When a broker complaint makes sense
A complaint is a formal written dispute. Common reasons are a broker not withdrawing money, a trade closed at a price you think was wrong, unexpected fees, or a blocked account. Before you complain, find out who regulates the firm. That decides who can help you, and it is the first thing any ombudsman or regulator will ask. See Verify a Broker for how to check a licence.
If you hold a trading account with Exness, use the support channels in the Exness personal area and check the current complaint procedure on the official site.
- Write to the broker's support and keep the ticket number.
- Describe the problem with dates, amounts, account and order numbers; attach screenshots.
- If the answer does not solve it, use the broker's formal complaints procedure.
- Then turn to the regulator or the financial ombudsman named in the broker's licence.
- Keep copies of everything and do not pay anyone who offers to “speed up” your case.
Collect your evidence first
Before you write anything, save copies of:
- Your account number, the registered email and the name of the legal entity on your client agreement.
- Trade history and statements exported from the platform. On MetaTrader this is the account history report. See MetaTrader 5.
- Deposit and withdrawal receipts from your bank or wallet.
- Screenshots of error messages, chats and emails, with the date and time showing.
- The client agreement and the terms that were in force when the problem happened.
Keep originals. Send copies only.
Raise an internal complaint with the broker
Regulated brokers usually have a written complaints procedure. You can normally find it in the legal documents on the official site. Apply these points when you use it:
- Write to the official complaints address. A chat message is not a formal complaint.
- State the facts, the amount involved, the outcome you want, and your evidence.
- Ask for a reference number and a written final response.
- Note the date you sent the complaint. Regulators and ombudsman schemes often require you to complain to the firm first and to wait a set period for its answer. Check the time limits in the broker's own procedure and on the relevant regulator's site.
Do not delay. Many schemes also have a deadline for bringing a case after the firm's final response.
Escalate to an ombudsman or dispute body
If the final answer does not resolve the problem, or no answer arrives in time, the next step depends on the licence. Some regulators run or require an independent dispute service, often called a financial ombudsman. Some brokers are instead members of a private dispute-resolution organisation. Your client agreement or the broker's complaints page should name the body that applies. Check the body's own rules on eligibility, time limits and the size of claims it handles.
Not every licence comes with such a scheme. Offshore vs Onshore and What Regulation Protects explain the differences. Compensation Schemes covers protection if a firm fails.
Complain to the regulator
A regulator usually does not settle individual money disputes. It records complaints, and it can act on firms that break its rules. Use the official site of the regulator that issued the licence. You can find these sites through the register guides, such as the FCA Register, the CySEC Register, the FSCA Register, the FSA Seychelles Register, the FSC Mauritius Register and Other Regulator Registers.
What Pakistani residents should know
In Pakistan the supervisor for securities and futures is the Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan (SECP), with trading in listed securities and commodities only via SECP-licensed securities and futures brokers. For a broker licensed locally, you complain to the broker first and then to the SECP through its official website. Note that per the SECP, lists of licensed brokers are on the PSX and PMEX websites.
Offshore forex and CFD platforms are a different case:
- Per the SECP, offshore forex/CFD platforms operate without regulatory approval in Pakistan.
- Also, per the SECP, offshore platforms have no Pakistani licence or oversight and offer no legal protection or recourse. A Pakistani regulator is therefore unlikely to resolve your dispute with such a firm.
- On offshore products and payments: per the SBP, the purchase of offshore forex/margin/CFD products by Pakistani residents violates section 4(1) of FERA 1947, and per the SBP, remitting foreign exchange to overseas forex/margin/CFD platforms is not allowed through any payment channel (FERA s.5(1)).
In practice, the main route against an offshore broker is its own complaints procedure and its foreign regulator or dispute body, if one exists. More context is on Law and regulators.
Leveraged CFD and forex trading can lose money fast. A complaint cannot recover losses from trades that were executed correctly.
If you suspect a scam, not a dispute
A firm with no real licence, pressure to deposit more before a withdrawal, or a cloned website suggest fraud. Contact your bank or wallet provider at once and report the case. See Report a Scam, Clone Sites and Fake Apps and Scam Warning Signs. The SECP publishes SECP warnings by press release naming platforms (Quotex 09.04.2025; IBKR look-alikes, IGIL Securities, BMA Capital No.108 etc. 22.05.2025; Hillhouse Capital, S-169 Wharton 13.01.2026), none of which names Exness.
Two cautions:
- Be wary of anyone who offers to get your money back for a fee. See Recovery Scams.
- In public posts, describe what happened and do not make accusations that no official source supports.
Frequent questions
What should I do if my broker is not withdrawing money?
First check the withdrawal status and any verification request in your account. See KYC and AML and Withdrawal time. If nothing is pending on your side, file a written complaint with your evidence and ask for a final response.
Can the SECP help with a complaint against a forex broker based abroad?
The SECP states that offshore platforms have no Pakistani licence or oversight and offer no legal protection or recourse. Use the broker's procedure and its foreign regulator or dispute body.
How long does a broker complaint take?
It depends on the broker's procedure and on the ombudsman or regulator involved. Check the time limits published by each of them.
Is an ombudsman decision free to request?
Many official schemes do not charge consumers. Confirm this on the scheme's official site before you apply.
Should I sign a statement or settlement the broker sends me?
Read it carefully. A settlement may end your right to escalate the complaint. Get independent legal advice if the amount involved is large.
