions the better-regulated entities cannot serve.
Costs & account types
- No separate commission on most Deriv products; the trading cost is built into the spread, with additional overnight or holding charges on multipliers and CFDs held past end of day.
- Minimum deposit is $5, among the lowest in the CFD and synthetic-indices space.
- Leverage varies by asset, entity and product, ranging up to roughly 1:1000 on some instruments; clients booked through the MFSA-regulated Malta entity are capped at EU retail limits of around 1:30 on major forex.
- Swap-free, Islamic-compliant account variants are available.
Platforms & tools
- Deriv Trader and the no-code Deriv Bot for automated strategies, both browser-based.
- MetaTrader 5, Deriv cTrader and Deriv X for traders who prefer a familiar third-party interface with Deriv's own pricing.
- Deriv GO, a simplified mobile app built around multipliers and CFDs.
Markets & instruments
- Synthetic indices, including Volatility, Crash/Boom and Jump indices, are Deriv's signature product: simulated instruments that trade 24/7, independent of real-world market hours or news events.
- Multipliers offer leveraged exposure with the loss capped at the initial stake, marketed as a lower-risk alternative to standard margin CFDs.
- CFDs are also available on forex, stock indices, commodities, cryptocurrencies and a range of individual equities.
Markets
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Platforms
Deriv Trader, MetaTrader 5, Deriv cTrader, Deriv X, Deriv Bot, Deriv GO
Who Deriv is for
Deriv suits traders specifically interested in synthetic indices, multipliers or algorithmic strategies via Deriv Bot, more than traders seeking mainstream forex or CFD pricing; clients should check which specific Deriv entity is onboarding them, since protections differ substantially between the Malta entity and the offshore ones.
Pros
- Long operating history since 1999 and an unusually wide, distinctive product range spanning synthetic indices, multipliers and CFDs.
- Very low $5 minimum deposit.
- Synthetic indices trade 24/7, including weekends, a genuine differentiator from standard forex and CFD brokers tied to real market hours.
- Wide platform choice, from the no-code Deriv Bot to MetaTrader 5, cTrader and Deriv X.
Cons
- Regulatory strength varies sharply by entity: the Malta MFSA licence is EU-recognised, but the BVI, Vanuatu, Mauritius and Cayman Islands entities, and especially the unregulated St Vincent and the Grenadines entity, offer materially weaker client protections.
- Synthetic indices and multipliers are proprietary, broker-priced instruments rather than exchange-traded products, a structural point worth flagging for anyone assessing pricing fairness.
- Leverage up to roughly 1:1000 on non-EU entities is far above the caps used by top-tier regulators.
- A 2025 CEO transition, with founder Jean-Yves Sireau stepping back after 25 years and Rakshit Choudhary taking over, adds some organizational change to track.
Deriv FAQ
What are synthetic indices?
Simulated, broker-generated instruments, such as Volatility, Crash/Boom and Jump indices, that trade 24/7 and are not tied to any real exchange or market hours. They are Deriv's signature product and the main reason many traders use the platform.
What is a multiplier on Deriv?
A leveraged product where losses are capped at the initial stake, marketed as a lower-risk alternative to standard margin CFDs since the position cannot go into negative balance.
Is Deriv regulated?
Yes for EU clients, via Malta's MFSA through Deriv Investments Europe Limited. Other Deriv entities in the UAE, Labuan, the British Virgin Islands, Vanuatu, Mauritius and the Cayman Islands carry local licences of varying strength, and the St Vincent and the Grenadines entity is unregulated.
What was Deriv previously called?
Binary.com. The company was founded in 1999 by Jean-Yves Sireau and rebranded to Deriv in 2020 as it expanded beyond binary options into CFDs, multipliers and forex.
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