Exness Crosses 800K Active Traders — What’s Driving the Growth in 2026
Exness has crossed 800,000 active traders, continuing its steady climb as one of the largest retail forex brokers by client volume. The broker added roughly 100,000 new active traders in the past year — growth that few competitors can match. Here’s what’s driving it and whether it matters for your trading.
Three Factors Behind Exness Growth
First, Exness offers unlimited leverage for non-EU clients, a feature that remains rare among major brokers. While regulators in Europe and Australia have capped leverage at 1:30 for retail clients, Exness’s international entity still provides access to higher ratios.
Second, its instant withdrawal policy — withdrawals processed automatically 24/7 — has built a loyal following. In our tests, withdrawals hit accounts within hours, not days. This is a genuine differentiator in an industry where withdrawal speed is a top complaint.
Third, the broker has expanded its instrument list to over 120 assets including forex majors, minors, exotics, crypto, commodities, and indices. That breadth makes Exness a one-stop shop for traders who don’t want multiple accounts.
How Exness Compares to IC Markets and Pepperstone
IC Markets serves roughly 400,000 active traders. Pepperstone is at approximately 300,000. Exness’s lead in active trader count is substantial — roughly double IC Markets and approaching triple Pepperstone.
But scale isn’t everything. Regulation is the trade-off. Exness operates under FCA and CySEC for European clients, with FSA for international clients. IC Markets holds ASIC and CySEC licenses. The regulatory framework affects leverage limits and investor protection.
For traders considering Exness, the key question is which entity you’d be registered under. FCA clients get FSCS protection up to £85K but lower leverage. International clients keep access to unlimited leverage but have fewer safeguards. Read our full Exness review for spreads, platforms, and withdrawal analysis.
What This Means for Traders
Exness’s growth validates its model: instant withdrawals + flexible leverage + broad asset selection. For traders who prioritize withdrawal speed and leverage flexibility, Exness is hard to beat. For traders who prioritize regulatory protection, a dual-regulated broker like IC Markets or Pepperstone may be the better fit.
See our broker comparison tool to compare Exness side by side with its competitors.