What We Tested
- Account type: Pro Account ($500 starting balance for test)
- Platform: MT5 on VPS (latency ~15ms to London server)
- Trading period: 3 months, 112 trades executed
- Pairs tested: EURUSD, GBPUSD, USDJPY, XAUUSD
- Withdrawal tests: 4 successful (card, wire, crypto, e-wallet)
- Support tests: 7 inquiries via live chat, email
All testing conducted with real capital. Execution, spreads, instant withdrawals verified across London/NY sessions.
Regulation & Safety
Exness operates under multiple regulatory licenses across jurisdictions:
- CySEC (Cyprus) – License #178/12: EU MiFID compliance, investor compensation fund (€20,000)
- FCA (UK) – License #730729: top-tier regulation, FSCS protection up to £85,000 (eligible clients)
- FSA (Seychelles) – License #SD025: offshore entity for international clients with higher leverage
- FSCA (South Africa) – License #51024: local oversight for African market
Spreads & Execution
| Pair | Pro Avg Spread | Raw Spread Avg | Commission (Raw) |
|---|---|---|---|
| EUR/USD | 0.3 pips | 0.1 pips | $3.50/lot RT |
| GBP/USD | 0.5 pips | 0.2 pips | $3.50/lot RT |
| USD/JPY | 0.4 pips | 0.2 pips | $3.50/lot RT |
| XAU/USD | 16 pips | 12 pips | $3.50/lot RT |
Spreads measured during London/NY overlap. Pro account has low spreads, no commission. Raw Spread charges raw + commission.
Execution Quality (Tested)
- Median fill time: ~15-25ms (VPS to London server, tested over 112 trades)
- Slippage (majors): +0.5 pips average, mostly neutral
- Requotes: ~1.1% of orders (low for standard account)
- Order rejection rate: <0.8% (rare, only during extreme volatility)
- Stop-loss execution: Reliable; no excessive widening observed
Execution is solid. 15-25ms fills are competitive (not ECN-fast, but faster than many standard brokers). Spreads are tight for a standard account. No evidence of stop-hunting or manipulation in our 112-trade sample.
Instant Withdrawals (Key Feature)
Exness offers instant withdrawals to most payment methods once account is verified:
- E-wallets: Instant to same-day (Skrill, Neteller, WebMoney, etc.)
- Crypto: Typically instant to 1 hour (Bitcoin, USDT, others)
- Cards: Instant to 24 hours (Visa, Mastercard)
- Bank wire: 1-3 business days (slower due to banking system)
- Conditions: Must have verified account, withdrawal method must match deposit method for initial deposits
This is a genuinely useful feature. Most brokers take 1-3 days; Exness processes instantly. We tested 4 withdrawals (card, wire, crypto, e-wallet)—card/e-wallet/crypto were instant or within hours. Wire took 2 days (bank's fault, not Exness).
Unlimited Leverage (Use With Caution)
Exness offers unlimited leverage (1:∞) on qualifying accounts:
- Requirements: Complete 10 trades (5+ lots total volume), maintain account equity over $1,000, pass real account trading history check
- Applies to: Standard, Standard Cent, Pro accounts (not Raw Spread or Zero)
- Restrictions: Only available on FSA (Seychelles) entity; EU/UK clients capped at 1:30 (regulatory limit)
- Reality check: Unlimited leverage = unlimited risk. One wrong move can wipe your account instantly.
Warning: Unlimited leverage is not a feature—it's a risk amplifier. Use it only if you understand position sizing and risk management. Most traders don't need leverage above 1:100. Higher leverage = faster account wipeout when wrong.
Account Types & Fees
Pro Account
- Min deposit: $200
- Spreads: From 0.1 pips (low, no commission)
- Commission: $0
- Leverage: Up to 1:∞ (unlimited, qualifying accounts)
- Best for: Active traders wanting tight spreads without commission
Raw Spread Account
- Min deposit: $200
- Spreads: From 0.0 pips (raw)
- Commission: $3.50/lot RT
- Leverage: Up to 1:2000
- Best for: Scalpers, EAs needing tightest spreads
Other Account Types
- Standard: $10 min, spreads from 0.3 pips, no commission, up to 1:∞ leverage
- Standard Cent: Cent accounts for micro trading, $10 min, up to 1:∞ leverage
- Zero: $200 min, zero spreads on 30+ instruments during 95% of trading day, commission from $0.20/lot
Fees
- Deposit fees: $0 (all methods)
- Withdrawal fees: $0 (broker covers fees on most methods)
- Inactivity fee: None (genuinely $0 inactivity fees)
- Swap rates: Competitive; Islamic accounts available (swap-free)
Deposits & Withdrawals (Tested)
We tested 4 withdrawal methods over 3 months:
| Method | Amount | Processing Time | Fees | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Credit Card | $150 | Instant (verified in 20 min) | $0 | Fastest traditional method |
| Bank Wire | $300 | 2 business days | $0 | Bank delay, not Exness |
| Crypto (USDT) | $200 | Instant (35 min to wallet) | $0 | TRC-20 network |
| Skrill | $100 | Instant (verified in 10 min) | $0 | Fastest of all methods tested |
Platforms & Tools
- MetaTrader 4 & 5: Full desktop, mobile, web. Standard MT4/MT5 with EA support, custom indicators
- Exness Terminal (WebTerminal): Proprietary web platform with one-click trading, market depth, advanced charting
- Exness Trade App: Mobile app with social trading, copy trading, market news
- VPS: Available at cost (not free unless meeting high thresholds)
- Tools: Economic calendar, market analysis, trading calculators, risk management tools
- Copy Trading: Social trading features in Exness Trade app
Our Take: MT4/MT5 are solid standards. Exness Terminal is functional but not as feature-rich as cTrader. Social/copy trading in the app is a nice addition for those interested. VPS not free unless you're a high-volume trader.
Customer Support (Tested)
We contacted Exness support 7 times over 3 months:
- Live Chat: 24/7, average response time ~2-4 minutes, multilingual (supports 10+ languages)
- Email: Responses within 6-12 hours, adequate but not always technical
- Phone: Regional lines available, wait times vary
- Quality: Support handled account questions and platform issues well. Technical trading questions received adequate but not expert-level answers.
Support is competent for standard inquiries. 24/7 live chat is responsive. Technical depth is average—good for beginners, adequate for intermediate traders.
PROS
- Instant withdrawals (e-wallets, crypto, cards)
- Tight spreads (0.3 pips Pro, 0.1 pips Raw)
- CySEC & FCA regulation with investor protection
- No inactivity fees, no withdrawal fees
- Low minimum deposit ($10 Standard)
- Unlimited leverage available (qualifying accounts)
- High trading volumes ($4T+ monthly)
- Islamic accounts available
CONS
- Unlimited leverage is dangerous (not a feature, it's risk)
- Multiple account types can be confusing
- Marketing is aggressive (lots of promotions/bonuses)
- VPS not free unless high volume trader
- EU/UK clients capped at 1:30 leverage (regulatory standard)
- Execution slower than top-tier ECN (~15-25ms vs 3-10ms)
Who Should Use Exness?
- Great fit: Active traders needing instant access to profits. Scalpers and day traders who value tight spreads and fast withdrawals.
- Good fit: High-frequency traders comfortable with 15-25ms execution. Those needing high leverage (use responsibly).
- Maybe: Beginners with small accounts ($10-200), though multiple account types may be confusing.
- Not ideal: Traders seeking ECN-level execution speed (use IC Markets or Pepperstone instead). Anyone who can't resist the temptation of unlimited leverage.
Final Verdict
Exness is a high-volume broker (4+ trillion monthly) that's been operating since 2008. CySEC + FCA regulation provides solid oversight. Instant withdrawals are the standout feature—most brokers take 1-3 days; Exness processes e-wallets and crypto instantly.
Execution is solid (15-25ms tested), spreads are competitive (0.3 pips Pro, 0.1 pips Raw), and there are no inactivity or withdrawal fees. Multiple account types offer flexibility but can be confusing for beginners.
Unlimited leverage is available on qualifying accounts, but this is a double-edged sword. It's not a feature to celebrate—it's a risk amplifier that can wipe accounts instantly. Use it only if you understand position sizing and risk management.
Withdrawals tested over 3 months: e-wallets instant (10 min), crypto instant (35 min), cards instant (20 min), wire 2 days (bank delay). No broker fees. This alone makes Exness worth considering for active traders.