It is shown that all 2-quasitraces on a unital exact C ∗   -algebra are traces. As consequences one gets: (1) Every stably finite exact unital C ∗   -algebra has a tracial state, and (2) if an AW ∗   -factor of type II 1   is generated (as an AW ∗   -algebra) by an exact C ∗   -subalgebra, then it is a von Neumann II 1   -factor. This is a partial solution to a well known problem of Kaplansky. The present result was used by Blackadar, Kumjian and Rørdam to prove that RR(A)=0  for every simple non-commutative torus of any dimension