A broker entity is the specific licensed company that holds your account, as opposed to the brand printed on the website. Large firms run several: a UK company authorised by the FCA, a Cyprus company under CySEC, an Australian one under ASIC and frequently an offshore subsidiary — all sharing one name, one platform and one support team.
Which entity you are onboarded to is decided by your country of residence during registration, and it, not the brand, determines the leverage you are offered, whether negative balance protection applies, which compensation scheme covers your money and where a complaint can be escalated. The entity name and licence number appear in the client agreement and the footer of the legal pages, rarely on the marketing pages. Checking that specific company on the regulator's register — not the brand — is the verification that means anything before a deposit.
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Guide
How a Broker Holds Your Money
Segregated accounts, regulatory capital and compensation schemes are three different protections that get described in one sentence. What each covers, what it does not, and how to check which apply to you.