Compare Exness and XM using the same evidence standard for regulation, risk, transparency, reputation, disclosure and contracting-entity protection.
What this pair helps you decide
This pair compares only fields supported by FXCN evidence. Check the contracting entity and regional conditions before interpreting score differences.
Confirm whether a licensed entity actually serves retail clients.
Compare the entity that contracts with you, not the brand alone.
Separate onshore protection from offshore-entity exposure.
Markets requiring a separate entity check: EU / UK / internationalData as of:
No continuously verified live spreads, commissions, slippage, withdrawal speed, minimum deposit or platform availability are claimed; a blank does not mean the brokers are equal.
Exness or XM: the same Cyprus base, different second homes
Both brands hold a CySEC licence in FXCN's records. Exness adds an FCA entity in the UK and an FSCA entity in South Africa; XM adds an ASIC entity in Australia and a DFSA record in Dubai that FXCN still marks as unverified. Where you live largely decides whether those extra entities matter to you.
Licence data from FXCN records (dates in table). Rules checked 11 October 2026. This page recommends neither firm.
1. Which company is likely to serve you FXCN records
If you live in
Exness entity recorded
XM entity recorded
What follows
EU / EEA
Exness (Cy) Ltd, CySEC 178/12 (checked 9 Oct 2026)
Trading Point of Financial Instruments Ltd, CySEC 120/10 (checked 10 Oct 2026)
Same EU rules and ICF cover
United Kingdom
Exness (UK) Ltd, FRN 730729 (checked 10 Oct 2026)
None recorded
FCA rules and FSCS apply only to the Exness entity
Australia
None recorded
Trading Point of Financial Instruments Pty Ltd, ASIC 443670 (checked 30 Aug 2026)
ASIC order applies only to the XM entity; CSLR excludes FX and derivatives
South Africa
Exness ZA (PTY) Ltd, FSCA 51024
None recorded
FSCA rules not reviewed on this page
UAE (DIFC)
None recorded
Trading Point MENA Limited, DFSA F003484, unverified
Check the DFSA public register yourself
Elsewhere
not verified Entities for other countries are not in FXCN's records
Rules of the entity named in your agreement
2. A quick test using leverage
The EU, UK and Australian retail entities above all cap major FX pairs at about 30:1 for retail clients. If you are offered far more, you are not being onboarded by one of those retail entities: either you are being treated as a professional client or you are with another group company. See leverage.
3. Checks before you sign
Find the entity in the agreement.
Search the registerfor that entity and number, or start with the licence check.
Read the close-out and negative balance clauses.
Test a small withdrawal.
4. Questions
Exness has more licences. Is it safer?
More licences means more places where the group is authorised. Your account sits with one company.
Can I rely on XM's Dubai licence?
FXCN has not verified that record. Check the DFSA register; even if active, it covers clients that entity is permitted to serve.
You contract with one of the licensed entities below, not with the brand. Protection differs enormously between jurisdictions — this section matters an order of magnitude more than spreads.
Exness
Licenses compared
Retail leverage cap
Investor compensation
Negative balance protection
CySECT1 Cyprus · CySEC Entity: Exness (Cy) Ltd
1:30
ICF, up to €20,000 per person
Mandatory
FCAT1 United Kingdom · FCA Entity: Exness (UK) Ltd
1:30
FSCS, up to £85,000 per person
Mandatory
FSCAT2 South Africa · FSCA Entity: Exness ZA (PTY) Ltd
No cap
No statutory investor compensation scheme
Not recorded
XM
Licenses compared
Retail leverage cap
Investor compensation
Negative balance protection
ASICT1 Australia · ASIC Entity: Trading Point of Financial Instruments Pty Ltd
1:30
No statutory investor compensation scheme
Mandatory
CySECT1 Cyprus · CySEC Entity: Trading Point of Financial Instruments Ltd
1:30
ICF, up to €20,000 per person
Mandatory
DFSAT2Unverified Dubai · DFSA Entity: Trading Point MENA Limited
No cap
No statutory investor compensation scheme
Not recorded
Leverage caps, compensation limits and negative balance protection are the jurisdiction’s general rules for retail clients, not a promise by any individual broker; professional clients are treated differently. The licensed entity that onboards you governs in practice. Source: ASIC Checked 2026-08Source: CySEC Checked 2026-08Source: DFSA Checked 2026-08Source: FCA Checked 2026-08Source: FSCA Checked 2026-08
Too close to call
The two differ by 3.0 points, below the 5.0 threshold — under our scoring that gap is not enough to say one is better. Look at the protection table instead: which jurisdiction the entity that onboards you sits in usually decides your real risk more than the total score does.
