Can EU Residents Open an Exness Account? Status in 2026 (Short Answer: No)

Exness is one of the largest non-bank retail forex brokers globally by volume. Whether an EU resident -- a German, Spanish, or Cypriot retail client -- can actually open an account with it comes up in dozens of search queries every week. This is the structured, current answer for 2026.

The short answer

No. Exness withdrew from EU/EEA and UK retail onboarding in 2019 and does not accept retail clients resident in these regions. There is no Exness entity through which an EU, EEA or UK resident can open a retail account, so the EU investor protections people ask about -- ICF compensation, ESMA leverage caps, CySEC oversight -- do not apply to Exness for those residents, because no EU-regulated Exness entity serves them.

If you are resident in the EU, EEA or UK and want a broker with full EU retail protections, see EU-regulated alternatives such as [Pepperstone](/brokers/pepperstone) (BaFin/FCA/CySEC/ASIC), [IG](/brokers/ig) (BaFin), [XM](/brokers/xm) (CySEC) and [Tickmill](/brokers/tickmill) (CySEC).

The full picture

Exness today serves retail clients through its offshore entity (FSA Seychelles) in the regions it operates, having exited EU/EEA/UK retail onboarding in 2019. For a European resident the practical position is straightforward:

- There is **no EU/EEA/UK retail entity** an EU or UK resident can open an Exness account with. - Because there is no EU entity serving them, **none of the ESMA/CySEC retail protections apply** to an EU resident through Exness -- there is no 30:1 leverage cap, no negative balance protection under CySEC, no segregated-funds requirement under an EU licence, and no ICF coverage up to EUR 20,000. - The offshore entity that does serve eligible clients operates **outside the ESMA framework**, which is why it can offer very high leverage but does not carry EU investor protections.

These EU retail protections are available to EU residents only at brokers that run an EU-regulated entity -- for example Pepperstone (through Pepperstone GmbH under BaFin, and Pepperstone EU Limited under CySEC), IG (BaFin), XM (CySEC) and Tickmill (CySEC).

Cost and execution -- for the regions Exness serves

For traders who are eligible to use Exness (outside the EU, EEA and UK), its accounts typically see:

- **Standard account**: EUR/USD spreads from 0.6 pips, no commission - **Raw Spread account**: EUR/USD spreads from 0.0 pips, commission USD 3.50 per side per 100K notional - **Zero account**: EUR/USD zero-spread frequently, commission USD 3.50 per side per 100K - **Minimum deposit**: USD 10 (equivalent) on Standard - **Platforms**: MetaTrader 4, MetaTrader 5, Exness Trade web platform, mobile apps

On raw pricing this is broadly competitive with EU-regulated brokers such as [Pepperstone](/brokers/pepperstone), [IC Markets](/brokers/ic-markets) and [Tickmill](/brokers/tickmill); the differentiators where Exness is available are withdrawal speed and account-type flexibility. None of this is reachable by an EU/EEA/UK resident, who must use an EU-regulated broker instead.

What EU and UK residents should do instead

Three checks before depositing with any forex broker as an EU or UK resident:

1. **Confirm the broker actually onboards your residency.** Exness does not accept EU/EEA/UK retail clients; a broker that will not contract with an EU entity cannot give you EU protections. 2. **Verify the EU licence on the regulator's register.** For a CySEC-regulated broker, cross-check the CIF number on the [CySEC public register](https://www.cysec.gov.cy/en-GB/entities/investment-firms/cypriot/); for a BaFin-regulated broker, check the BaFin company database. 3. **Read the broker's MiFID II order execution policy** (the standardised RTS 28 top-venue report was abolished in the 2024 MiFID II review, so the order execution policy is now the disclosure to check) and review the regulator's [enforcement page](https://www.cysec.gov.cy/en-GB/CySEC/announcements/) for any active fine, restriction or warning.

Where this sits in our editorial

For EU, EEA and UK readers we rank EU-regulated brokers only -- see our [best forex brokers in Europe 2026](/best-forex-broker-europe-2026) and [best EU-regulated brokers](/best-regulated-forex-brokers-eu) rankings, led by Pepperstone, IG, XM and Tickmill. The full [Exness review](/brokers/exness) covers its offering and regulatory status for the regions where it operates.

Risk warning

Trading CFDs and leveraged forex carries a high risk of losing money rapidly due to leverage. A high proportion of retail investor accounts lose money when trading CFDs. You should consider whether you understand how CFDs work and whether you can afford to take the high risk of losing your money. EU investor protections -- ESMA leverage caps, negative balance protection and ICF compensation -- apply only at brokers that onboard you through an EU-regulated entity. Exness does not onboard EU/EEA/UK retail clients, so these protections are not available through it to residents of those regions.

*This article reflects Exness's retail onboarding position as of 2026. Broker availability and licences can change -- always confirm directly with the broker and the relevant regulator before opening an account.*