About Shard
Company Overview
Shard is a forex and CFD broker registered in the United Kingdom, operating under the domain shardmarkets.com. The company was founded on 21 October 2020, placing it among relatively new entrants in the retail trading space.
According to public regulatory records, Shard is authorised by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) under a Derivatives Trading License with Straight Through Processing (STP) execution. This licensing suggests the broker routes client orders directly to liquidity providers rather than trading against its clients. However, the current status of this FCA licence is listed as blank in industry databases, which may indicate a lapse or pending review of its regulatory standing.
Regulatory Status and Risk Assessment
The FCA is a tier-one regulator, but the blank status on Shard’s licence raises concerns about compliance and oversight. FXCanary’s internal risk evaluation assigns Shard a Scam Risk Score of 85 out of 100, categorised as ‘Severe.’ This score reflects the absence of independent user reviews, the unclear licence status, and the limited publicly available information about the broker’s operations.
Traders considering Shard should weigh the severe risk rating heavily. Without clear regulatory confirmation or a track record of client feedback, the broker presents a high level of uncertainty for potential clients.
Target Audience and Offering
Shard appears to target retail traders seeking access to leveraged forex and CFD products. Its STP execution model and UK registration imply a focus on transparency and regulatory compliance, at least in principle.
However, the lack of verifiable details about account types, trading platforms, instrument range, funding methods, and customer support makes it difficult to assess the broker’s suitability for different trader profiles. Prospective users should treat the offering as unverified until more concrete information emerges.
Overview compiled by FXCanary from regulatory records and public data. full Shard review