ZANK Spreads, leverage, minimum deposit Revealed

　　BASIC INFORMATION

　　ZANK, sometimes known as just Zank, is a well-known fraudulent scam that has been resurrected yet again. Some of the earlier iterations of this phony broker, such ZankFX and ZankGlobal, have already been examined by us. We'll go into great length in this review on why Zankmt4's claims to be a licensed and well-regarded broker are untrue and why you shouldn't trust them with your money.

　　ZANK REGULATION AND SAFETY OF FUNDS

　　The Australian Securities and Exchanges Commission makes authoritative-sounding assertions about Zankmt4's licensing and regulation on the website's home page (ASIC). The website's footer identifies Zank Capital Ltd as the company responsible for Zankmt4. The ASIC database contains such a firm, but there is no proof that it is connected to the Zankmt4 website. Because the official Australian registries do not provide information on the official domains of companies, many fraudsters take advantage of this. This enables scammers to improperly utilize the information of genuine businesses.

　　The fact that the legal paperwork makes reference to a second business with a UK address—Zank International Ltd.—confirms our hunch that this is the case. The registration information for the trading platform utilized by Zankmt4 also lists the same business.

　　However, Zank International Ltd is not listed among the companies authorised to provide financial services and products by the UK regulator, the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA):

　　Regarding its status as a licensed broker, Zankmt4 is plainly dishonest. In addition to making sure that all the information necessary by law is available, you should double-check that this information is accurate when choosing a broker through whom to invest in the financial markets. Always verify that the business is listed in the regulator's database and that the domain being used is one of those that has been authorized for use by the specific broker.

　　Selecting a business that is governed by a body like the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) in the US, the Australian Securities and Exchanges Commission (ASIC), the UK's Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), or an EU regulator like Cyprus Securities and Exchange Commission is advised depending on where you live (CySEC).

　　These brokers offer protections to their clients, including negative balance protection and segregation of customer and broker money. Brokers are also required to take part in guarantee programs in the EU and the UK, which protect a portion of the trader's money in the event that the broker goes bankrupt. The maximum value of these guarantees is 20,000 EUR in the EU and 80,000 GBP in the UK. The chance of such a bankruptcy, however, is minimal because regulators also impose large net capital requirements on businesses: EUR 730 000 in the UK and Cyprus, AUD 1000 000 in Australia, and at least USD 20 million in the United States.

　　ZANK TRADING SOFTWARE

　　Although it is a fake broker, Zankmt4 uses real trading software – MetaTrader 4 (MT4). Financial scammers often use trading platforms to fool their victims that their money is actually being invested. However, this trading is entirely fictitious and the money goes directly into the scammers pockets.

　　There are many of authorized brokers offering MT4 and/or the more recent MT5 software to customers. These platforms have become the norm in the industry due of their extensive feature set, which includes a multitude of customization choices, support for numerous accounts, the ability to create and utilize unique scripts for automated trading, as well as the ability to backtest trading techniques.

　　ZANK TRADING CONDITIONS

　　While the trading offered by Zankmt4 is not real, the trading conditions described on the website may serve as further evidence that this could not be a legitimate broker based in Australia or the UK.

　　LEVERAGES

　　The assertion that the Zankmt4 delivers leverage up to 1:500 is the first of these pieces of proof. High leverage improves the potential for larger profits but also raises the danger of unexpectedly large losses. Therefore, leverage is limited for retail trading by all major authorities. Leverage is restricted by the FCA, like EU authorities, to 1:30 for trading in significant currency pairings and to much lower levels for more volatile assets. Australia is presently subject to the same regulations.

　　PAYMENT METHOD

　　According to the website, the Zankmt4 accepts credit cards, bank transfers, TransferWise, and cryptocurrencies in addition to other payment options. However, there is just one choice in the deposit menu—transferring money through the little-known online service provider paytrust88 in MYR, THB, VND, and IDR. The corresponding Asian currencies' 100 USD equivalent is the required minimum deposit.

　　A wide range of open payment options, such as bank transfers, credit/debit cards, and well-known e-wallets like PayPal, Skrill, or Neteller, are frequently made available to customers by trustworthy brokers.