Is CMC Markets regulated?

The CMC Markets broker is regulated by two different financial authorities which are:

• FCA: the Financial Conduct Authority in the UK
• FSCS: The Financial Services Compensation Scheme

Is CMC Markets a scam?

CMC Markets safety is divided into 2 parts, the safety of the broker itself and the safety of the client.

Broker safety

CMC markets has a long tracking record since its foundation in 1989 with over 30 years of trading experience. It also has over 80,000 clients from all over the world and has survived from different financial disasters and pandemics during this period.

To add much safety, CMC Markets has been listed on the stock exchange under the symbol of CCMMF.

Client protection

CMC Markets protects its clients from the danger of losing their money as they’re regulated by the FSCS and protects eligible claimants up to £85,000.

Also CMC Markets complies with Client Assets (CASS) rules to ensure all client funds are protected. As such, we distinguish your money from our own and hold it in separate bank accounts.

Luckily, CMC Markets provides a negative balance protection on your account funds to make sure that you will never lose more than your initial funds while trading.

CMC Markets provides a variety of trading instruments with more than 11,000 instruments including 5,000 shares and ETFs only. It also has currency pairs, CFDs, bonds, commodities, and cryptocurrencies for trading.

As an extra, CMC Markets also offers Treasuries for trading. The treasuries market includes government debt instruments such as gilts, bunds, bonds and treasury notes. There are over 45 treasury CFDs from across the globe, including both cash and forward products.

Disclaimer: CFDs have a high risk of losing money rapidly. About 80% of retail investor accounts lose money due to leverage when trading CFDs with this provider. Please note that CFDs are not complying with the islamic religion. And if you want to trade in CFDs you should consider a swap-free account to follow islamic rules.

Learn more about CFDs for muslims.

CMC Markets Offering of Investments

Note:

• Please note that some of the trading options may depend on your account type and / or your country of residence according to the governmental rules.
• FCA, the Financial Conduct Authority in the UK bans the trading of cryptocurrency for the EU-traders from January 2021.

Countries available

CMC Markets is available in over 80 countries including, but not limited to Australia, Cyprus, and the UK.

On the other hand, CMC Markets is not available in the USA.

CMC Markets countries list

Account types

CMC Markets provides three main account types which are:

• Spread Betting
• CFD
• Corporate

Each one of the three has its own specifications and features as the following table shows.

CMC Markets - Account comparison

CMC Markets also provides a demo account with 0 fees if you want to experience the trading platform with no risk using any account type.

Unfortunately, there’s no islamic account option as CMC Markets to trade CFDs with a swap-free option.

In addition to the previous account types, CMC Markets also provides another account type which is the Professional Account which you should meet some specifications to register for it. These specifications are:

• Placed 10 relevant trades of a significant size per quarter in the last year
• Your financial instrument portfolio exceeds €500,000?
• Worked in the financial sector for at least one year

This account type offers you a number of features that are available in any other account type like the Cash rebates for shares.

Min deposit

The minimum deposit for spread betting, CFD, and the corporate account is $0.

How to open an account

You can open an CMC Markets account in minutes through these steps:

1. Enter your country, email, and password.
2. Verify your email by entering the security code sent to your email.
3. Choose the account type, currency, and the type of the account.
4. Provide some personal information like your name, phone number, and date of birth.
5. Add your address and finances information.
6. Verify your identity.
7. Fund your account and start trading.

CMC Markets - Account opening

Please note that CMC Markets charges commissions according to the account type you have. So, please read this section carefully to understand the fee and commissions structure.

Commissions

CMC does not charge any commissions on the spread betting account type whatever the instrument you’re trading on. On the other hand, there are commissions on CFD and corporate account types starting with $10 for trading shares only.

Commissions by Account Type

Trading Fees

The trading fees of CMC Markets instruments differ from account to another as the following:

Spread Betting Account

The spreads for this account type are as the following table shows.

Spread Betting Account - Spreads and Margins

CFD Account

The spreads for this account type are as the following table shows.

CFD Account - Spreads and Margins

As the previous table shows, the spreads for the CFD and spread betting are the same, we will discuss each instrument on its own.

Forex

The minimum spread for trading EUR/ USD is as low as 0.7 points.

Shares

The minimum spread for trading US shares is starting from $10.

Indices

The minimum spread for trading UK 100 is as low as 10 points.

Disclaimer: CFDs have a high risk of losing money rapidly. About 80% of retail investor accounts lose money due to leverage when trading CFDs with this provider. Please note that CFDs are not complying with the islamic religion. And if you want to trade in CFDs you should consider a swap-free account to follow islamic rules.

Learn more about CFDs for muslims.

ETFs

The minimum spread for trading 3D Printing is 32 points.

Commodities

The minimum spread for trading crude oil is as low as 6 points.

Cryptocurrencies

The minimum spread for trading Bitcoin/ USD is 100 points.

Treasuries

The minimum spread for trading Euro Bund - Jun 2021 is 2 points.

Non-trading fees

• Account fee: $0
• Deposit fee: $0
• Withdrawal fees: $0

(you can check the full withdrawal fees in withdrawal fees section)

• Inactivity fee: there’s a monthly inactivity charge of £10 (the amount depends on your account currency) will be deducted per dormant account where funds are available. An account shall be considered dormant if there are no open positions and there has been no other trading activity for a continuous period of one year.

Account Currencies

The CMC Markets account has 10 account base currencies as the following: GBP, EUR, USD, AUS, CAD, NOK, NZD, PLN, SEK, SGD

Notes:

• You will not be charged with conversion fees if your account has the same currency with your bank account or when you trade assets with the same currency of your account.
• If you want to avoid being charged with conversion fees, you can open a multi-currency bank account at a digital bank.

Deposit

1. Options

CMC Markets supports depositing using different electronic wallets such that:

• Visa/ Mastercard
• UOB Telegraphic Transfer
• Non-UOB Telegraphic Transfer
• DBS (Over the Counter Transfer)
• Non-DBS Telegraphic Transfer
• Cheque

CMC Markets Deposit Methods and Fees

Please note that the previous table shows the fees and transfer time for deposit in an USD account.

Withdrawal

1. Options

CMC Markets provides withdrawal using credit/ debit cards, electronic wallets, and bank transfers.

CMC Markets withdrawal methods and fees

2. Fees

Transferring funds to an account in Singapore typically incurs no charge, while overseas telegraphic transfers charges may be levied by the receiving bank.

3. Time

Transferring funds to an account in Singapore typically takes 1-2 working days, while overseas telegraphic transfers can take 3-4 working days.

CMC Markets works on MT4 and its customized CMC Market platform that works on mobile and web trading platforms. Unfortunately, CMC Markets is not available on the MT5 trading platform. In this section, we will discuss each one of the two available platforms in detail.

Web Trading Platform

Languages

CMC Markets web application is available in 9 languages like Chinese, English, French, German, Italian, Norwegian, Polish, Spanish, and Swedish.

User interface (UI)

The User Interface of CMC Markets has a professional look that might seem hard-to-use for the first time, but when you try it, you will find it clear and much easier than what you think.

CMC Markets - Web Trading Platform - UI

Login and Security

The CMC web trading platform has only one-step verification which is very disappointing as the mobile platform has it.

CMC Markets - Web Trading Platform - Login

Searching

The searching function within the platforms works fine as you can type the name of the instrument as well as browsing the full list of instruments in each category.

The negative part here is that the search function needs improvements as it does not show the right instrument typed at the top of results.

CMC Markets - Web Trading Platform - Searching

Placing orders

CMC Markets provides 5 types of orders on its platform which are:

• Market, limit and stop entry orders (ability to set expiry)
• Guaranteed stop-loss orders
• Regular stop-loss orders
• Trailing stop-loss orders
• Take-profit orders

CMC Markets - Web Trading Platform - Place Order

Notifications and alerts

The web trading platform has a good notification and alert system that helps you along with your trading.

CMC Markets - Web Trading Platform - Notifications

Portfolio and reports

The portfolio and reports within the web trading platform is clear with a track of all activity within the account. You can find it at the bottom within the ‘History’ tab.

CMC Markets (Mobile)

Languages

The mobile trading platform is available in the same languages as the web trading platform which are Chinese, English, French, German, Italian, Norwegian, Polish, Spanish, and Swedish.

User interface (UI)

The UI of the mobile trading app looks simple with the ability to navigate within the app freely and easily. The UI helps the user as well to find the right function in the right place without complications.

CMC Markets - Mobile Trading Platform - UI

Login and Security

Fortunately, the mobile trading app of CMC Markets has a two-factor authentication method for login which is much safer. Also CMC Markets provides a Touch and Face ID verification for more safety.

CMC Markets - Mobile Trading Platform - Login

CMC Markets - Mobile Trading Platform - Touch ID Verification

Searching

CMC Markets has a good searching function on its mobile trading app, but needs some improvement as it does not show the right instrument at first. You can also navigate in the application within all product categories like indices, currency pairs, forex indices, commodities, shares, ETFs, crypto, and treasuries.

CMC Markets - Mobile Trading Platform - Searching

Placing orders

CMC Markets provides 5 types of orders on its web platform which are:

• Market, limit and stop entry orders (ability to set expiry)
• Guaranteed stop-loss orders
• Regular stop-loss orders
• Trailing stop-loss orders
• Take-profit orders

CMC Markets - Mobile Trading Platform - Place Order

Notifications and alerts

The mobile trading app has a good notification and price alerts that helps you trade productively.

CMC Markets - Mobile Trading Platform - Notifications

Portfolio and reports

The mobile application has a clear portfolio and fee reports and you can find them by going to Account > History

MT4 Platform

Languages

MetaTrader 4 is available in a number of languages like:

MT4 Languages

User interface (UI)

MT4 has a very customizable UI that you can adjust according to your needs and preferences. On the other hand, it seems hard to find some of the features inside.

MT4 - Mobile Version - UI

Login and Security

Unfortunately, the MT4 does not provide a two-step verification method for logging in, and it does only support a one-step login.

Searching

Searching using the MT4 platform has two different options:

• You can search by categories and find assets.
• You can also type the name of the asset and search for it manually.

MT4 - Mobile Platform - Search

Placing orders

MT4 has a simple order types which are:

1. Market
2. Limit
3. Stop
4. Trailing stop

In addition to those 4 types, there are other orders which are the time limit ‘Good ‘til time’ (GTT) and ‘Good 'til canceled’ (GTC).

There’s also an order confirmation feature in MT4.

Notifications and alerts

Unfortunately, the MT4 web trading platform does not have an option to set price alerts and notifications unlike the desktop and mobile versions.

MT4 - Mobile Version - Notifications Settings

Portfolio and reports

Under the ‘History’ tab, you can find your portfolio reports with a clear fee description.

MT4 - Mobile Version - Portfolio

Sources

CMC Markets provides geed research tools and reports through its website or its mobile trading application. Most of the research tools are easy-to-use, helpful, and accurate.

Trading ideas

The trading ideas tool within CMC Markets is very helpful as it helps you get a good look into the markets in a glance to discover more opportunities and options.

CMC Markets - Research - Trading Ideas

Fundamental data

CMC Markets provides helpful fundamental data through its live accounts that includes all the information you need to know.

Charting

With 115 indicators, the charting tool within CMC Markets becomes easier and easier to customize to look for patterns and forecast the future possibilities.

CMC Markets - Research - Charting

Newsfeed

Keeping track of all financial news becomes much easier than before as the Market News tool at CMC Markets helps you be up-to-date with the latest news in the financial industry to never miss one.

CMC Markets - Research - Newsfeed

Other tools

CMC Markets also provides other helpful tools like the Economic Calendar which keeps track of all the important upcoming financial events.

CMC Markets - Research - Economic Calendar

Options

CMC Markets supports different customer service channels like:

• Live chat
• Email support
• Phone call support

In addition to the previous options, CMC Markets also provides support through all its branches all over the world like the UK, Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Singapore, Spain, and Sweden.

CMC Markets - Customer Support

Although the live chat option is not available at this review time, it makes it easier for customers to get the answers they want quickly.

Languages

The languages available for customer service are many with the support of major languages like Chinese, English, French, German, Italian, Norwegian, Polish, Spanish, and Swedish

CMC Markets has a lot of helpful educational materials for beginners and professionals in trading which pave the way for them to better trade and understand trading techniques and strategies.

Those educational materials are:

• Platform guides

This includes a series of videos about the trading platform and how to use and interact with it to access features and products as well.

• Trading library

The objective of this trading library is to understand trading strategies as well as getting some tips on trading and analysis.

• Technical indicators

Charting is easy, but how to understand the meanings behind it. Well, CMC Markets provides a tutorial that makes you able to use it professionally and understand the critical indicators that help you show patterns in charts.

• Webinars and events

CMC Markets provides technical webinars and events with its clients from the top trading experts to help them with their trading as well as answering their questions.

• Trading tutorials

With a wide range of trading products, CMC Markets provides trading tutorials for the most important ones like forex, CFDs, and more. Those tutorials help you better understand their products and start trading on them.

• Cryptocurrency tutorials

This is one of the trading tutorials provided from CMC Markets that are made especially for cryptocurrencies and learn more about them.

• 1. How long does it take to verify my account?
• It takes about 1 to 2 business days to verify your CMC Markets account.
  1. Can I open more than one trading account?
• Yes, you can.
  1. Does CMC Markets allow bot trading?
• Yes, it does.
  1. Does CMC Markets give a bonus?
• Yes. you can get a bonus of $250 when you refer a friend to CMC Markets and both you and your friend will earn a bonus when your friend trades on a newly opened CFD account.
  1. Does CMC Markets allow scalping and hedging?
• Yes, it does allow scalping and hedging.
  1. Where is my money held?
• They’re held in separate bank accounts.
  1. What happens to my funds if the bank which holds my funds goes insolvent?
• If this happens, please notify your bank as soon as possible. Once you've done so, please contact the Client Management team who will arrange to remove those cards from your account.

• 1. Is my money products with CMC Markets?
• Under our FCA obligations we comply with Client Assets (CASS) rules to ensure all client funds are protected. As such, we distinguish your money from our own and hold it in separate bank accounts.
  1. Does CMC Markets have a swap-free account option?
• Unfortunately, CMC Markets does not provide such an option.
  1. How do I login using the MT4 mobile platform?
• Steps:

1. Go to ‘Settings’

2. Click on 'Manage Accounts' or 'Settings'

3. Then click on the small plus sign or select 'New Account'

4. Then select 'Log in to an existing account'

5. Search for the broker name

6. Select the server your account was set up on

7. Enter your login credentials and password

8. Click on 'Sign In'

• 1. When will my demo account expire?
• It will not expire even if you open a live account as you can test your strategies in the demo account.
  1. When trading forex, will you lose more than your initial deposit?
• Both our MetaTrader 4 and CMC Markets platforms are set to automatically close your positions when your margin requirement reaches 100% (stop out level).
• Please note that this process is automated and is not a guarantee that your account will not enter into a negative equity situation and you should keep a balance amount in your account above your required margin.
  1. Can I login to more than one account from the same computer?
• Yes, you can do such a thing by using the MT4 Multi Terminal.
  1. Can I login to the same account through different devices?
• No, you can not do such a thing with your CMC Markets account.
  1. Does CMC Markets accept payments from third parties?
• No, as payments should be under your name.
  1. Why do you ask for my personal financial and employment information?
• As a UK regulated financial services firm, CMC Markets is required to comply with industry 'Know Your Customer' (KYC) requirements to identify its customers and check they are who they say they are.
  1. Where can I open a spread betting account?
• If you’re resident in the UK or Ireland, you can do that.
  
  1. Can I access the platform when I go abroad?
• Yes, you can as long as you have a good internet connection.
  1. Can I log into my account via your website and my mobile device at the same time?
• No. You are only able to access your account through either the website or your mobile device at any one time. If you attempt to log in to both platforms at the same time you will be disconnected from your previous session.
  1. Does CMC Markets offer monthly cash rebates?
• For professional clients, CMC Markets offers competitive monthly cash rebates for eligible clients who trade in high volumes.