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Head to head

Exness vs XM

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. XM is licensed by CySEC in the European Union, DFSA in the United Arab Emirates (DIFC) and FSCA in South Africa. 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 $5 at XM. Both offer negative balance protection and segregated client money.

Facts last checked: Exness on 20 October 2026, XM on 20 October 2026.

Exness profileXM profile
Broker 1
Broker 2
Broker 3

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
ExnessOffshore registration onlyRead the profile
XMStrictly regulatedRead the profile
Comparing
ExnessSeychelles
XMEuropean Union

Overview

Founded
Not yet checked
2009
Headquarters
Not yet checked
Not yet checked
Official websites
  • exness.com
  • exness.eu
  • exness.uk
  • exness.ke
  • xm.com
  • trading-point.com
Facts last checked
20 October 2026
20 October 2026

Regulation and protection

Company you would contract with
Exness (SC) Ltd
Trading Point of Financial Instruments Ltd
Regulator
FSA Seychelles
Seychelles
CySEC
European Union
Regulation level
Offshore registration only
Strictly regulated
Licence number
SD025 (Securities Dealer)
Check the register
120/10
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)
Residents of EU and EEA countries (CySEC lists xm.com and trading-point.com as its approved domains)
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)
  • CySEC (European Union)
  • DFSA (United Arab Emirates (DIFC))
  • FSCA (South Africa)
Segregated client money
Yes
Yes
Negative balance protection
Yes
Yes
Compensation scheme
None
ICF (Cyprus) for eligible clients of Trading Point of Financial Instruments Ltd; none named for XM Global Limited

Costs

Your monthly cost
No accounts listed
No accounts listed
Cost per lot (EUR/USD)
No accounts listed
No accounts listed
Spread from
No accounts listed
No accounts listed
Typical EUR/USD spread
No accounts listed
No accounts listed
Commission per lot (round turn)
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
Swap-free account
Yes
Yes

Leverage and margin

Maximum retail leverage
Up to 1:Unlimited on some accounts (offshore companies)
Up to 1:1000 (XM Global Limited); EU retail clients are limited to 1:30 on major pairs
Retail leverage by asset class
Not yet checked
Not yet checked
Margin call level
60% (Standard); 30% (Pro, Zero, Raw Spread)
Not yet checked
Stop-out level
0% (stocks differ)
Not yet checked

Account

Minimum deposit (this account)
No accounts listed
No accounts listed
Base currencies
No accounts listed
No accounts listed
Execution
No accounts listed
No accounts listed

Platforms and features

Platforms
  • MetaTrader 4
  • MetaTrader 5
  • Exness Terminal
  • Exness Trade app
  • MetaTrader 4
  • MetaTrader 5
  • XM App
Markets
Currency pairs, metals, cryptocurrencies, energies, stocks and indices as CFDs
Currency pairs, indices, commodities and share CFDs; real shares on the Shares account
Demo account
Yes
Yes
Copy trading
Not yet checked
Yes
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
Not yet checked
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
Not yet checked

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
  • Low minimum deposit of $5 on the Standard and Ultra Low accounts
  • Negative balance protection on all accounts, according to XM's account page
  • EU clients can contract with a CySEC-licensed company (licence 120/10)
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
  • XM's global site names XM Global Limited, which it says is regulated by the FSC of Belize (licence 8557558). We could not confirm this licence on the Belize FSC's online register on 2026-10-20, so we do not list it.
  • Leverage of up to 1:1000 on the global site magnifies losses as much as gains
  • The Standard account is marketed with deposit bonuses; read the bonus terms before you accept one
  • XM no longer holds a UK licence (the FCA register shows its passport as cancelled) and its former Australian company now trades as Trading.com Markets

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.
  • XM: Risk Warning: Our services involve a significant risk and can result in the loss of your invested capital.

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Other head-to-head pages

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.

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