The UK's Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has been challenging Contracts for Differences (CFD) firms that misuse their authorized status to mislead consumers, particularly by using their UK authorization as a badge for linked overseas companies. This creates a misleading impression that consumers are dealing with a UK-regulated firm and benefit from UK protections when they do not. As a result of this crackdown, 21 CFD firms have closed since 2025, and three additional firms are currently cancelling their permissions. The FCA has taken various actions, including restricting trading abilities and opening enforcement investigations in serious cases.