Pocket Option is one of the more prominent names in the binary options sector, known for its straightforward sign–up process, low barriers to entry, and wide selection of short–term contracts. It offers binary options with a payout percentage up to 95%, which has helped this platform attract a lot of beginners.
Founded in 2017 and operated by Gembell Limited, it has built a sizable international client base. The platform offers a mix of basic and advanced features aimed at attracting both newcomers and more experienced binary options traders.
Platform and Trading Experience
Pocket Option’s interface is clean but geared toward quick execution rather than deep technical analysis. The main trading screen shows live price charts, an order placement panel, and a payout percentage display. Expiry times start at just 60 seconds, extending to several hours, but the platform’s marketing leans heavily toward rapid–fire trades.
You can switch between assets without leaving the chart, and while there are built–in indicators such as moving averages, MACD, and RSI, serious chart–based traders might still prefer to run analysis on external tools before placing trades. Pocket Option also supports social and copy trading features, letting you replicate trades from other users in real time.
On independent review sites, traders have reported issues with platform manipulation and being blocked from the platform without recourse.
Assets Available
The broker offers binary options on over 100 assets across several categories, including:
- Forex pairs (majors, minors, and exotics)
- Cryptocurrencies (Bitcoin, Ether, Litecoin, and others)
- Commodities (including metals and energies)
- Stock indices and individual shares
Examples of available currency pairs
EUR/USD, AUD/CHF, AUD/NZD, AUD/USD
CAD/JPY, CHF/JPY, EUR/NZD, NZD/USD
USD/CAD, EUR/TRY, USD/CLP, USD/PKR
USD/COP, USD/IDR, USD/BDT, BHD/CNY
QAR/CNY, KES/USD, USD/RUB, EUR/RUB
USD/MYR, USD/THB, USD/VND, USD/EGP
USD/MXN, USD/BRL, YER/USD, LBP/USD
TND/USD, AED/CNY, JOD/CNY, USD/CHF
AUD/NZD, USD/DZD, EUR/HUF, USD/JPY
EUR/CHF, GBP/JPY, USD/INR, USD/PHP
AUD/JPY, EUR/NZD, USD/ARS, GBP/AUD
EUR/TRY, USD/PKR, MAD/USD, NZD/JPY
USD/SGD, USD/COP, USD/CNH, CHF/NOK
SAR/CNY, USD/BDT, CAD/CHF, OMR/CNY
USD/IDR, USD/CLP
Examples of available cryptocurrencies
Bitcoin, Cardano, Dogecoin, Litecoin, Ripple, Binance Coin,
Toncoin, Avalanche, Polygon, Polkadot, Ether (Ethereum), Chainlink, Solana, TRON
Examples of available commodities
Energies: Brent Oil, WTO Crude Oil, Natural Gas
Metals: Gold, Silver, Platinum, Palladium
Examples of available stocks
Apple, Microsoft, Meta (Facebook), Intel, Johnson & Johnson, Boeing, American Express, Citigroup, FedEx, Pfizer, Cisco, Netflix, McDonald’s, ExxonMobil, Alibaba, Tesla, Amazon
Examples of available stock indices
AUS 200, US100, E35EUR, 100GBP, F40EUR, JPN225, D30EUR, E50EUR, SP500, DJI30
Payouts
Payout percentages can reach as high as 95% in favorable conditions, though they fluctuate depending on asset volatility, liquidity, and time of day.
Deposits and Withdrawals
Pocket Option supports a wide variety of payment methods, including credit/debit cards, bank transfers, cryptocurrency transfers, and e-wallets such as Skrill, Neteller, and in certain regions, PayPal.
The minimum deposit is typically $50, higher than some competitors like IQ Option.
Withdrawals are usually processed within 24 hours for verified accounts, though bank transfers and certain e-wallets can take longer depending on the financial institution involved. Crypto withdrawals tend to be the fastest.
Traders have reported withdrawal difficulties.
Ownership and Regulation
Pocket Option is owned and operated by Gembell Limited. This company was incorporated in 2017 and is registered in the Republic of the Marshall Islands, an island countryin the Micronesia region of the Northwestern Pacific Ocean.
Pocket Option is using a license from the International Financial Market Relations Regulation Center (IFMRRC). This is not a government-level financial regulator; it is simply a business that you can register with.
Important: Gembell Limited is based in the Marshall Islands, but IFMRRC is not a Marshall Islands financial authority.
The registered office address for Gembell Limited is Trust Company Complex, Ajeltake Road, Ajeltake Island, Majuro, Republic of the Marshall Islands. Registration number: 86967. IFMRRC license number: TSRF RU 0395 AA Vv0209.
The IFMRRC
The International Financial Market Relations Regulation Center (IFMRRC) is a business that offers licensing to brokers and trading platforms. The sites ifmrrc.co, ifmrrc.com, and ifmrrc-global.com does not list any headquarter or business address for the IFMRRC, nor is there a phone number available.
- General Questions: info@fmrrc.com
- Customer Support Service: support@fmrrc.com
- Claims Consideration: claim@ifmrrc.com
- Certificate Application: certificate@ifmrrc.com
The IFMRRC is not considered a reputable license giver. It fails to provide any information about its founders and owners, where it is based, and exactly how it works to protect traders.
Several of the trading platforms that operate under an IFMRRC license has been flagged by official regulators in Europe (including Poland, France, and Spain) for alleged fraudulent activity.
Unverified claims link the IFMRRC to a type of scam where traders who report fraudulent brokers to the license giver and are told they will be awarded compensation, but not until they have paid a fee. Once the fee is paid, no compensation materializes.
Strengths and Weaknesses
Strengths
- High payout percentages compared to many competitors (up to 95%)
- Large selection of tradable assets
- Social and copy trading features
- Wide range of payment methods, including crypto and in some areas PayPal. Accepting cryptocurrency transfers make Pocket Option stand out.
- Simple interface suited for rapid trading
- The minimum trade size is just $1.
Weaknesses
- Regulated by the IFMRCC
- Strong emphasis on ultra–short–term trades
- Higher minimum deposit ($50) than some of the competitors
- Traders have reported withdrawal difficulties
Why Choose Pocket Option?
Pocket Option attracts traders who want fast-paced, high-payout binary options trading without the heavier restrictions found on more tightly regulated platforms. Its ability to offer up to 95% payouts on certain assets is a major draw for those looking to maximize potential returns in short time frames.
The platform’s asset variety (forex pairs, commodities, stocks, and a strong lineup of cryptocurrencies) means traders can move between markets quickly without switching brokers.
The copy trading feature provides a way to follow other traders’ moves in real time, which can be appealing for both beginners and those looking to test different strategies.
Funding flexibility is another reason traders choose Pocket Option. With support for cards, e-wallets, cryptocurrencies, and in some regions PayPal, the broker makes it relatively easy to move money in and out. Cryptocurrency deposits and withdrawals, in particular, tend to be processed faster than traditional methods. Many other binary options platforms do not accept deposits and withdrawals through cryptocurrency transfers, so this makes Pocket Option stand out from the crowd.
For traders in jurisdictions where mainstream regulated brokers don’t offer binary options, Pocket Option’s offshore registration allows access to a wide set of products and expiry times. While this comes with added risk, it’s also what makes the broker available in more regions than many competitors.
In short, Pocket Option is chosen by traders who value variety, speed, flexible conditions, and a high payout potential. For some, the cryptocurrency transfers are also important. This freedom comes with the trade-off of almost non-existent regulatory oversight. If something goes wrong, do not expect must help, if any, from the Marshall Islands or the International Financial Market Relations Regulation Center (IFMRRC). In fact, the IFMRRC might even try to run their own little con on you, encouraging you to pay a fee to apply for compensation.