Based in Limassol, Cyprus, Exness is a multi-asset broker with a compelling offering. Since its launch in 2008, it has become a leading player in the market with a significant global presence.
The broker’s clients can trade CFDs on currencies, indices, commodities, shares, and cryptocurrencies through MetaTrader 4 and MetaTrader 5, as well as the proprietary Exness Terminal platform and Exness Trade App.
Exness goes bigger and better than competitors in several key areas. I encountered the largest range of tradable currency pairs of any broker I have tested. It also minimizes account-related fees and provides raw spreads through its professional account types.
Additionally, Exness goes the extra mile with features like third-party research from Trading Central and free VPS hosting.
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With a range of account types, platforms, and features such as 1-click trading, Exness is well-suited for scalpers, day traders, and algo traders.
Free VPS hosting allows traders to execute automated trading strategies without being affected by their personal desktop or internet connectivity limitations.
Additionally, social trading introduces an extra layer of engagement, allowing Exness clients to invest in the strategies of other traders or earn money by sharing their own.
Exness is a versatile broker designed to serve both new and experienced traders. Beginners can benefit from the Cent account, which offers access to the user-friendly Trading Terminal platform, allowing them to limit their risk in the live market.
Advanced traders have access to the MetaTrader platform, sophisticated trading tools, and the opportunity to utilize extremely high leverage through the offshore entity regulated by FSA Seychelles.
Exness has made efforts to maintain affordable costs for its clients. It distinguishes itself by not imposing deposit or withdrawal fees (some payment providers may charge their own fees), and swap fees are also waived in most cases. Transparent price history, including tick-level data for all instruments, is readily available.
Another unique feature is the unusually broad selection of instruments in certain categories like forex and crypto. The proprietary Exness Terminal platform merges user-friendliness with advanced features, including analysis from Trading Central and price alerts, enhancing the trading experience.
I performed my tests with a Standard Account, using the Exness Terminal platform. The account was opened with the Seychelles entity of Exness (Exness (SC) Ltd). Some features and services may vary depending on where you reside.
☑️ Regulations | CySEC (Cyprus), FSCA (South Africa), BVI FSC (Virgin Islands, British), CMA (Kenya), FCA (United Kingdom), FSA (Seychelles) |
🗺 Supported Languages | Korean, English, Urdu, Russian, Hindi, French, Indonesian, Portuguese, Thai, Arabic, Spanish, Bengali, Chinese, Japanese, Vietnamese |
💰 Products | Currencies, Stocks, Crypto, Indices, Commodities |
💵 Min Deposit | $0 |
💹 Max Leverage | 1:30 (CySEC), 1:500 (FSCA), 1:1000 (BVI FSC), 1:2000 (CMA), 1:30 (FCA), 1:500 (FSA) |
🖥 Trading Desk Type | Market Maker |
📊 Trading Platforms | MT5, MT4, Exness Terminal |
💳 Deposit Options | PerfectMoney, Wire Transfer, Skrill, Neteller, Credit Card |
💳 Withdrawal Options | Neteller, Skrill, PerfectMoney |
🤴 Demo Account | Yes |
🗓 Foundation Year | 2008 |
🌎 Headquarters Country | Cyprus |
Exness has 16 years of operating history and is regulated by multiple authorities. However, it does not accept retail clients in Europe or the UK. Retail customers are assigned to entities regulated offshore, offering limited account protection. Exness ensures client fund segregation, offers negative balance protection, and provides access to a compensation scheme as a member of the Financial Commission.
To serve clients worldwide, brokers must have multiple regional entities. The level of client protection guaranteed by regional regulators varies widely. Here are some of the key features to check on at your broker`s regional entity:
The table below covers the client protections at each entity:
Entity Features | Exness (UK) Ltd. | Exness (Cy) Ltd. | Exness (KE) Limited | Exness ZA (Pty) Ltd. | Exness (SC) Ltd. | Exness (VG) Ltd. | Exness B.V. |
Country/Region | United Kingdom | European Union | Kenya | South Africa | Seychelles/Global | British Virgin Islands/Global | Curaçao and Sint Maarten/Global |
Regulation | FCA | CySEC | CMA | FSCA | FSA | FSC BVI | CBCS |
Tier | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 3 |
Segregated Funds | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Negative Balance Protection | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Compensation Scheme | FSCS Up to £85,000 | ICF Up to €20,000 | Financial Commission, up to €20,000 per client | Financial Commission, up to €20,000 per client | Financial Commission, up to €20,000 per client | Financial Commission, up to €20,000 per client | Financial Commission, up to €20,000 per client |
Maximum Leverage (Standard Account) | 1:2000* | 1:2000* | 1:400 | 1:2000* | 1:2000* | 1:2000* | 1:2000* |
*1:unlimited under certain conditions
Regulatory requirements are subject to change. I gathered the data listed above in March 2024.
In our tests for the Trust category, we also cover factors relating to stability and financial strength. Here, we evaluate the broker’s longevity in the industry, the company’s size, and its transparency.
Exness dates back to 2008, marking it as a highly experienced CFD broker with a lengthy operating history. According to the broker’s LinkedIn page, the company has 1,001-5,000 employees, reflecting a large brokerage firm.
In my research, Exness showed high transparency in its regulatory status, listing its regulators in the website page’s footer.
The website breaks down trading costs clearly on the Fees page. To get the nitty gritty details, traders can find the Customer Agreement on the Legal Documents page.
Exness operates seven entities, with two licensed by top-tier regulators, offering relatively high account security. The other entities are overseen by second or third-tier regulators. The level of protection varies by entity.
For instance, clients with a UK entity enjoy a high level of regulatory scrutiny and are covered by a compensation scheme in the event of broker insolvency. On the other hand, Exness’ offshore entity is subject to different regulatory oversight.
Exness is a member of the Financial Commission – an independent self-regulatory organization and external dispute resolution body, dedicated specifically to Forex. Exness clients are protected by the Commission’s Compensation Fund for up to €20,000.
To summarize, I rate Exness as moderately trustworthy and stable due to the following:
Exness’ Standard account spreads vary, with some being quite tight and others being less so. Tighter spreads are available via Professional account types. In most cases, no swap fees are charged, and Exness does not charge fees for deposits or withdrawals (some payment providers may charge their own fees).
I tested the spreads at Exness across various markets during the London open and after the New York open. At these times, the market is typically highly liquid with the tightest spreads.
Instrument | Live spread AM | Live spread PM | Industry Average |
EUR/USD | 1 Pip | 1 Pip | 1.08 Pips |
GBP/JPY | 2.5 Pips | 2.5 Pips | 2.44 Pips |
Gold | 20 Cents | 20 Cents | 42 Cents |
WTI Oil | 2.8 Cents | 2.8 Cents | 20 Cents |
Dow 30 | 7.5 Pips | 7.7 Pips | 3.3 Pips |
Dax 40 | 5.7 Pips | 5.8 Pips | 2.4 Pips |
Apple | n/a | 9 Cents | 33 Cents |
Tesla | n/a | 10 Cents | 50 Cents |
Bitcoin | $78.15 | $71.92 | $35.50 |
My tests showed that spreads are competitive in gold and oil but quite wide in forex crosses like GBP/JPY. I recorded the data on 6 March 2024.
Exness does not charge swap fees for most instruments, including forex majors, crypto, indices, and gold.
Exness does not charge deposit or withdrawal fees (some payment providers may charge their own fees). However, an inactivity fee may be applied under specific circumstances.
I rate the fees at Exness as average for the following reasons:
Exness excels in the platform category. It offers its well-designed and user-friendly Terminal platform, along with the classic MetaTrader 4 and MetaTrader 5 platforms that feature advanced functionality like algo trading.
Platform | Suitable For |
---|---|
Exness Terminal (Web) / Exness Trade app (Mobile) | Casual Traders |
MetaTrader 4 (Desktop, Web, Mobile) | Experienced Traders, Automated Strategies |
MetaTrader 5 (Desktop, Web, Mobile) | Experienced Traders, Automated Strategies |
In this review, I tested the Exness Terminal platform, which has a basic, uncluttered interface, making it easy for beginners to navigate. Customization is limited, but it is possible to enlarge the chart by hiding the watchlist and trade panels.
The platform is available in 17 languages – Arabic, Bengali, Burmese, Simplified Chinese, English, French, Hindi, Indonesian, Japanese, Khmer, Korean, Lao, Portuguese, Spanish, Swahili, Thai, and Vietnamese.
Here are the key features of the Exness Terminal platform:
Using watchlists in the Terminal platform, traders can view lists of instruments broken down by asset class and other useful lists like top movers and popular instruments.
I find that price alerts are a great way to be notified when the price reaches key support and resistance levels, freeing you up from continuously watching the screen.
Traders can access award-winning analysis from Trading Central without leaving the platform.
The Exness Terminal platform features TradingView charts, which, in my view, are first-class. Charts feature:
The Exness Terminal platform offers standard order types like market orders, limit orders, and stop-loss orders. Trailing stop loss orders are not available, and applying time-in-force conditions to orders is impossible.
After a few weeks of testing, I found the Exness Terminal platform intuitive, well-crafted, and very user-friendly. Active traders will appreciate features like 1-click trading and trading from the chart. I appreciated the incorporation of Trading Central and price alerts.
However, the platform has its limitations – for instance, it does not currently allow for the creation of custom watchlists, lacks advanced order types, and offers limited customization of the layout.
Available for iOS and Android, the Exness Trade app provides access to over 200 instruments. The app has a user-friendly interface designed specifically for beginners. Instant deposits and withdrawals and 24/7 customer support are available via the app.
Charting within the app features 12 chart types (line and candle), nine timeframes (M1, M5, M15, M30, H1, H4, D1, W1, MN1), and many indicators such as Moving averages, Bollinger Bands, and Parabolic SAR.
Order types within the app include market orders and pending orders, such as limit orders and stop loss orders. The Exness Trade app also features an economic calendar, market news, and trade ideas from Trading Central.
Within the client portal, traders can access the Social Trading platform, enabling them to copy the trades of successful traders (strategy providers). Experienced traders can share their strategies, allowing others to replicate their trades.
Both the trade copier and the strategy provider can earn from profitable trades. The trade copier uses the platform to find a strategy provider to follow. When the strategy provider makes a profit, they earn a commission from 0%–50%.
Exness is a non-dealing desk broker. It either takes the other side of the client’s trade or transmits orders for execution to a third party – known as Straight Through Processing, or STP.
Exness shines in tradable instruments with a wide range of currency pairs, commodities, indices, shares, and cryptocurrencies. These include CFDs in both spot and future markets. Forex traders have access to an exceptional selection of options.
Instrument | Number | Type |
Forex Pairs | 96 | Major, Minor, Exotic |
Commodities | 18 | Metals, Energies, Softs |
Indices | 10 | Global Indices |
Stocks | 93 | Global Exchanges |
Cryptocurrencies | 10 | Major, Minor, Crosses |
Exness performs above average in all asset classes, with the exception of shares, where there is room for improvement.
A Contract for Difference (CFD) is an agreement specifying that the buyer must pay the seller the difference between the current value of an asset and its value at the time the contract was initiated.
CFDs allow traders to speculate on price movements like futures and other derivative financial instruments without owning the underlying asset.
In the tables below, you can see a selection highlighting the variety of CFD instruments available at Exness:
Forex Major | Forex Minor |
EUR/USD | GBP/USD | USD/JPY | EUR/CHF | CAD/JPY | GBP/AUD |
Indices | Cryptocurrencies |
Dax 30 | Hong Kong 50 | US Tech 100 | Bitcoin | Litecoin | Ethereum |
Commodities | Shares |
Palladium | WTI Crude Oil | Silver | Apple | Tesla | Amazon |
Exness offers a very strong selection in forex, commodities, indices, and cryptocurrencies, affording clients opportunities with a greater variety of markets at their fingertips. CFDs on shares are relatively limited, and I would like to see more global exchanges added to the mix.
Exness provides 24/7 customer support via live chat, phone, and email. After dozens of inquiries, I had a mixed experience overall. I was not able to reach support via phone, but the live chat was reliable, and I received replies to emails within 24 hours. I rate Exness customer support as about average.
Support is a key component of a broker’s offering – whether you are a new trader looking for guidance on how to use the platform or an experienced trader who needs help fast to exit their positions in the event of a technical glitch.
I tested Exness’ customer support for over two weeks. The live chat usually responded within a minute. I also received fast replies via email.
My inquiries ranged from basic questions about fees to more complex themes relating to platforms, tools, and regulations. When I reached support via chat and email, I usually had a good experience with satisfactory answers to my queries.
At Exness, funds can be deposited and withdrawn using a wide range of methods, including bank transfer, credit/debit cards, and digital wallets. Processing times are fast for the industry, and both deposits and withdrawals are free of charge. Exness is a winner in this category with a better-than-average offering.
Method | Limits | Fees | Processing Time |
Bank Card | 10–10,000 USD | 0% | 30 Minutes |
Neteller | 10–50,000 USD | 0% | 30 Minutes |
Perfect Money | 10–100,000 USD | 0% | 30 Minutes |
Skrill | 10–100,000 USD | 0% | 30 Minutes |
The range of funding methods is strong, and processing times are fast.
Method | Limits | Fees | Processing Time |
Neteller | 4–10,000 USD | 0% | 1 Day |
Perfect Money | 2–100,000 USD | 0% | 1 Day |
Skrill | 10–12,000 USD | 0% | 1 Day |
Again, this is a good range of available methods, and processing times for withdrawals are faster than average for the industry.
Unlike many brokers, Exness does not charge for withdrawals (some payment providers may charge their own fees), including bank wire transfers.
Exness offers five major account types, including two Standard and three Professional accounts. Demo and swap-free Islamic accounts are also available. The account opening process is fully digital and can be completed via the website in less than 10 minutes.
At Exness, two standard accounts are available: Standard and Standard Cent (designed for new traders; this account is denominated in cents). The table below covers key account features.
Feature | Standard | Standard Cent |
Minimum deposit | Depends on payment system | Depends on payment system |
Spread | From 0.2 pips | From 0.3 pips |
Commission | No | No |
Maximum leverage | 1:Unlimited | 1:Unlimited |
Instruments | Forex, metals, cryptocurrencies, energies, stocks, indices | Forex, metals |
Maximum number of positions | Unlimited | 1000 |
Margin call | 60% | 60% |
Stop out | 0% | 0% |
Swap-free | Available | Available |
There are also three professional accounts – Raw Spread, Zero, and Pro – that are designed for experienced traders, including scalpers, day traders, and algorithmic traders.
Feature | Pro | Zero | Raw Spread |
Minimum deposit | $200 | $200 | $200 |
Spread | From 0.1 pips | From 0 pips | From 0 pips |
Commission | No commission | From $0.05 each side per lot | Up to $3.50 each side per lot |
Maximum leverage | 1:Unlimited | 1:Unlimited | 1:Unlimited |
Instruments | Forex, metals, cryptoсurrencies, energies, stocks, indices | Forex, metals, cryptoсurrencies, energies, stocks, indices | Forex, metals, cryptoсurrencies, energies, stocks, indices |
Maximum number of positions | Unlimited | Unlimited | Unlimited |
Margin call | 30% | 30% | 30% |
Stop out | 0% | 0% | 0% |
Swap-free | Available | Available | Available |
Opening a live account with the Seychelles entity of Exness is a straightforward process: prospective clients simply need to enter their region of residence and confirm their email address and phone number.
One of the reasons that traders are attracted to the forex and CFD markets is the high degree of available leverage. Leverage is using borrowed funds to increase the size of your trading positions beyond what would be possible using only the cash in your account.
The FSA-regulated Seychelles entity of Exness offers a default leverage of 1:2000. This means that with an account of $1,000, you can control up to $2,000,000 worth of positions in the market.
Leverage is often described as a ‘double-edged sword’ as it can hurt you as much as it helps you. Traders must remember that it can amplify both their profits and their losses.
The maximum available leverage at the Seychelles entity of Exness varies by the amount of equity in your account.
Equity | Maximum available leverage |
USD 0 – 999.99 | 1:Unlimited (if eligible) 1:2000 (available by default) |
USD 1 000 – 4 999.9 | 1:2000 |
USD 5 000 – 29 999.99 | 1:1000 |
USD 30 000 or more | 1:500 |
Available leverage differs according to the asset class, with the most leverage available with CFDs on forex and commodities and the least on shares.
Asset Class | Maximum Available Default Leverage |
Forex | 1:2000 |
Metals | 1:2000 |
Energies | 1:200 |
Indices | 1:400 |
Cryptocurrencies | 1:400 |
Shares | 1.20 |
Exness offers demo accounts for both the Trading Terminal platform and MetaTrader 4/5. Demo accounts enable traders to practice their strategies and get comfortable with the platform without risking real money.
The demo account features live quotes and mirrors live market conditions in assets such as forex and CFDs on commodities, indices, and stocks. Once traders are up to speed on a demo account, they can easily switch to a live version.
Exness does offer swap-free Islamic accounts but only for residents of Islamic countries.
Exness does not accept clients from the United States of America, American insular areas, European countries, the United Kingdom, and Vatican City.
Exness provides a steady market analysis flow via its website, client portal, and YouTube channel. The material is crafted by in-house and third-party analysts and maintains a high standard.
The Exness blog features market analysis, news, and insights through short-form articles that serve as a great source of ideas and help identify the assets currently active in the markets.
Trading Central WebTV is also available via the Exness website. Daily videos provide commentary, trading ideas, and news coming directly from the New York Stock Exchange floor.
Clients can access analysis from Trading Central within the client portal. The analyst views section provides actionable advice with specific price forecasts and support and resistance levels.
The Market News section within the client portal provides a real-time feed of market news and the latest updates from the FXStreet team.
Exness offers an above-average range of research resources from in-house and award-winning provider Trading Central. Both inexperienced and advanced traders can benefit from the flow of reports and actionable ideas.
Exness provides high-quality educational content in text and video format via its blog and YouTube channel. The volume is a bit limited but covers beginner and advanced-level material. I rate the offering as average for the industry. Exness could improve by adding courses and live webinars.
Within the website’s blog section, Exness features a category dedicated to education, with articles covering topics such as trading strategies and platform features. I appreciated that advanced materials, including an introduction to algorithmic trading with Python and MT5, are also available. Seasoned market technicians further explain the use of classic tools like Fibonacci retracements.
The Exness YouTube channel is mostly dedicated to analysis, but it also features a range of educational platform tutorial videos covering how to use Exness Terminal and MetaTrader. Here, you can find everything from basic setup to more advanced topics like how to connect to Exness VPS.
Exness is a large, well-established CFD broker with a unique offering. Clients have access to a superb range of tradable instruments. I was particularly impressed by the selection of currency and crypto pairs.
Funding and withdrawals are processed fast, with a wide array of methods available. The intuitive Terminal platform, round-the-clock support, and micro-lot trading make Exness an appealing choice for beginners.
Meanwhile, the availability of massive leverage, tight spreads, and advanced tools cater to the needs of experienced traders. Scalpers, day traders, and algo traders will find Exness to be a suitable broker.
Clients should keep in mind that accounts at offshore entities have limited regulatory oversight.
While the Standard Account spreads may not be remarkable, spreads starting from 0.0 pips are accessible through Professional account types. The minimal swap fees and the option for social trading are additional advantages for traders.
Disclaimer: Different conditions and features may apply depending on the account type, platform, financial product, client jurisdiction, payment method and others. In addition, different features may apply depending on the trading Company that the client is registered with, since Exness is a multi-regulated broker with licenses in different jurisdictions.
Headquarters Country | Cyprus |
Foundation Year | 2008 |
Regulations | CySEC (Cyprus), FSCA (South Africa), BVI FSC (Virgin Islands, British), CMA (Kenya), FCA (United Kingdom), FSA (Seychelles) |
Publicly Traded | No |
Number Of Employees | 5000 |
Trading Desk Type | Market Maker |
Trading Platforms | MT5, MT4, Exness Terminal |
Restricted Countries | Malta, Netherlands, Portugal, Ireland, Spain, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, American Samoa, Marshall Islands, Samoa, San Marino, Austria, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Italy, Latvia, Malaysia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Hungary, Norway, Iceland, Poland, Romania, Greece, Guam, Vatican City, United States, Slovakia, Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico, Sweden, Slovenia, Belgium, Switzerland, Denmark, Singapore, Micronesia, Palau, Virgin Islands, U.S., Canada, Greenland, Vanuatu, New Zealand, Kiribati, Australia, Fiji, Tuvalu, Christmas Island, Cocos Islands, Niue, Seychelles, Syria, Iraq, Yemen, Iran, Afghanistan, North Korea, South Korea, Myanmar, Uruguay, Nicaragua, Cuba, Bahamas, Barbados, Saint Martin, Haiti, Bonaire, Cook Islands, Albania, Belarus, Macedonia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Svalbard and Jan Mayen, Kosovo, Monaco, Ukraine, Russian Federation, Andorra, United Kingdom, Guinea, French Polynesia, New Caledonia, Saint Pierre, Guadeloupe, Mayotte, Saint Barthelemy, Wallis and Futuna, Aland Islands, Sint Maarten, Curacao, Gibraltar, Cayman Islands, Saint Helena, Bermuda, Falkland Islands, Anguilla, Virgin Islands, British |
Supported Languages | Korean, English, Urdu, Russian, Hindi, French, Indonesian, Portuguese, Thai, Arabic, Spanish, Bengali, Chinese, Japanese, Vietnamese |
Min Deposit | $0 |
Max Leverage | 1:30 (CySEC), 1:500 (FSCA), 1:1000 (BVI FSC), 1:2000 (CMA), 1:30 (FCA), 1:500 (FSA) |
Deposit Options | PerfectMoney, Wire Transfer, Skrill, Neteller, Credit Card |
Withdrawal Options | Neteller, Skrill, PerfectMoney |
Time to Withdrawal | 1 |
Time to Open an Account | 5 |
Crypto | Ethereum, Bitcoin, Litecoin, Bitcoin Cash, Ripple |
Products | Currencies, Stocks, Crypto, Indices, Commodities |
Demo Account | Yes |
OCO Orders | No |
Offers Hedging | Yes |
Automated Trading | Yes |
API Trading | No |
Guaranteed Stop Loss | Yes |
Guaranteed Limit Orders | Yes |
Guaranteed Fills / Liquidity | Yes |
Economic calendar | Yes |
Trading From Chart | Yes |
One-Click Trading | Yes |
Expert Advisor | Yes |
Social Trading | Yes |
Autochartist | No |
Trading Signals | Yes |
Platform Languages | Chinese, Thai, English, Arabic, Bengali, Spanish, French, Hindi, Indonesian, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese, Vietnamese, Ukrainian |
24 Hours Support | Yes |
Support During Weekends | Yes |
Live Chat | Yes |
Daily Market Commentary | Yes |
News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes |
Webinars | No |
Deposit Fee | No |
Withdrawal Fee | No |
Inactivity Fee | No |
Dan Blystone began his career in the trading industry in 1998 on the floor of the Chicago Mercantile Exchange. Later Dan gained insight into the forex industry during his time as a Series 3 licenced futures and forex broker. He also traded at a couple of different prop trading firms in Chicago. Dan is well-equipped to recommend the best forex brokers due to his extensive experience and understanding of the brokerage industry.
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