Broker review
CMC Markets review: spread betting, CFDs and FX Active
CMC Markets lists 8 companies in our data, and all 8 were checked on their regulators’ registers on 20 Oct 2026. UK clients spread bet or trade CFDs with CMC Markets UK plc (FCA 173730); the FX Active pricing quotes EUR/USD, GBP/USD and USD/JPY from 0.0 pips plus 0.0025% commission per side.
Low Spread Brokers does not give personal investment advice.
Verdict at a glance
CMC Markets
7.9/10
Entities 8
- Tier 1FCA173730
- Tier 1FCA948126
- Tier 1BaFin154814
- Tier 1ASICAFSL 238054
- Tier 2FMAFSP41187
- Tier 1MASNot published
- Tier 1CIRONot published
- Tier 1DFSAF002740
- Minimum deposit
- £0
- EUR/USD spread from
- 0.0 pips (FX Active, 19 Oct 2026)
- Max retail leverage
- 1:30 (major FX; margin from 3.34%) (FCA)
- Platforms
- MT4, TradingView, proprietary
- Founded
- 1989
69% of retail investor accounts lose money when trading CFDs with this provider (CMC Markets UK plc).
CMC Markets’ preliminary rating is 7.9/10: regulation 9.0/10, costs 8.0/10, accounts 7.5/10 and platforms 6.5/10. Platforms score lowest because CMC offers three: its own, MT4 and TradingView, with no MT5 or cTrader. Figures come from CMC’s pages, checked 19 Oct 2026; we have not opened a live account. Read first: how we rankhow we make moneyeditorial policy
Quick answer
CMC Markets review: is it a good broker for UK traders?
For UK spread betting and CFDs, CMC Markets offers an FCA company checked on the register on 20 Oct 2026, no minimum deposit and a commission-based FX Active option at 0.0 pips on EUR/USD, GBP/USD and USD/JPY. Its pair-by-pair Standard spreads are not in our data, so we cannot rank its no-commission pricing. 69% of retail accounts with CMC Markets UK plc lose money, as CMC publishes it.
- Retail leverage at CMC Markets UK plc: 1:30 (major FX; margin from 3.34%), with negative balance protection as CMC states it.
- Compensation CMC states for the UK company: FSCS up to £85,000 per person, per firm.
- Tier 1 regulators across the group: FCA, BaFin, ASIC, MAS, CIRO and DFSA.
- MT4 runs on a separate account limited to forex, indices and commodities.
CMC Markets pros and cons
Pros
- All 8 companies in our data checked on their regulators’ registers
- Spread betting and CFDs from CMC Markets UK plc, FCA 173730
- FX Active: EUR/USD, GBP/USD and USD/JPY from 0.0 pips, commission 0.0025% per side (about USD 2.50 per 100,000 units)
- No minimum deposit for UK accounts (£0) and 4 funding methods, open banking among them
Cons
- No MT5 or cTrader; MT4 needs its own account and covers fewer markets
- Standard EUR/USD spread by pair not in our data
- Leverage caps not published in our data for the German, Australian, Singapore, Canadian and Dubai companies
- Licence numbers not published for the Singapore and Canadian companies
Entities and regulation
CMC Markets lists 8 companies in our data. The one that opens your account sets your leverage cap, negative balance protection and compensation scheme. Each was checked on its regulator’s register on 20 Oct 2026; for the Singapore and Canadian companies the register confirms the firm, but CMC publishes no licence number.
| Entity | Regulator | Licence | Max. retail leverage | Negative balance protection | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CMC Markets UK plc | Tier 1 FCA | 173730Checked on the register, 20 Oct 2026 | 1:30 (major FX; margin from 3.34%) | Yes | FSCS up to £85,000 per person, per firm |
| CMC Markets Investments Limited (CMC Invest) | Tier 1 FCA | 948126Checked on the register, 20 Oct 2026 | Not published | Not published | FSCS up to £85,000 per person, per firm |
| CMC Markets Germany GmbH | Tier 1 BaFin | 154814Checked on the register, 20 Oct 2026 | Not published | Not published | Not published |
| CMC Markets Asia Pacific Pty Ltd | Tier 1 ASIC | AFSL 238054Checked on the register, 20 Oct 2026 | Not published | Not published | Not published |
| CMC Markets NZ Limited | Tier 2 FMA | FSP41187Checked on the register, 20 Oct 2026 | Not published | Not published | Not published |
| CMC Markets Singapore Pte. Ltd. | Tier 1 MAS | Not publishedCompany checked on the register, 20 Oct 2026; the register does not list the number | Not published | Not published | Not published |
| CMC Markets Canada Inc. | Tier 1 CIRO | Not publishedCompany checked on the register, 20 Oct 2026; the register does not list the number | Not published | Not published | CIPF member |
| CMC Markets Middle East Limited | Tier 1 DFSA | F002740Checked on the register, 20 Oct 2026 | Not published | Not published | Not published |
Which entity will I get?
Pick your region to see which company our data says would hold your account.
CMC Markets UK plc · FCA · 173730 · Max retail leverage 1:30 (major FX; margin from 3.34%)
CMC Markets Germany GmbH · BaFin · 154814 · Max retail leverage Not published
CMC Markets Asia Pacific Pty Ltd · ASIC · AFSL 238054 · Max retail leverage Not published
CMC Markets NZ Limited · FMA · FSP41187 · Max retail leverage Not published
CMC Markets Singapore Pte. Ltd. · MAS · Not published · Max retail leverage Not published
CMC Markets Canada Inc. · CIRO · Not published · Max retail leverage Not published
CMC Markets Middle East Limited · DFSA · F002740 · Max retail leverage Not published
Warnings and clones
Search each CMC Markets licence number on the regulator’s own register and compare the website address listed there with the one you are on. Clone firms copy real names and licence numbers.
Client money
CMC Markets Investments Limited (CMC Invest) (FCA 948126, checked on the FCA register on 20 Oct 2026) is a separate company for investing, not CFDs or spread bets; its terms are not covered here. Tier 1 regulators require client money to be held apart from the firm’s own money. An offshore company may not offer the same protection, and its compensation, if any, is the broker’s own arrangement.
Costs and fees
CMC Markets publishes EUR/USD, GBP/USD and USD/JPY from 0.0 pips on FX Active, on its MT4 page, with a 0.0025% commission per side. On the standard spread bet and CFD account there is no forex commission; its pair-by-pair spreads are not in our data.
Spreads by pair and account
| Pair | Account | Published spread | Checked | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| EUR/USD | FX Active | 0.0 pips from | 19 Oct 2026 | https://www.cmcmarkets.com/en-gb/trading-platforms/metatrader-4 |
| GBP/USD | FX Active | 0.0 pips from | 19 Oct 2026 | https://www.cmcmarkets.com/en-gb/trading-platforms/metatrader-4 |
| USD/JPY | FX Active | 0.0 pips from | 19 Oct 2026 | https://www.cmcmarkets.com/en-gb/trading-platforms/metatrader-4 |
Commission
2.5 USD per lot per side (FX Active — 0.0025% per transaction (≈ $2.50 per $100,000 notional per side); standard spread bet/CFD account: no commission on FX)
Swaps
Overnight holding costs for CMC Markets are not in our data; check the rate shown on the platform before keeping a position open overnight.
Non-trading fees
- Deposit fee
- Not in our data
- Withdrawal fee
- Not in our data
- Inactivity fee
- Not in our data
Account types
Account types listed for CMC Markets in our data (checked 19 Oct 2026). The raw-spread account is FX Active; spread betting is for UK clients of CMC Markets UK plc. Minimum deposit: £0
- StandardCosts built into the spread, no separate commission.
- RawRaw spread with a commission charged per lot.
- DemoVirtual money with live prices.
- Spread bettingUK spread bets: a stake per point instead of CFD contracts.
- ProfessionalFor clients who opt up: higher leverage, fewer retail protections.
Professional status
Opting up to professional status with CMC Markets removes retail protections such as leverage caps and negative balance protection.
Demo account
CMC Markets offers a demo account (checked 20 Oct 2026 on CMC Markets’ site). Virtual balance: £10,000 in virtual funds; more can be added at any time. How long it lasts: unlimited on the CMC platform; the MT4 demo closes after 30 days without a login. Platforms: its own web platform, its own app and MT4. Demo results do not include slippage or the cost of a real loss.
Trading platforms
3 platforms in our data (checked 19 Oct 2026). MT4 is opened as a separate account and covers forex, indices and commodities only.
- MT4MetaTrader 4: expert advisors and a wide indicator library.
- TradingViewPlace trades from TradingView charts.
- proprietaryThe broker’s own web and mobile platform.
Markets
- Forex
- CFDs, plus spread bets for UK clients
- Other markets
- Not recorded in our data; check the product list of the company that holds your account
Deposits and withdrawals
Funding methods listed on CMC Markets’s pages. Availability depends on your country and the company that holds your account.
- Debit card
- Credit card
- Open banking (TrueLayer)
- Bank transfer
List copied from the broker’s pages, checked 19 Oct 2026.
Before your first withdrawal
- Methods in our data
- 4
- Withdrawal fees and times
- Not in our data yet
- Where to check
- The deposits and withdrawals page of your company’s website
Score breakdown
Four criteria scored 0–10 from published data. Research and support show “not measured” until we open live accounts; the marker on each bar is the average of this page’s comparison set.
7.9/10
- CostsWeight 25%8.0Set average 7.7
- PlatformsWeight 15%6.5Set average 8.2
- RegulationWeight 25%9.0Set average 8.5
- AccountsWeight 15%7.5Set average 7.7
- ResearchWeight 10%Not measuredNot measuredSet average 0.0
- SupportWeight 10%Not measuredNot measuredSet average 0.0
Published data log
Every dated entry behind the figures on this review, copied from CMC Markets’s own pages. Licence rows show the leverage the broker publishes for that company.
| Checked | Entry | Published value |
|---|---|---|
| 19 Oct 2026 | EUR/USD spread, FX Active | 0.0 pips from |
| 19 Oct 2026 | GBP/USD spread, FX Active | 0.0 pips from |
| 19 Oct 2026 | USD/JPY spread, FX Active | 0.0 pips from |
| 19 Oct 2026 | Retail loss rate, CMC Markets UK plc | 69% |
| 19 Oct 2026 | Retail loss rate, CMC Markets Germany GmbH | 70% |
| Not published | Licence 173730, FCA: max. retail leverage | 1:30 (major FX; margin from 3.34%) |
| Not published | Licence 948126, FCA: max. retail leverage | Not published |
| Not published | Licence 154814, BaFin: max. retail leverage | Not published |
| Not published | Licence AFSL 238054, ASIC: max. retail leverage | Not published |
| Not published | Licence FSP41187, FMA: max. retail leverage | Not published |
| Not published | Licence Not published, MAS: max. retail leverage | Not published |
| Not published | Licence Not published, CIRO: max. retail leverage | Not published |
| Not published | Licence F002740, DFSA: max. retail leverage | Not published |
Our verdict on CMC Markets
7.9/10
CMC Markets suits UK traders who want spread betting or CFDs from an FCA company, no minimum deposit and the choice of a commission-based FX Active price. Its platforms score of 6.5/10 reflects the limits: no MT5, no cTrader, and an MT4 account with fewer markets.
Choose it if
- you want spread betting from an FCA company
- you prefer a 0.0-pip price with a percentage commission
- you chart on TradingView
Look elsewhere if
- you trade on MT5 or cTrader
- you need a swap-free account
- you want CMC Invest share-dealing terms: this review does not cover them
69% of retail investor accounts lose money when trading CFDs with this provider (CMC Markets UK plc).
What changed
- 19 Oct 2026 Companies, FX Active spreads and commission, minimum deposit and UK and German loss rates collected from CMC Markets’ pages.
- 20 Oct 2026 All 8 companies checked on their regulators’ registers.
Alternatives to CMC Markets
Pepperstone, OANDA, Vantage and Tickmill: other brokers with a raw-spread account and TradingView through an FCA company, in the order of this page’s rule.
- 1
Pepperstone
8.6/10- Minimum deposit
- £10
- EUR/USD spread from
- 0.0 pips
- Regulated by
- FCA, CySEC, BaFin, ASIC, DFSA, CMA (UAE), CMA Kenya, SCB
Read reviewVisit brokerUnpaid link73.6% of retail investor accounts lose money when trading CFDs with this provider (Pepperstone Limited (UK)).
- 2
OANDA
8.1/10- Minimum deposit
- $0
- EUR/USD spread from
- 0.0 pips
- Regulated by
- CFTC / NFA, FCA, KNF, ASIC, CIRO, MAS, JFSA, BVI FSC
Read reviewVisit brokerUnpaid link76.6% of retail investor accounts lose money when trading CFDs with this provider (OANDA Europe Limited).
- 3
Vantage
8.0/10- Minimum deposit
- $50
- EUR/USD spread from
- 0.0 pips
- Regulated by
- FCA, ASIC, FSCA, CIMA, VFSC, FSC Mauritius
Read reviewVisit brokerUnpaid link72.65% of retail investor accounts lose money when trading CFDs with this provider (Vantage Global Prime LLP).
- 4
Tickmill
7.8/10- Minimum deposit
- $100
- EUR/USD spread from
- 0.0 pips
- Regulated by
- FCA, DFSA, CySEC, FSCA, FSA Seychelles
Visit brokerUnpaid link68% of retail investor accounts lose money when trading CFDs with this provider (Tickmill UK Ltd).
Risk warning:
CFDs are complex instruments and come with a high risk of losing money rapidly due to leverage. Most retail investor accounts lose money. Consider whether you understand how CFDs work and whether you can afford the high risk of losing your money.
Low Spread Brokers does not give personal investment advice.
FAQ
CMC Markets review: questions
Answers use CMC Markets’s published terms collected on 19 Oct 2026. Terms change: check the broker’s own page before you trade.
Ask a questionWe cannot give personal investment advice.
1Is CMC Markets legit and regulated?
CMC Markets was founded in 1989 in London, UK. CMC Markets UK plc holds FCA licence 173730, checked on the FCA register on 20 Oct 2026; the group also has companies supervised by FCA, BaFin, ASIC, MAS, CIRO and DFSA.
Broker data checked 19 Oct 2026
2Is CMC Markets safe for UK traders?
For CMC Markets UK plc, CMC states retail leverage of 1:30 (major FX; margin from 3.34%), negative balance protection and FSCS up to £85,000 per person, per firm. That cover is for the firm failing, not for trading losses: 69% of its retail accounts lose money, and 70% at CMC Markets Germany GmbH (checked 19 Oct 2026).
Broker data checked 19 Oct 2026
3Can you spread bet with CMC Markets?
Yes, UK residents can spread bet or trade CFDs with CMC Markets UK plc. Our spread betting vs CFD comparison explains how the two differ in tax and contract size.
Broker data checked 19 Oct 2026
4What are CMC Markets’ fees on forex?
On FX Active, EUR/USD, GBP/USD and USD/JPY start from 0.0 pips with a 0.0025% commission per side, about USD 2.50 per 100,000 units. The standard account has no forex commission and the cost is in the spread; that spread by pair is not in our data.
Broker data checked 19 Oct 2026
5Is CMC Invest the same as CMC Markets?
No. CMC Invest is run by CMC Markets Investments Limited (CMC Invest), FCA 948126, a separate company for investing rather than CFDs or spread bets. This CMC review covers CMC Markets UK plc; we hold no fee data for CMC Invest.
Broker data checked 19 Oct 2026
6Does CMC Markets offer MT4 and TradingView?
Both are in our data, next to CMC’s own platform. MT4 needs a separate account and covers forex, indices and commodities only; MT5 and cTrader are not offered.
Broker data checked 19 Oct 2026
7Does CMC Markets have a demo account?
CMC Markets offers a demo account (checked 20 Oct 2026 on CMC Markets’ site). Virtual balance: £10,000 in virtual funds; more can be added at any time. How long it lasts: unlimited on the CMC platform; the MT4 demo closes after 30 days without a login. Platforms: its own web platform, its own app and MT4. Demo results do not include slippage or the cost of a real loss.
Broker data checked 19 Oct 2026
8What is the minimum deposit at CMC Markets?
£0 for UK spread bet and CFD accounts: CMC states there is no minimum deposit to open a live account. In other countries, check the company that holds your account; CMC Markets Asia Pacific Pty Ltd and CMC Markets Middle East Limited terms are not in our data.
Broker data checked 19 Oct 2026
Sources
Pages of CMC Markets behind the figures on this review. Their text prevails over ours.
- CMC Markets: spreads page (FX Active)Checked on 19 Oct 2026
- CMC Markets: minimum depositChecked on 19 Oct 2026
- CMC Markets: retail loss rate, CMC Markets UK plcChecked on 19 Oct 2026
- CMC Markets: retail loss rate, CMC Markets Germany GmbHChecked on 19 Oct 2026
- CMC Markets: regulation, CMC Markets UK plcChecked on 19 Oct 2026
- CMC Markets: regulation, CMC Markets UK plcChecked on 19 Oct 2026
Check the company before you open a CMC Markets account
If you are in the UK, search FRN 173730 on the FCA Register, then compare CMC Markets with the alternatives above.
CFDs are complex and carry a high risk of losing money rapidly.