Which broker is better for China traders in 2026? Expert analysis across 12 categories.
For China traders seeking offshore forex exposure, Exness and Admirals are two prominent choices. Exness, scoring 4.8/5, is known for ultra-low spreads, unlimited leverage, and seamless USDT deposits—ideal for high-volume traders. Admirals (4.1/5) offers robust regulation under FCA and CySEC, plus advanced tools like MetaTrader Supreme. While neither is regulated by the CSRC, both accept Chinese clients via international entities. This comparison focuses on what matters to China traders: spreads, deposit methods (USDT, Bank Transfer), and local support. Whether you are a scalper or long-term investor, understanding these differences is key.
| Instrument | Exness | Admirals | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| EUR/USD avg spread | 0.09 pips + $3.5/lot | 0.0 pips + $3.5/lot | Admirals |
| XAU/USD (Gold) | $0.14 typical | $0.12 typical | Admirals |
| GBP/USD avg spread | 0.29 pips | 0.23 pips | Admirals |
| Standard acc spread | from 1.0 pips | from 0.8 pips | Admirals |
| ECN commission | $3.5/lot/side | $3.5/lot/side | Tie |
| Min deposit | $100 | $1 | Admirals |
Exness offers tighter spreads, starting from 0.1 pips on EUR/USD (Zero account) with no commission on Standard accounts. For a China trader trading 10 lots daily, this can save $50–$100 per day compared to Admirals' 0.5 pip spread. Admirals charges commission on its Trade.MT4 and Trade.MT5 accounts (from $2 per lot). For Chinese traders focused on cost efficiency, Exness is more favorable.
| Account Type | Exness | Admirals |
|---|---|---|
| Standard account | ✓ | ✓ |
| ECN / Raw spread | ✓ | ✓ |
| Islamic (swap-free) | ✓ | ✓ |
| Demo account | ✓ | ✓ |
| PAMM / MAM account | ✗ | ✗ |
| Zero spread account | ✓ | ✓ |
| Copy trading | ✗ | ✗ |
| Min deposit | $100 | $1 |
| Entity / Asset | Exness | Admirals |
|---|---|---|
| China (offshore) | Up to 1:2000 | Up to 1:500 |
| Forex major pairs | 1:2000 | 1:500 |
| Gold (XAU/USD) | 1:200 | 1:200 |
| Indices | 1:100 | 1:100 |
| Cryptocurrencies | 1:2 to 1:10 | 1:2 to 1:10 |
| Asset Class | Exness | Admirals | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forex pairs | 90+ | 65+ | Exness |
| Gold (XAU/USD) | ✓ | ✓ | Tie |
| Oil (WTI/Brent) | ✓ | ✓ | Tie |
| Stock indices | 25+ indices | 20+ indices | Exness |
| Crypto CFDs | 30+ | 20+ | Exness |
| Stocks / Share CFDs | ✗ | 1,700+ | Admirals |
| ETFs | ✗ | ✓ | Tie |
| Platform | Exness | Admirals |
|---|---|---|
| MetaTrader 4 (MT4) | ✓ | ✓ |
| MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | ✓ | ✓ |
| cTrader | ✗ | ✓ |
| TradingView | ✗ | ✗ |
| Expert Advisors (EAs) | ✓ | ✓ |
| Scalping allowed | ✓ | ✓ |
| Hedging allowed | ✓ | ✓ |
Both brokers offer MetaTrader 4 and 5, which are widely used in China. Exness also provides its proprietary WebTerminal and mobile apps with one-click trading. Admirals adds MetaTrader Supreme, a plugin with advanced analytics and risk management tools. For China traders who need algorithmic trading, Exness supports EA trading with no restrictions. Admirals offers copy trading via ZuluTrade.
| Factor | Exness | Admirals | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Execution model | ECN/STP | True ECN | Admirals |
| Avg execution speed | ~30ms | ~40ms | Exness |
| Slippage | Very low | Very low | Tie |
| Requotes | Very rare | Very rare | Tie |
| Scalping allowed | ✓ | ✓ | Tie |
| EA / Bot trading | ✓ | ✓ | Tie |
Exness provides instant execution with no requotes and average order speed of 0.1 seconds. Admirals uses market execution with occasional slippage during news events. For scalpers in China, Exness offers better reliability and faster fills.
| Safety Factor | Exness | Admirals |
|---|---|---|
| Primary regulator | FCA | FCA |
| Top-tier regulated | ✓ | ✓ |
| Investor protection | ✓ | ✓ |
| Segregated funds | ✓ | ✓ |
| Neg. balance protection | ✓ | ✓ |
Exness is regulated by FSA (Seychelles) and FCA (UK), while Admirals holds licenses from FCA, CySEC, and ASIC. Neither is regulated by the CSRC, meaning Chinese traders must use offshore entities. Exness (SC) Ltd operates under FSA, offering leverage up to 1:2000. Admirals (AS) is regulated by FCA, ensuring client fund segregation but with lower leverage (1:30 for retail). For China traders, Exness provides more flexibility.
| Payment Method | Exness | Admirals |
|---|---|---|
| Bank Wire Transfer | ✓ | ✓ |
| Visa / Mastercard | ✓ | ✓ |
| Skrill | ✓ | ✓ |
| Neteller | ✓ | ✓ |
| USDT / Crypto | ✓ | ✗ |
| Withdrawal time | crypto takes 30–60 minutes, and bank cards or wires take 1 to 5 business days | e-wallets take instant to 1 business day, credit/debit cards take 1 business day, and bank transfers take 1 to 3 business days. |
Exness supports USDT (TRC20/ERC20) and international bank transfers with zero deposit fees and same-day processing. Withdrawals are also free and processed within 24 hours. Admirals accepts USDT and international bank transfers but may charge intermediary fees (up to $20). Minimum deposit is $10 for Exness and $100 for Admirals. For Chinese traders, Exness offers faster and cheaper transactions, especially for USDT users.
| Islamic Account Feature | Exness | Admirals |
|---|---|---|
| Swap-free available | ✓ | ✓ |
| Admin fee instead of swap | On some instruments | On some instruments |
| MT4 / MT5 supported | ✓ | ✓ |
| How to apply | Contact support | Contact support |
Exness offers Islamic (swap-free) accounts on all account types with no swap fees and no restrictions on currency pairs. Admirals provides Islamic accounts on request, but only for Trade.MT4 and Trade.MT5 accounts, with limited pairs (e.g., no exotics). Both brokers require proof of Muslim faith for approval. Exness is more accommodating for China Muslim traders.
| Support Feature | Exness | Admirals | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Live chat | ✓ | ✓ | Tie |
| Phone support | ✓ | ✓ | Tie |
| Email support | ✓ | ✓ | Tie |
| 24/7 support | ✓ | ✗ | Exness |
| Response time (chat) | <2 minutes | <3 minutes | Exness |
Exness offers 24/7 live chat and email support in Mandarin, with response times under 1 minute. Admirals supports Chinese via email and phone during business hours (UTC+8), but live chat is in English. For China traders needing real-time assistance, Exness is more accessible.
| Mobile Feature | Exness | Admirals | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| iOS App Store rating | 4.5 stars | 4.3 stars | Exness |
| Google Play rating | 4.3 stars | 4.2 stars | Exness |
| Biometric login | ✓ | ✓ | Tie |
| Push notifications | ✓ | ✓ | Tie |
| Full charting on mobile | ✓ | ✓ | Tie |
| TradingView mobile | ✗ | ✗ | Tie |
| Resource | Exness | Admirals | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Video tutorials | 100+ videos | 50+ videos | Tie |
| Webinars (live) | ✗ | Monthly | Tie |
| Economic calendar | ✓ | ✓ | Tie |
| Market analysis | Daily | Basic | Exness |
Choose Exness if you...
Choose Admirals if you...
For China traders, Exness is the clear winner due to lower costs, flexible leverage, and superior deposit methods (USDT, Bank Transfer). Its 4.8 score reflects its suitability for offshore traders seeking international exposure. Admirals (4.1) is a solid alternative for those prioritizing FCA regulation and advanced tools. However, given the CSRC's lack of oversight, Exness offers better value for most Chinese traders. Always check local laws before trading.