- A brokerage is built in layers: entity, platform, liquidity, payments and compliance.
- Every partner, including MetaQuotes, banks and PSPs, starts by reviewing your company.
- A Saint Lucia IBC is a common first entity for brokers serving international clients.
- Plan the bank account early, because MetaQuotes asks for a bank reference letter.
1. Define your business model
Decide what you will offer (FX and CFDs on indices, commodities or crypto), which clients you will serve and which you will exclude, and how you will earn (spreads, commissions, swaps). Also decide whether you will pass orders to liquidity providers (A-book), internalise risk (B-book) or run a hybrid. These choices shape your jurisdiction, your terms and what you tell MetaQuotes and banks.
2. Choose a jurisdiction
If you serve international retail clients outside regulated markets, a Saint Lucia IBC is a fast, cost-efficient starting point: no local FSRA licence is currently required for FX/CFD services to non-residents of Saint Lucia and CARICOM. If your core market is the EU, UK or Australia, you need a licence there. See our jurisdiction comparison.
3. Incorporate the company
- Company with forex, brokerage and financial services objects.
- Registered agent and registered office.
- Clear ownership down to the UBO, with nominees only if you really need them.
- Legal opinion confirming the company’s activities.
- Proof of a physical operating address.
For a Saint Lucia IBC, incorporation typically takes 3–5 business days, and the supporting documents take about one more week.
4. Open banking and payment channels
You need a corporate bank account (MetaQuotes asks for a bank reference letter) and payment channels for client deposits and withdrawals: EMIs, card acquirers, local payment methods and crypto processors. Start early, because onboarding can take longer than company formation.
5. Apply for your MT5 license
With your entity, bank letter and a compliant website ready, apply to MetaQuotes. The signatory and UBO complete SumSub verification, and the first payment covers three months of license fees. Choose the tier that fits your expected number of real accounts: Entry (up to 1,000), Standard (up to 25,000) or Enterprise (up to 200,000). See the MT5 license guide.
6. Set up technology and liquidity
- MT5 server hosting (close to your liquidity for low latency).
- A bridge connecting MT5 to your liquidity providers.
- A CRM and client portal (trader room) for onboarding, KYC and payments.
- Risk management tools and reporting.
7. Put compliance in place
Client agreement, risk disclosure, privacy policy, AML/KYC procedures, complaints handling and a list of restricted countries. Make sure your website shows the company name, registered and physical addresses, contact details, a risk warning and a jurisdiction disclaimer. MetaQuotes checks all of these.
8. Go live and keep the company in good standing
Test deposits, trading and withdrawals end-to-end before onboarding real clients. Then keep your corporate house in order: annual renewals, up-to-date registers, a current good-standing certificate and consistent records. Your partners will ask for these again.
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take to start a forex broker?
The Saint Lucia entity and MetaQuotes document pack can be ready in about two weeks. Banking, MetaQuotes review, technology and liquidity usually determine the overall launch date.
Do I need a licence to start a forex broker?
It depends on where your clients are. A Saint Lucia IBC serving non-resident clients outside Saint Lucia and CARICOM does not currently need an FSRA licence, but regulated markets such as the EU, UK and Australia require local authorisation.