Head to head
Exness vs FXCM
Exness is licensed by FSCA in South Africa, CMA (Kenya) in Kenya, CMA (UAE) in the United Arab Emirates, FCA in the United Kingdom and CySEC in the European Union, and also has an offshore registration. FXCM is licensed by FCA in the United Kingdom, CySEC in the European Union and ASIC in Australia. The licence that applies to you depends on where you live, so check which company you would contract with before comparing anything else.
Minimum deposits start at $10 at Exness and $50 at FXCM. Only Exness offers negative balance protection. Both offer segregated client money.
Facts last checked: Exness on 20 October 2026, FXCM on 20 October 2026.
Monthly cost uses the account chosen in each slot: cost per lot × your lots. Swap and other fees are extra. The lowest monthly cost is highlighted only as a fact about cost, not as a recommendation.
Broker
Comparing
ExnessSeychelles
FXCMUnited Kingdom
Overview
Founded
Not yet checked
1999
Headquarters
Not yet checked
London, United Kingdom (Stratos Group)
Official websites
- exness.com
- exness.eu
- exness.uk
- exness.ke
- fxcm.com
- tradu.com
Facts last checked
20 October 2026
20 October 2026
Regulation and protection
Company you would contract with
Exness (SC) Ltd
Stratos Markets Limited
Regulation level
Offshore registration only
Strictly regulated
Licence number
SD025 (Securities Dealer)
Check the register
Check the register
217689 (applied to cancel)
Check the register
Check the register
Clients this company serves
Clients who sign up through exness.com (Exness assigns the company by country; it names it in the client agreement)
Existing UK clients; FXCM's UK site sends new accounts to Trade Nation
All licences held
- FSA Seychelles (Seychelles)
- FSC (BVI) (British Virgin Islands)
- FSCA (South Africa)
- CMA (Kenya) (Kenya)
- CMA (UAE) (United Arab Emirates)
- FCA (United Kingdom)
- CySEC (European Union)
- FCA (United Kingdom)
- CySEC (European Union)
- ASIC (Australia)
None
FSCS up to £85,000 (UK company); ICF up to €20,000 (Cyprus company); none for the St Vincent company
Costs
Your monthly cost
No accounts listed
No accounts listed
Typical GBP/USD spread
Not yet checked
Not yet checked
Typical USD/JPY spread
Not yet checked
Not yet checked
Typical XAU/USD spread
Not yet checked
Not yet checked
Leverage and margin
Up to 1:Unlimited on some accounts (offshore companies)
1:30 on major pairs (UK, EU, Australia); up to 1:1000 at the St Vincent company
Retail leverage by asset class
Not yet checked
- Major currency pairs: 1:30
- Non-major currency pairs: 1:20
- Other commodities and non-major indices: 1:10
- Share CFDs: 1:5
- Crypto CFDs: 1:2
Stop-out level
0% (stocks differ)
Not yet checked
Account
Minimum deposit (this account)
No accounts listed
No accounts listed
Platforms and features
Platforms
- MetaTrader 4
- MetaTrader 5
- Exness Terminal
- Exness Trade app
- Trading Station
- MetaTrader 4
- TradingView
Markets
Currency pairs, metals, cryptocurrencies, energies, stocks and indices as CFDs
Forex, index, commodity, share and crypto CFDs, plus FXCM baskets
Copy trading
Not yet checked
Not yet checked
Expert advisors (automated trading)
Yes
Yes
News trading allowed
Not yet checked
Not yet checked
Guaranteed stops
Not yet checked
Not yet checked
Deposits and withdrawals
Deposit methods
Not yet checked
- Debit card
- Credit card
- Bank wire
- Google Pay
- Skrill
- Neteller
- Crypto
Withdrawal fee
No withdrawal fees from Exness; third-party fees may apply depending on the payment method
Not yet checked
Inactivity fee
Not yet checked
Not yet checked
Support
Customer support
Not yet checked
24/5 live chat
Our notes
Strengths
- Licences confirmed with the FSCA in South Africa, the CMA in Kenya and the UAE's Capital Market Authority
- Low $10 minimum deposit on the Standard account and no withdrawal fees from Exness
- Exness says client money is held in segregated accounts and retail accounts have negative balance protection
- Long-running brand (since 1999) with companies licensed by the FCA, CySEC and ASIC
- Its own Trading Station platform alongside MetaTrader 4, TradingView and API access
- Low first deposit of 50 in the account currency on the international site
Watch out for
- Most retail clients join offshore companies (FSA Seychelles or BVI FSC), and the strictly regulated UK and Cyprus companies do not accept retail clients
- Exness also says it holds licences from the Central Bank of Curaçao and Sint Maarten (Exness B.V., 0003LSI), the FSC of Belize (Forexite Ltd., 9110312), the FSC of Mauritius (Exness (MU) Ltd, GB20025294), the Jordan Securities Commission (Exness Limited Jordan) and an FSCA ODP authorisation for Exness (SC) Ltd. We could not confirm these on the regulators' registers on 2026-10-20.
- Leverage up to 1:Unlimited and a 0% stop-out mean a position can be closed only when your margin is gone
- The UK company, Stratos Markets Limited, has applied to cancel its FCA authorisation (shown on the FCA register since 15 October 2026), and FXCM's UK site says new trading accounts are now provided through Trade Nation.
- FXCM's EU site says new trading accounts are now provided through AvaTrade, a separate broker
- International clients join Stratos Global LLC in St Vincent and the Grenadines, which holds no financial licence; leverage there goes up to 1:1000 and losses can exceed deposits
- Says Stratos South Africa (Pty) Ltd is FSCA FSP 46534 and Stratos Light Limited is supervised by the Israel Securities Authority; we could not confirm either on the regulator's register on 2026-10-20 (the FSCA FSP register could not be reached).
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Risk warnings
The buttons to a broker’s website above the table are partner links: we may earn a commission if you open an account through them. That never changes the facts shown here. Trading leveraged products such as forex and CFDs carries a high risk of losing money rapidly, and most retail accounts lose money. Each broker’s own warning:
- Exness: Risk Warning: Our services relate to complex derivative instruments requiring appropriate knowledge and understanding. Their prices may fluctuate rapidly and may become valueless. Trading involves a high risk of loss, with traders likely to incur losses exceeding the potential for profits. Losses may extend up to the full amount of funds in the trading account. Under no circumstances shall Exness have any liability to any person or entity for any loss or damage in whole or part caused by, resulting from, or relating to any investing activity.
- FXCM: Our products are traded on leverage which means they carry a high level of risk and you could lose more than your deposits. These products are not suitable for all investors. Please ensure you fully understand the risks and carefully consider your financial situation and trading experience before trading. Seek independent advice if necessary.
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Cost per lot is the typical EUR/USD spread in busy hours × $10, plus any round-turn commission, for one standard lot. “Not yet checked” means we have not confirmed that fact yet. This page compares facts; it does not rank the brokers or recommend either. Confirm costs and licences on each broker’s site and the regulator’s public register before opening an account: see how we review brokers and check a broker yourself.
Nothing on this page is financial advice. Read the full disclaimer.