I. AFM Background and Regulatory Positioning

• Full name : Autoriteit Financiële Markten (Netherlands Authority for the Financial Markets)

• Official website : https://www.afm.nl

• Official email : [email protected]

Established in 2002 , the AFM is the core regulator for capital markets and investor protection in the Netherlands. Its main responsibilities include:

• Supervision of securities, foreign exchange and derivatives markets

• Management funds, asset managers and investment companies

• Supervision of financial advisors and intermediaries

• Review of financial advertising and information disclosure

• Release of investor warning list

Source: AFM About Page

II. AFM License Types

AFM is regulated in accordance with EU MiFID II and the Dutch Financial Supervision Act (Wft) . Its main licenses include:

• Investment Firms

• Asset Managers

• Financial Advisers / Intermediaries

• Stock Exchanges and Trading Venues

• Fund and UCITS/AIFMs Managers

Complete registration information can be verified on the AFM Public Register :

• AFM Public Register

3. How to verify the license on the AFM official website

1. Open the AFM Public Register .

2. Enter your company name or license number.

3. View the results:

• Company Name

• Registration Number

• Licence Category

• Status (Active/Deactivated)

• Address (registered address)

4. Compare the information on the company's official website to confirm whether it is consistent.

4. Real Licensed Company Cases

The following are the compliant organizations that can be found in the AFM register:

• ABN AMRO Bank NV — a major commercial bank in the Netherlands, holding multiple investment and securities services licenses.

• ING Bank NV — one of the largest banks in the Netherlands, registered with the AFM.

• Rabobank Nederland — Financial cooperative group, regulated by the AFM.

• Flow Traders NV — a well-known Dutch market maker, registered with the AFM.

V. Warning and Penalty Cases

• AFM Warnings : Regularly publishes unauthorized investment firms and high-risk platforms. ( AFM Warnings )

• Penalty announcement : AFM issues fines to firms for misleading advertising and providing investment services without a licence.

• Typical case : Several overseas CFD platforms were blacklisted by AFM and warned investors due to illegal marketing.

VI. Comparison with other regulatory agencies

7. Investor Precautions

1. Check the AFM Public Register to confirm whether the company is truly licensed.

2. Check whether it is included in the AFM warning list .

3. Compare the company's official website information with the AFM database to ensure consistency and prevent counterfeiting.

4. Be wary of unauthorized overseas CFD/Forex platforms, which often use the guise of "EU passports".

8. Conclusion

AFM is the most core financial regulatory agency in the Netherlands, overseeing the securities, foreign exchange, fund and derivatives markets. It has high transparency and its database is publicly accessible.
Real compliant institutions such as ABN AMRO, ING, Rabobank, etc. appear in the AFM register.

However, forex and CFD platforms with fake "AFM licenses" remain active. Investors must cross-check the AFM's official registration system with warning notices to effectively mitigate risks.