CFTC/SEC Investor Alert: Binary Options and Fraud

The Commodity Futures Trading Commission’s (CFTC) Office of Consumer Outreach and the Securities & Exchange Commission’s Office of Investor Education and Advocacy are issuing this Investor Alert to warn about fraudulent schemes involving binary options and their trading platforms. These schemes allegedly include refusing to credit customer accounts, denying fund reimbursement, identity theft, and manipulation of software to generate losing trades.

• If the outcome of the yes/no proposition (in this case, that the share price of XYZ Company will be above $5 per share at the specified time) is satisfied and the customer is entitled to receive the promised return, the binary option is said to expire “in the money.” If, however, the outcome of the yes/no proposition is not satisfied, the binary option is said to expire “out of the money,” and the customer may lose the entire deposited sum.

There are variations of binary option contracts in which a binary option that expires out of the money may entitle the customer to receive a refund of some small portion of the deposit—for example, 5%—but that is not typically the case.

In fact, some binary options Internet-based trading platforms may overstate the average return on investment by advertising a higher average return on investment than a customer should expect given the payout structure. For instance, in the example above, assuming a 50/50 chance of winning, the payout structure has been designed in such a way that the expected return on investment is actually negative, resulting in a net loss to the customer. This is because the consequence if the option expires out of the money (approximately a 100% loss) significantly outweighs the payout if the option expires in the money (approximately a 50% gain). In other words, in the example above, an investor could expect, on average, to lose money.

The CFTC and SEC have received numerous complaints of fraud associated with websites that offer an opportunity to buy or trade binary options through Internet-based trading platforms. The complaints fall into at least three categories: refusal to credit customer accounts or reimburse funds to customers; identity theft; and manipulation of software to generate losing trades.

The first category of alleged fraud involves the refusal of certain Internet-based binary options trading platforms to credit customer accounts or reimburse funds after accepting customer money. These complaints typically involve customers who have deposited money into their binary options trading account and who are then encouraged by “brokers” over the telephone to deposit additional funds into the customer account. When customers later attempt to withdraw their original deposit or the return they have been promised, the trading platforms allegedly cancel customers’ withdrawal requests, refuse to credit their accounts, or ignore their telephone calls and emails.

The second category of alleged fraud involves identity theft. For example, some complaints allege that certain Internet-based binary options trading platforms may be collecting customer information such as credit card and driver’s license data for unspecified uses. If a binary options Internet-based trading platform requests photocopies of your credit card, driver’s license, or other personal data, do not provide the information.

The third category of alleged fraud involves the manipulation of the binary options trading software to generate losing trades. These complaints allege that the Internet-based binary options trading platforms manipulate the trading software to distort binary options prices and payouts. For example, when a customer’s trade is “winning,” the countdown to expiration is extended arbitrarily until the trade becomes a loss.

In addition to ongoing fraudulent activity, many binary options trading platforms may be operating in violation of other applicable laws and regulations, including certain registration and regulatory requirements of the CFTC and SEC, as described below.

For example, some binary options may be securities. Under the federal securities laws, a company may not lawfully offer or sell securities unless the offer and sale have been registered with the SEC or an exemption from such registration applies. For example, if the terms of a binary option contract provide for a specified return based on the price of a company’s securities, the binary option contract is a security and may not be offered or sold without registration, unless an exemption from registration is available. If there is no registration or exemption, then the offer or sale of the binary option to you would be illegal.

If any of the products offered by binary options trading platforms are security-based swaps, additional requirements will apply.

In addition, some binary options trading platforms may be operating as unregistered broker-dealers. A person who engages in the business of effecting securities transactions for the accounts of others in the U.S. generally must register with the SEC as a broker-dealer. If a binary options trading platform is offering to buy or sell securities, effecting transactions in securities, and/or receiving transaction-based compensation (such as commissions), it likely should be registered with the SEC. to determine whether a particular trading platform is registered with the SEC as a broker-dealer, visit FINRA’s BrokerCheck.

Some binary options trading platforms may also be operating as unregistered securities exchanges. This would be the case if they matched orders in securities of multiple buyers and sellers using established non- discretionary methods. However, there are cases where a registered broker-dealer with a trading system or platform may legitimately have no obligation to register as an exchange.

It is illegal for entities to solicit, accept offers, offer to or enter into commodity options transactions (for example, foreign currencies, metals such as gold and silver, and agricultural products such as wheat or corn) with U.S. citizens, unless those options transactions are conducted on a designated contract market, an exempt board of trade, or a bona fide foreign board of trade, or are conducted with U.S. customers who have a net worth that exceeds $5 million.

To see the most recent list of exchanges that are designated as contract markets, check the CFTC website.  There currently are only three designated contract markets offering binary options in the U.S.: Cantor Exchange LP; Chicago Mercantile Exchange, Inc.; and the North American Derivatives Exchange, Inc.  All other entities offering binary options that are commodity options transactions are doing so illegally.

Further entities that solicit or accept orders for commodity options transactions and accept, among other things, money to margin, guarantee, or secure the commodity options transactions must register as a Futures Commission Merchant. Entities that act as the counterparty (that is, they take the other side of the transaction from the customer as opposed to matching orders) for foreign currency options transactions for customers with a net worth of less than $5 million must register as a Retail Foreign Exchange Dealer.

Because of their lack of compliance with applicable laws, if you purchase binary options offered by persons or entities that are not registered with or subject to the oversight of a U.S. regulator, you may not have the full benefit of the safeguards of the federal securities and commodities laws that have been put in place to protect investors, as some safeguards and remedies are available only in the context of registered offerings. In addition, individual investors may not be able to pursue, on their own, some remedies that are available for unregistered offerings.

• Remember—much of the binary options market operates through Internet-based trading platforms that are not necessarily complying with applicable U.S. regulatory requirements and may be engaging in illegal activity.
• Do not invest in something that you do not understand. If you cannot explain the investment opportunity in a few words and in an understandable way, you may need to reconsider the potential investment.
• Before investing in binary options, you should take the following precautions:
  1. Check to see if the binary options trading platform has registered the offer and sale of the product with the SEC. Registration provides investors access to key information about the terms of the product being offered. You can use EDGAR to determine whether an issuer has registered the offer and sale of a particular product with the SEC.
  2. Check to see if the binary options trading platform itself is registered as an exchange. To determine whether the platform is registered as an exchange, you can check the SEC’s website regarding Exchanges.
  3. Check to see if the binary options trading platform is a designated contract market. To determine whether an entity is a designated contract market, you can check the CFTC’s website.
• Finally, before investing, use FINRA’s BrokerCheck and the National Futures Association’s Background Affiliation Status Information Center (BASIC) to check the registration status and background of any firm or financial professional that you are considering. If you cannot verify that they are registered, don’t trade with them, don’t give them any money, and don’t share your personal information with them.

• SEC Investor Information
• CFTC Consumer Protection Information