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CMC Markets Review

By:
Jitan Solanki
Updated: Mar 3, 2020

CMC Markets is a multi-asset class spread betting and CFD broker, regulated by the UK’s Financial Conduct Authority (FCA). Clients can trade on more than 9,000+ trading instruments covering Indices, Forex, Cryptocurrencies, Commodities, Shares and Treasuries, all on the MetaTrader 4 platform or the broker’s own proprietary, web-based Next Generation platform.

CMC Markets is a multi-asset class spread betting and CFD broker with over 30 years of experience, regulated by the UK’s Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) and thus offering segregated funds and a high level of security and safety. The CMC Group is a publicly-traded company on the London Stock Exchange.

The broker offers 3 different trading accounts: spread betting, CFD and Corporate accounts. Each account offers users to trade on more than 9,000+ trading instruments covering Indices, Forex, Cryptocurrencies, Commodities, Shares and Treasuries with spread betting offering commission-free trading and CFD and Corporate accounts offering commission-based trading on Shares only.

Users can trade on the MetaTrader 4 trading platform and on the broker’s own, proprietary, web-based Next Generation platform for web and mobile trading. The Next Generation platform is feature-rich with 115 technical indicators and drawing tools, 12 chart types and a pattern recognition tool. The broker also offers news and analysis from their own market analysts, as well as education, webinars and seminars.

Pros: Cons:
  • FCA UK regulated and publicly traded company on the London Stock Exchange.
  • 9,000+ trading instruments covering multiple asset classes.
  • Feature-rich proprietary Next Generation trading platform.
  • News and analysis from in-house market analysts.
  • Steep learning curve for beginning traders using the Next Generation advanced trading platform.

CMC Markets Main Features

☑️ Regulations
🗺 Supported Languages
Arabic, Chinese, Czech, Danish, English, Finnish, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Norwegian, Portuguese, Spanish
💰 ProductsCrypto, Futures, Bonds, Currencies, ETFs, Indices, Commodities, Stocks
💵 Min Deposit$0
💹 Max Leverage
🖥 Trading Desk TypeDealing Desk, Market Maker
📊 Trading PlatformsCMC Web Platform
💳 Deposit Options
Credit Card, PayPal, Wire Transfer
💳 Withdrawal Options
Credit Card, PayPal, Wire Transfer
🤴 Demo AccountYes
🗓 Foundation Year1989
🌎 Headquarters CountryUnited Kingdom
Risk DisclosureCFDs are complex instruments and come with a high risk of losing money rapidly due to leverage. You should consider whether you understand how CFDs work and whether you can afford to take the high risk of losing your money.

CMC Markets Full Review


Review sections


CMC Markets Video Review

Investor Protection & Regulations

CMC Markets is authorised and regulated by the UK’s Financial Conduct Authority under the name CMC Markets UK plc offering negative balance protection for retail clients and segregated funds. The CMC Group is a publicly listed company on the London Stock Exchange.

CMC Markets is authorised and regulated by the UK’s Financial Conduct Authority under the name CMC Markets UK plc, as confirmed on the FCA register below:

The broker also offers investor protection by holding client money in segregated accounts, as confirmed below:

CMC Markets is part of the CMC Group which is a publicly listed company on the London Stock Exchange, thereby offering transparency in its dealings and health.

Tradable Products

CMC Markets offers users the ability to trade CFDs on more than 9,000+ instruments covering 300+ Forex pairs, 60+ Indices, 90+Commodities, 30+ Treasuries, 9000+ Shares and ETFs and 15 Cryptocurrencies.

CMC Markets offers a wide range of instruments to trade on covering all major asset classes such as 300+ Forex instruments, 60+ Indices, 15 Cryptocurrencies, 90+ Commodities, 30+ Treasuries and 9,000+ Shares and ETFs.

Below is a list of just some of the available markets for trading:

Forex Indices Commodities
AUD/USD Germany 30 Cocoa
EUR/CHF UK 100 Coffee
GBP/USD US 30 Crude Oil
Treasuries Cryptocurrencies Shares & ETFs
Canada Bond 10 YR Bitcoin/USD Apple
Euro Bobl – Cash Ethereum/USD BP
Euro Bund – Cash Dash/USD Netflix

*Details regarding the available assets are taken from the CMC Markets website and trading platform and are correct at the time of this review.

Trading costs such as spreads, commissions and overnight funding (swap) rates vary depending on the instrument being traded and are covered further down this review.

Account Opening

CMC Markets offers 3 trading accounts – a spread betting account, a CFD account and a Corporate account. Users can also try a free demo account.

CMC Markets offers 3 trading accounts as shown above. Each account comes with some similarities and differences as highlighted in the comparison table which is on the broker’s website. For example, each account has the same platform features but the range of instruments differs slightly, as shown below:

Opening an account can be done easily on the broker’s website by clicking on the Start Trading button. This will then open up a registration page where users simply need to input their email and password, as shown below:

Users are then logged into the CMC Markets Next Generation trading platform where they can continue the application process, as shown below:

In the next page, users need to fill out their personal details, address details and financial details.

Once this has all been filled out, users simply need to agree to the broker’s Terms and Conditions, as shown below:

Users are then shown a confirmation of the application:

And are then redirected to the CMC Markets Client Portal area and an email is sent asking for users to verify their identity and address. Users can also open demo trading accounts and can manage both live and demo accounts from the CMC Markets Next Generation trading platform.

Deposit & Withdrawals options

CMC Markets offers users the ability to fund accounts via credit or debit card or by wire transfer. Withdrawals can be made via the same methods apart from back to MasterCards where there is a restriction in place.

CMC Markets offers users the ability to deposit funds into their trading account via credit and debit card or by wire transfer.

Deposits are fee-free and can be done via the CMC Markets Client Portal.

Withdrawals can take between 1-5 days and funds can only be returned to the original source with a limit of only one withdrawal request per day. More details regarding withdrawals are shown below:

Web & Desktop Trading Platforms

CMC Markets offers users the ability to trade on their advanced, feature-rich, browser-based trading platform called Next Generation, as well as on MetaTrader 4 CMC Markets offers users the ability to trade on the MetaTrader 4 trading platform for Windows Desktop and Web.

CMC Markets’ Next Generation platform is feature-rich and provides users with a range of benefits, such as the ability to:

  • Trade from anywhere with browser-based trading
  • Use 115+ technical trading indicators
  • Access 12 chart types and 70+ chart patterns
  • View client sentiment details to view the number of clients and their ‘Position Value’
  • Switch between 5 different layouts – 5minute chart, FX chart, Market overview, Share chart and Trade Ideas chart
  • Access their own pattern recognition scanner on 120 of the most popular trading products, updated every 15 minutes

A screenshot of the trading platform is shown below. However, a detailed review of the trading platform and its functionality can be found in the video review.

Mobile Trading Platforms

CMC Markets offers impressive and advanced functionality in its mobile trading platforms for iPad, iPhone and Android systems.

CMC Markets offers users the ability to trade on their very own, native spread betting and CFD mobile trading app. The app can be downloaded from the broker’s website or directly from the Apple App Store or Google PlayStore.

Some of the benefits and features of the CMC Markets mobile trading app include:

  • Mobile-optimised charting
  • 40+ technical indicators and drawing tools
  • Customisable dashboard
  • Live market calendar
  • In-app support

Using the CMC Markets mobile trading is covered in more detail in the video review.

Trading Features

CMC Markets offers an impressive range of trading features that are already built into their very own Next Generation trading platform such a pattern recognition scanner, client sentiment tool and guaranteed stop-loss orders.

CMC Markets offers an impressive range of trading features that are already built in to their very own Next Generation trading platform. For example, users can access the broker’s own pattern recognition scanner which will automatically alert users to the emergence and breakout of popular chart patterns such as triangles, wedges and channels on 120 of the most popular products, updated every 15 minutes, as shown below:

The Client Sentiment tool is also an impressive trading feature as it allows users to view the number of clients and their ‘Position Value’ in near real-time.

CMC Markets also provides the use of Guaranteed Stop Loss orders (GSLOs) on certain asset classes for a premium, which is refunded in full if the GSLO is no activated.

Commissions & Spreads

Trading costs with CMC Markets vary depending on the market being traded and the account type opened. Spread betting accounts are commission-free and CFD and Corporate accounts are commission-based but for shares only.

Trading costs with CMC Markets vary depending on the market being traded and the account type opened. In general, spread betting accounts offer commission-free trading with spreads starting from 0.3 points and CFD and Corporate accounts offer commission-based trading but only on shares which is from $10.

Spreads and margin rates vary depending on instrument being traded and the account type, spread betting or CFD. However, this information can be found directly on the broker’s website, as the snapshots shown below for just a few of the markets available to trade on with CMC Markets:

CMC Markets Indices Trading (spread betting)

CMC Markets Forex Trading

CMC Markets Commodity Trading (spread betting)

CMC Markets Shares Trading (spread betting)

Bonus & Promotions

In accordance with regulatory restrictions, CMC Markets does not offer any bonuses or promotions

CMC Markets is bound by the restrictions of its regulators not to offer any bonus or promotional schemes.

Customer Support

CMC Markets offers customers 24/5 support via Live Chat, Telephone, and Email. The ‘Help’ section of the website further lists FAQ’s and a glossary to assist clients with the most common queries.

The CMC Markets web page centrally features a link to the Live chat function. The full contact information for the broker can be accessed by clicking on the ‘Help’ icon in the top corner of the homepage.

The Live Chat Function and Telephone lines are available 24/5 during market opening hours. Upon making an enquiry via the chat function we received feedback within the minute as shown in the screenshot above. The customer service representative was polite, helpful and knowledgeable.

By clicking on the ‘help’ menu icon on the home page, the visitor can access the support section listing various options to contact the broker. CMC Markets is available 24/5 on weekdays via Telephone and Email and offers multilingual support.

Alternatively, clients can interact with the broker using their Social Media channels. CMC Markets has a presence on the main social Media outlets such as Facebook, Twitter and Linkedin – the contact details are linked on the website.

For instant feedback and answers to the most common queries, users can consult the FAQs or Glossary on the support page.

Contact Information:

Research

CMC Markets offers several useful trader research tools. The site is regularly updated with analysis and market outlook reports covering various markets and asset classes from their own in-house analysts.

CMC Markets employs a team of dedicated market analysts who provide daily written analysis and Market outlook reports for the Forex and Stock Markets.

On a weekly basis, the broker’s in-house analysts further share outlook reports for the week ahead, in both written and video format.  The material includes comprehensive information about market news, publications and other economic events and showcases how this has or may impact different markets and assets. Furthermore, the broker schedules monthly webinars to cover developments around the Non-Farm-Payroll Report.

The in-house analysts also offer a week ahead video covering the most important topics for each week, as shown below:

The level of research and analysis is impressive and is suitable for both beginner and advanced traders.

Trader Education

CMC Markets has recruited in-house analysts and industry experts to host trader education materials in podcast, article and webinar formats.

CMC Markets provides an impressive range of podcast recordings on-demand covering a wide range of educational topics, with a strong focus on trading psychology and performance enhancement. CMC Markets has recruited in-house analysts and industry experts to host these podcasts series.

In addition, CMC Markets also hosts live trading Q&A webinars on topics such as Trader Mindset and Trader development. These webinars are scheduled monthly and attendance can be booked through the link on the website:

Trading Experience

CMC Markets provides a very competitive offering for both beginner and advanced traders, with the ability to trade on 9,000+ instruments on their own, advanced, Next Generation trading platform with unique trading features.

From our observations, CMC Markets provides a simple, transparent trading, yet highly competitive offering suitable for both beginner and advanced traders. Users have access to spread betting accounts (UK & Ireland only) which are commission-free and CFD trading accounts which are also commission-free with the exception of stocks and shares trading.

Traders can access more than 9,000+ trading instruments covering Indices, Forex, Cryptocurrencies, Shares, Commodities and Treasuries with very competitive spreads. While the broker’s own Next Generation platform may be daunting – at first – for beginner traders it is feature-rich offering unique trading tools in the platform.

The broker also offers a high level of trading research and education that beginner and advanced traders will find of use and easy to access.

FAQ

Is CMC Markets regulated?

Yes, by the UK’s Financial Conduct Authority (FCA).

Where is CMC Markets based?

CMC Markets head office is based at 133 Houndsditch, London, EC3A 7BX, United Kingdom.

How does CMC Markets make money?

CMC Markets makes money mainly through spreads and swaps on certain tradable asset classes and commissions on certain trading accounts.

How do I deposit in CMC Markets account?

Funds can be deposited into a trading account via debit or credit card or bank wire transfer.

What is the min. deposit for CMC Markets?

There is no minimum deposit to open an account.

How do I withdraw money from CMC Markets?

Withdrawals can be made from CMC Markets via debit or credit card (but not to MasterCard) or bank wire transfer.

What is the max leverage in CMC Markets?

The maximum leverage offered by CMC Markets is 1:500 for professional clients and 1:30 for retail clients, in line with ESMA regulations.

How do I open an account with CMC Markets?

An account can be opened at the click of a button on the CMC Markets website and can be done in just a few steps.

Does CMC Markets use MetaTrader?

Yes, MetaTrader 4.

Conclusion

CMC Markets is a multi-asset class spread betting and CFD broker, regulated by the UK’s Financial Conduct Authority (FCA). Clients can trade on more than 9,000+ trading instruments covering Indices, Forex, Cryptocurrencies, Commodities, Shares and Treasuries, all on the MetaTrader 4 platform or the broker’s own proprietary, web-based Next Generation platform.

CMC Markets is a multi-asset class spread betting and CFD broker with over 30 years of experience, regulated by the UK’s Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) and thus offering segregated funds. The CMC Group is a publicly-traded company on the London Stock Exchange.

The broker offers 3 different trading accounts: spread betting, CFD and Corporate accounts. Each account offers users to trade on more than 9,000+ trading instruments covering Indices, Forex, Cryptocurrencies, Commodities, Shares and Treasuries with spread betting offering commission-free trading and CFD and Corporate accounts offering commission-based trading on Shares only.

Users can trade on the MetaTrader 4 trading platform and on the broker’s own, proprietary, web-based Next Generation platform for web and mobile trading. The Next Generation platform is feature-rich with 115 technical indicators and drawing tools, 12 chart types and a pattern recognition tool. The broker also offers news and analysis from their own market analysts, as well as education, webinars and seminars.

  • Commission-free trading accounts available.
  • 9,000+ trading instruments available to trade on.
  • Impressive browser-based Next Generation trading platform.
  • Impressive research and education tools and customer support.

See CMC Markets Full Information

Headquarters Country
United Kingdom
Foundation Year
1989
Regulations
Publicly Traded
Yes
Number Of Employees
200+
Trading Desk Type
Dealing Desk, Market Maker
Trading Platforms
CMC Web Platform
Restricted Countries
United States
Supported Languages
Arabic, Chinese, Czech, Danish, English, Finnish, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Norwegian, Portuguese, Spanish
Min Deposit
$0
Deposit Options
Credit Card, PayPal, Wire Transfer
Withdrawal Options
Credit Card, PayPal, Wire Transfer
Crypto
Bitcoin, Ethereum, Litecoin, Ripple, Dash, Monero, NEO, TRON, Cardano, Stellar, EOS
Products
Crypto, Futures, Bonds, Currencies, ETFs, Indices, Commodities, Stocks
Demo Account
Yes
OCO Orders
Yes
Offers Hedging
Yes
Automated Trading
Yes
API Trading
Yes
Guaranteed Stop Loss
Yes
Guaranteed Limit Orders
Yes
Guaranteed Fills / Liquidity
Yes
Economic calendar
Yes
Trading From Chart
Yes
One-Click Trading
Yes
Expert Advisor
Yes
Social Trading
No
Autochartist
No
Trading Signals
No
Platform Languages
Italian, Portuguese, Chinese, Arabic, Czech, Danish, English, French, Norwegian, Spanish, German, Japanese, Finnish
24 Hours Support
Yes
Support During Weekends
No
Live Chat
Yes
Daily Market Commentary
Yes
News (Top-Tier Sources)
Yes
Webinars
Yes
Deposit Fee
No
Withdrawal Fee
No
Inactivity Fee
No

About the Author

Jitan SolankiWookiee of Wit

Jitan Solanki is a professional trader, market analyst, and educator. He day trades major currency and index markets and focuses on swing trading US equities and commodities. A qualified Market Technician, Jitan also works with trader education and brokerage companies on various projects. These include market analysis, live trading events, and broker reviews. As an experienced trader and educator, Jitan brings all his qualities in action when reviewing and recommending brokers.

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Spread bets and CFDs are complex instruments and come with a high risk of losing money rapidly due to leverage. 73% of retail investor accounts lose money when spread betting and/or trading CFDs with this provider. You should consider whether you understand how spread bets and CFDs work and whether you can afford to take the high risk of losing your money.