Nexo review (2026): interest, loans, fees and MiCA

Nexo is more than a crypto exchange. It combines a wallet, yield products, crypto backed loans, swaps, futures and a payment card. That range is useful, but it also makes the risks and legal setup more complicated than those of a basic trading platform.

For EEA users, the biggest update is Nexo’s MiCA partner structure. Tangany provides custody and DLT Finance provides brokerage. This is not the same as Nexo holding one direct MiCA licence covering every service.

Summary of our Nexo review

Nexo has operated since 2018 and is one of the larger centralised lenders left after Celsius and BlockFi disappeared. Users can earn interest, borrow against crypto, swap assets and spend through the Nexo Card.

The app is polished and the product range is broad. We still only consider Nexo suitable for people who understand that yield is not free money. You give up direct custody and accept counterparty risk, changing conditions and possible collateral liquidation.

How does Nexo’s special MiCA structure work?

Nexo has divided its European infrastructure between specialist partners:

• Tangany GmbH safeguards crypto assets for clients moved to the new EEA setup. Tangany is MiCAR authorised and supervised in Germany.
• DLT Finance, operated by DLT Securities GmbH, supplies brokerage infrastructure and acts as the trading counterparty. Nexo says it is authorised under MiCAR and MiFID II.
• Nexo continues to provide the client facing app and product experience.

New EEA customers join through this structure and existing users are being moved in phases. The authorisations therefore belong to the partners. Global users may be served under a different entity and product availability varies by jurisdiction.

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Nexo Earn

Flexible Savings credits interest daily while keeping assets available. Fixed Term can offer a higher rate but locks the balance for a selected period.

Nexo’s current Earn page advertises up to 13% annually. The actual rate depends on the asset, account balance, Loyalty tier, lock up period and whether rewards are paid in NEXO Tokens. The percentage shown inside the app matters more than the headline “up to” rate.

Crypto backed loans

A Credit Line requires users to deposit more collateral value than they borrow. The LTV ratio determines the remaining safety margin. If the collateral value falls too far, Nexo can automatically sell part of it to reduce the loan.

Nexo advertises borrowing from 1.9% annually. Reaching that entry rate requires favourable conditions, including a low LTV and an eligible Loyalty tier. The normal rate can be materially higher.

Setting up Nexo safely

1. Register with a unique email address and strong password.
2. Complete identity verification.
3. Enable 2FA with an authenticator app.
4. Set a personal anti phishing code.
5. Enable withdrawal address whitelisting.
6. Check which entity and regional setup apply to the account.
7. Start with a small amount and test a withdrawal.

Nexo Card

The card has Debit Mode and Credit Mode. Debit Mode spends available assets. Credit Mode draws from a collateral backed credit line and can provide up to 2% cashback in NEXO. Bitcoin cashback is lower and the rate depends on the user’s Loyalty tier.

There is no monthly, annual or inactivity card fee. ATM, foreign exchange and regional usage limits can still apply.

Nexo fees

The standard Nexo Exchange provides a fixed quote. Always compare that quote with a liquid external market because “no trading fee” does not automatically mean there is no price difference.

Nexo Pro uses a clearer maker and taker schedule. At the lowest volume tier, the current fee table lists 0.30% maker and 0.40% taker. Paying fees in NEXO provides a 50% discount according to that schedule.

The old promotion promising up to 500 USDC is no longer our standard claim. Nexo’s current general onboarding offer gives new clients Platinum tier for 30 days. Always check the landing page and regional terms.

Nexo compared with a regular exchange

Nexo stands out for Earn, loans and its card. If the only goal is buying and selling crypto, a conventional order book exchange with a direct regional authorisation can be easier to understand.

Nexo Pro publishes trading fees, but the wider ecosystem remains complex. Do not move an entire exchange balance into an interest product merely because both functions use the same login.

Security and risks

Nexo lists SOC 2 Type 2, SOC 3, ISO 27001, address whitelisting, an anti phishing code and automated scam detection among its controls. Tangany adds segregated client accounting for the EEA custody layer.

These controls do not remove financial risk. Earn is not protected by a bank deposit guarantee. Segregated custody also cannot prevent every loss caused by a credit product, counterparty failure or collateral mechanism.

Nexo user experiences

Users often like the polished app, daily interest, flexible Credit Line and combination of debit and credit modes. Common complaints concern changing rates, withdrawal verification and the number of conditions attached to the highest advertised percentage.

Conclusion of our Nexo review

Nexo offers a substantial range of products and has improved its European structure by using regulated partners. Tangany and DLT Finance make the MiCA setup more credible, but this does not turn Nexo into a bank or give its Earn balances a deposit guarantee.

Use Nexo only for the part of a portfolio for which you accept counterparty and liquidation risk. Check the actual interest rate, borrowing cost and trading quote shown to your account before committing funds.