Exante Broker Review

The Exante brand is used by several regulated investment firms and its global trading platform provides investors access to more than one million financial instruments. Traders can access more than 50 different markets from a single multi-currency account.

Evaluation of services

We’ve evaluated the broker on these factors:

• Reliability - 5
• Utility of the service - 4
• Diversity and quality of the product offer - 5
• Client support - 5
• Fees - 4

Based on these indicators, Exante’s overall rating is 4.5.

Financial instruments traded by Exante

Customers have access to the following types of financial instruments:

• Stocks and ETFs
• Futures
• Currency pairs
• Metals
• Options
• Funds
• Bonds

Traders have access to more than one million financial instruments across dozens of exchange markets.

Futures

With Exante traders have access to global futures exchanges, with more than 3,000 futures contracts from markets like CME, LIFFE, EUREX, HKEX, and more. Traders can enjoy fast execution times with ultra–low latency, along with 100% real-time prices.

Options

Exante gives traders the ability to trade options on various markets, with a powerful trading platform and perfectly calculated Greeks. There are hundreds of thousands of options available on Exante’s trading platform.

Currency pairs

Exante offers global traders access to over 50 currency pairs, with live market spreads starting at 0.2 pips. Traders can take advantage of the volatility in the forex market and potentially profit from exchange rate fluctuations. Exante offers a safe forex trading experience with 100% reliable trading and fast execution.

Funds

With more than 200 funds to invest in, traders get online access to a range of hedge funds. You can invest in funds with a single click, and monitor your positions in real-time.

Metals

For traders interested in precious metals, the trading platform provides access to metals such as gold, silver, platinum, and palladium. With low commission fees of 0.005% per trade, traders can take positions in these markets and diversify their portfolios.

Bonds

Investors can also trade thousands of bonds through Exante’s trading platform. It comes with a 0.3% custody fee per annum, allowing traders to explore opportunities in the fixed-income markets and potentially earn steady returns. Traders get access to prime bonds with limited issue, as well as unlimited opportunities for portfolio diversification.

History

Exante is based in Malta and it first began its operations in 2011. Here’s a summary of the history of Exante:

• Exante was founded by Alexey Kirienko, Anatoliy Knyazev and Gatis Eglitis in 2011
• In 2012, EXT LTD received a license from the Cyprus regulator
• The company enters the Asian market with the opening of a representative office, XHK LTD, based in Hong Kong and supervised by the Hong Kong Securities and Futures Commission.
• Exante won the Blockchain Awards in 2018
• Exante won the Best Trading Platform award in 2019 from the Global Banking and Finance Review magazine
• Exante won the Best Online Broker 2020 award from iHODL
• Exante won the award for Diversity in Finance from Financial Adviser in 2020
• Exante earns a nomination for Best Multi-Asset Trading Platform at the 2024 FMLS Awards
• Exante is recognised as the Best Investment Company in Cyprus and Malta in 2024

The trading platform

The Exante trading platform works on every device and has a modular structure that allows for plenty of customisation. The trading platform is available on desktop, web, and mobile (Android and iOS).

Key features

Multi-asset offering

Exante offers over 1,000,000 financial instruments. You can invest and trade popular assets like stocks, forex, and indices, as well as access bonds, futures, options, funds, ETFs, and more. With all these options available on a single platform, creating a customised investment strategy that spans continents and asset types is easy.

Institutional grade technology

The Exante trading platform is mainly intended for institutional investors, wealth managers, and private investors. However, retail traders who use Exnate can access the same features that some of the biggest players in the industry do. This includes high-performance technology, fast trade execution, and a reliable trading environment.

Direct market access

When you trade with Exante, you can skip the market makers and connect directly to exchanges. By doing so, you can access the best possible bid and ask prices. This results in tighter spreads, faster execution, and better control over your orders.

Direct market access (DMA) means that you can eliminate the middleman and secure the best prices directly from the market source.

Desktop

Exante’s desktop trading platform has a lot of trading tools and features and is ideal for experienced traders. It has advanced charting capabilities, with plenty of technical indicators, and the ability for traders to analyse market trends with precision.

The platform has several charts and time frames catering to different trading styles and strategies. It prioritises reliability, ensuring minimal downtime and quick execution speeds. The desktop version stands out due to its customization options, allowing traders to modify the workspace according to their requirements by rearranging modules and windows to optimize their trading workflow.

Experienced traders will appreciate the convenience of being able to create and save multiple workspace layouts on Exante's desktop trading platform. Additionally, the platform offers a quick search function, drag-and-drop features, and a wide range of charting tools.

As with all of its other platforms, Exante places a high priority on security for its desktop trading platform.

The platform employs advanced encryption protocols and secure login procedures to ensure the safety of transactions and user data.

Mobile

The mobile app works on both Android and iOS smartphones. It has a friendly and intuitive design with different time intervals for charts and support in seven languages. You can track real-time quotes, analyse charts, and execute trades on all financial instruments available.

The mobile app’s intuitive interface lets you customise watchlists, set risk management alerts, and even access educational resources right from your phone.

Web

Exante’s web trading platform offers access to global markets directly from your web browser. The web version has many of the same features as the desktop version, making it easy to switch between the two. The platform is flexible and this makes it easy for traders who value a streamlined experience, without sacrificing any essential features.

One great benefit of using Exante’s web trading platform is that it does not rely on your browser and HTTP protocol. This means that trading orders are processed much faster and are much less likely to experience connectivity issues and delays.

Exante Fees

Exante has several trading fees including commissions, rollover, spreads, and inactivity fees. Below are some of the fees you may be charged for using Exante.

Fee	Exante fees
Trading fees	Yes, depending on asset
Inactivity fees	Yes, €50 after 6 months of inactivity
Rollover/overnight fees	Yes
Withdrawal fees	Yes, €30
Spreads	Yes, asset dependent
Conversion fees	Yes

Exante’s fees are structured in a way that they only apply to actual trading and the size of the minimum trading unit will depend on each instrument. Their fees are transparent and can be found on the Exante website.

Trading fees

For stocks and ETFs, trading fees vary; e.g., on main U.S. exchanges, the maximum rate is USD 0.02 per share. There are varying fees for European exchanges, starting from 0.02% to a maximum of 0.18%. Asian exchanges also have their own fee structure, with rates varying between 0.1% to 0.1927%. These fees are current as of December 2024.

There are different trading fees for futures and options, based on the exchanges. For U.S. exchanges, the fees range from USD 1.5 per instrument and for European exchanges, there is a EUR 1.5 fee per instrument. Other exchanges like OSE, ASX, HKEX, DGEX, and SGX have their own fee structures.

There is a 0.25% fee for cash conversions on all major currency pairs. The exception is EUR/USD, where the fee is zero. For the remaining pairs, the rate is 0.4%.

For short positions and FX, there are overnight fees payable. This varies as the markets are constantly changing, however, clients can find updated overnight fees in the Client Area.

Some other fees that may apply include:

• Margin trading fees: None as long as the margin utilisation is below 100%.

• Manual execution: EUR 90 for voice trading if you place phone/email orders.

• Custody fee: 0.3% annually (applies to bonds)

• Shorting stocks: Approximately 12% of the transaction as an annual rate

For a full explanation of Exante’s fees, see here.

Comparison with Saxo Bank and interactive brokers

This chart compares Exante to two of its main competitors:

Broker	Minimum deposit value	Available exchanges	Fees for equity transactions	Trading platforms	License	Contact the technical support department
Exante	10 000 €	More than 50 renowned international exchanges	US exchanges - $0.02 per security, Moscow exchanges - 0.02% of the transaction amount.	Web, mobile, desktop	CySEC (Cyprus, EU)	Phone, email, live chat
Saxo Bank	10 000 $	59 international sites	Exchanges in the USA - USD 10 per transaction	Web, mobile, desktop	FSA (Denmark)	Phone, correspondence in the terminal
Interactive brokers	No minimum	135 international markets	$1 per operation	Web, mobile, desktop	SEC (America)	Phone, chat, email

Account opening

Opening an account with Exante is a simple process that is also user-friendly. To get started, you need to sign up on their website. You can choose a demo account at first that allows you to get a feel for the platform before you proceed to open a live account. 

Exante requires you to fill out a questionnaire that helps them understand your experience in trading as well as your interests and this information enables them to provide you with a tailored account that suits your specific needs.

Once you’ve opened your account you’ll need to upload verification documents, which will take around one business day to be verified. For individual accounts, this will require proof of identity and proof of residence. 

Once approved, you can immediately deposit funds and start trading. The minimum deposit for individuals is EUR 10,000 and for corporate accounts, it’s EUR 50,000. You’ll now have access to the live trading platform that you can also download for desktop or mobile.

Personal Account Managers

Exante provides each client with a dedicated personal account manager who acts as their sole point of contact for all account-related inquiries, ensuring a customized service experience. These personal account managers are a unique attribute of Exante, and they offer assistance with various aspects such as onboarding, trading, OTC deals, and more.

Safety

When it comes to choosing a brokerage, the safety of funds and the protection of personal data is important to traders. Security and confidentiality are important to Exante and they implement multiple measures to safeguard financial and personal data. 

Regulatory Compliance

The Exante brand is used by a number of regulated investment firms around the world, which are authorized, supervised, and regulated by the FCA (UK), MFSA (Malta), CySEC (Cyprus), and SFC (Hong Kong). They also comply with the Markets in Financial Instruments Directive (MiFID). 

Adhering to these regulations ensures that Exante operates within strict ethical standards, giving traders peace of mind regarding the safety of their investments.

Security Infrastructure

Exante has implemented two-factor authentication (2FA) across all its platforms to ensure the security of all data transmissions. The broker takes extensive measures to protect against unauthorized access and potential cyber threats, including the use of robust firewalls and secure server facilities.

This additional layer of security requires clients to verify their identity through a second authentication method. This could be done through a mobile app or SMS code, making it significantly more difficult for unauthorized individuals to access client accounts.

Investor Protection

Investor funds are protected under the Investor Compensation Scheme, which serves as a safety net in the unlikely event of the broker's insolvency. The scheme compensates clients for a portion of their assets and safeguards them if the broker experiences unforeseen financial difficulties.

Data Privacy

Exnate is dedicated to safeguarding client information and follows strict data protection regulations, including GDPR compliance, to ensure the confidentiality of personal data. In addition, their privacy policy clearly outlines the measures taken to prevent the misuse of personal data, guaranteeing that client privacy is always respected.

Summary

Exante is a globally regulated broker that provides a diverse range of financial instruments, transparent rates and commissions, and personalised support. While some individual clients may find the high initial account deposit a drawback and certain areas lacking in automation, Exante remains an excellent choice for experienced traders, especially those seeking advanced features and a customizable, modular trading platform.

FAQs

What is the minimum deposit to open an account with EXANTE?

The minimum opening deposit is EUR 10,000 for individual accounts and EUR 50,000 for corporate accounts. 

Does Exante offer CFD trading?

No, EXANTE is not a CFD brokerage firm. However, the crypto offering on the EXANTE trading platform is a CFD.

Is the Exante trading platform safe?

The EXANTE Brand name and EXANTE's Trading Platform are used by a number of Regulated Investment firms around the world that are authorized, supervised, and regulated by the FCA (UK), CySEC (Cyprus), MFSA (Malta) and SFC (Hong Kong).

What are Exante’s margin trading fees?

EXANTE doesn’t charge margin trading fees, as long as you keep the margin utilisation below 100%. If you exceed this, there is a fee equivalent to 100% p.a. on the exceeded value, charged daily.

What withdrawal options are available?

Withdrawals are done by bank transfer as this is the most reliable method for moving large sums of money. Funds are withdrawn directly to the account holder, with a few exceptions.