What is spread?
The spread is the gap between the bid price and the ask price of an instrument. It is one of the costs of trading. This page explains how it is measured, where you can see it and why it changes.
The details follow the Exness Help Centre (checked 2026-10-13). Exness can change them without notice. This page does not list spread figures, because they change with the market.
Why are there two prices for one instrument?
The CFTC futures glossary defines the spread as the bid-ask gap; OTC forex/CFD details can differ. At Exness, spread in pips = (ask - bid) / pip size.
Bid, ask and how the spread is counted
The CFTC glossary defines the bid-ask spread as the difference between bid and ask prices. It is a futures glossary; details can differ for OTC forex and CFDs.
At Exness the spread in pips is:
(ask - bid) / pip size
Example from Exness: USDCAD with a bid of 1.26586 and an ask of 1.26600. The gap is 0.00014. With a pip size of 0.0001 the spread is 1.4 pips. For more on pips, see what is a pip.
Sources: CFTC glossary, Exness Help Centre, spreads article (checked 2026-10-13).
The spread is a cost
How does the spread cost me money?
Using Exness's formulas, spread cost is spread in pips x pip value. For OTC forex, the CFTC says the dealer is the counterparty and earns from spreads, commissions and other charges.
A CFTC consumer advisory explains that in over-the-counter forex the firm you trade with is the counterparty to your trade. It earns from frequent trading, client losses, fees, spreads and commissions.
Putting two Exness formulas together, the spread cost = spread in pips x value of 1 pip. As an illustration, if 1 pip is worth 10 in the quote currency and the spread is 2 pips, the spread costs 20 in the quote currency. This is our calculation, not a figure stated by Exness.
Exness's trading calculator also shows a "spread cost". It is based on the average spread of the previous trading day, and the real amount is only known when you place an order. You can work out the value of a pip with the pip value calculator.
Where the spread is shown
- The Exness website shows the average spread of the previous trading day, in pips.
- Exness Terminal and Exness Trade show the current spread, in pips.
- MT4 and MT5 show the current spread in points. A spread of 2 pips appears there as 20 points, because 1 pip is 10 points.
Source: Exness Help Centre, spreads article (checked 2026-10-13).
Variable and stable spreads
Exness describes two types of spread.
- Variable. It changes all the time with market conditions.
- Stable. Exness calls some spreads 'stable': they generally remain steady for about 90% of the time on selected instruments, outside periods of high volatility. This does not guarantee an unchanged spread.
The main things that move the spread are market volatility, news releases, unexpected economic events and market openings and closings. Major currency pairs tend to have narrower spreads and exotic pairs wider ones.
Source: Exness Help Centre, spread types article (checked 2026-10-13).
Commission is a separate cost
At Exness, Standard Cent, Standard and Pro accounts have no trading commission. Some other account types do charge one. The amount depends on the instrument, and it applies to both the opening and the closing of an order.
When you compare costs, look at the spread and any commission together for the account type you are considering. See the account types page.
Source: Exness Help Centre, commission article (checked 2026-10-13).
How many pips is a bid of 1.26586 and an ask of 1.26600?
It is 1.4 pips on USDCAD. The gap is 0.00014 and the pip size is 0.0001. This is the example Exness gives.How do spread units and reference times differ?
Exness's help centre says MT4 and MT5 display current spreads in points; its example converts 2 pips to 20 points. Exness Terminal and Exness Trade display current spreads in pips, while the website displays the previous trading day's average.Is the spread fixed?
Not necessarily. At Exness there are variable spreads, which change with the market, and spreads it calls 'stable'. Stable spreads generally remain steady for about 90% of the time on selected instruments, outside periods of high volatility. This does not guarantee an unchanged spread.What makes the spread wider?
At Exness the main factors are market volatility, news releases, unexpected economic events and market openings and closings. Major pairs tend to be narrower and exotic pairs wider.Last reviewed 2026-10-13