XTB Launches Caller Verification Feature to Combat Vishing Scams

XTB launches caller verification to help protect retail trading clients from vishing scams and voice-phishing fraud worldwide.

Key Points:

• XTB launched an in-app caller verification feature that sends real-time push notifications, allowing clients to confirm whether an inbound call genuinely comes from an XTB representative, replacing the need for standard security questions.
• The launch follows a 442% surge in vishing attacks documented by CrowdStrike, a $38,000 client hack, and repeated FCA warnings about XTB impersonators operating clone sites across the UK.

XTB launched a new in-app caller verification feature on Tuesday, marking the Warsaw-listed broker’s latest move to counter the growing wave of voice-phishing attacks targeting retail trading clients.

Customers using the XTB app can now request a real-time push notification to verify whether an inbound call is genuinely coming from an XTB representative. Furthermore, the tool allows clients to skip standard security questions during support calls by approving a single push notification, streamlining the authentication process while reinforcing account protection.

XTB Launches Caller Verification Feature to Combat Vishing Scams

The rollout comes as the Polish broker simultaneously manages aggressive client acquisition and a persistent stream of impersonation attempts. The UK’s Financial Conduct Authority has repeatedly warned consumers in recent years about fraudsters operating under names such as “XTB Trading World,” “XTB Online,” and a near-identical clone site at xtbtrading.org, all of which exploit XTB‘s branding to solicit UK residents.

To underscore the urgency, XTB cited CrowdStrike’s 2025 Global Threat Report, which found that vishing attacks surged 442% between the first and second halves of 2024.

“The safety of our clients’ accounts is our top priority,” XTB Chief Executive Omar Arnaout said in a statement. He added that financial institutions must “lead with innovation and responsibility” as cyber threats evolve, and that he wants every client to feel “fully confident” during every interaction with the company.

A Pattern Broader Than One Broker

The threat extends well beyond XTB. Tallinn-based broker Admirals suffered a branding theft when fraudsters launched a fake crypto-trading site called AdmiralsFX last year. Meanwhile, Cyprus-headquartered Exante fell victim to a US scam in 2025 in which fraudsters opened a real JPMorgan Chase account to collect victim deposits, according to the firm’s compliance team.

Retail banks have already adopted push-based authentication broadly. PNC, U.S. Bank, and a long list of European lenders now run similar approval flows for logins and card transactions. CFD brokers, however, have been slow to follow. Hong Kong’s Securities and Futures Commission has spent the past year pressing brokers to adopt SMS verification and has banned broker text links following a string of phishing attacks on retail traders.

The scale of the problem is significant. A Nasdaq Verafin report published in March placed 2025 cyber-enabled fraud losses at $14.3 billion globally, with investment scams topping the list of authorized push payment fraud categories for the first time.

XTB‘s feature sits inside the existing app rather than functioning as a standalone authentication product, slotting into a market segment that retail banks have built out for several years and that brokers are only now beginning to address.

Security Push Arrives Amid Rapid Expansion

This verification feature follows the addition of a kill switch to the XTB investment app in March, and it responds directly to an alleged hack that cost one Polish client $38,000 and compelled the company to overhaul its security policies.

The launch arrives during one of the most expansive periods in XTB‘s 22-year history. The broker added 864,286 new clients in 2025, a 73% increase that pushed its total client base past 2.16 million and management has set a target of at least one million new accounts in 2026.

That growth, however, has come at a financial cost. Marketing expenditure climbed nearly 70% last year to PLN 584.9 million, which pushed full-year net profit down 25% to PLN 644.2 million despite the company posting record revenue.

Looking ahead, the caller verification tool forms part of a broader product roadmap that includes margin trading, 24/5 trading hours, options, and cryptocurrency offerings. Through these moves, XTB positions itself to compete directly with Robinhood, Interactive Brokers, and Trade Republic for European retail accounts.

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