How to check if a crypto trading website is real

Updated 9 November 2026

Seven checks

1. 1. Who sent you there?

   A stranger online, a dating match or a group "professor" is the most common sign of a fake platform.

2. 2. Is it registered?

   Look the company up on FINRA BrokerCheck and the NFA's BASIC search. Firms that offer investing to Americans should be there.

3. 3. How old is the website?

   Fake platforms are often only weeks or months old. Search the site's name with "WHOIS" to see when it was created.

4. 4. Can you withdraw?

   Being asked for a fee, a tax or a deposit before a withdrawal means it's fake.

5. 5. Are the returns realistic?

   Steady, big daily gains are a script.

6. 6. Where's the app?

   Apps you install from a link instead of the official app store are a warning sign.

7. 7. Search the name

   Search it with the word "scam", and check our warning list.

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Common questions