What Is CMC Markets?
CMC Markets is a UK-headquartered online broker that has operated since 1989. It is one of the oldest companies in the retail trading industry and one of the few publicly listed on a stock exchange – (London Stock Exchange: CMCX).
Written ByChristian Harris
Christian is a seasoned analyst, leveraging his expertise in stocks, forex, and crypto to evaluate brokers worldwide. With hands-on trading experience and a strong focus on risk management, he helps traders find reliable platforms. Christian's work for BrokerListings.com has been cited in the Financial Times.
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Fact Checked ByTobias Robinson
Tobias is committed to helping traders find the right brokerage for their needs. He has tested 200+ brokers, spent 2,600+ hours using different platforms, and placed 2,100+ trades.
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Edited ByJames Barra
James is an experienced broker analyst with a background in financial services. He has spent 2,500+ hours testing brokers, used 35+ different platforms and apps, audited 120+ broker T&Cs, and verified 300+ regulatory licenses. James has also been on US and UK TV news channels discussing reports conducted by BrokerListings.com and sharing his expertise.
James Barra Profile PageAugust 3, 2026
CMC is a legitimate brokerage with three main businesses:
- Leveraged trading: CFDs, forex and spread betting.
- Investing: underlying shares, ETFs and tax wrappers in selected countries.
- Institutional technology: white-label and platform services for businesses such as banks and fintechs.
Here are the key details about CMC Markets’ business makeup and offerings:
Make Full Width| Feature | Detail |
|---|---|
| Full Name | CMC Markets plc |
| Founded | 1989 (as Currency Management Corporation) |
| Owned By | Shareholders, notably Peter Cruddas |
| Rebranded | CMC Markets, 2005 |
| Headquarters | London, UK (hubs in Sydney and Singapore) |
| Stock Exchange | London Stock Exchange (CMCX), FTSE 250 |
| Clients | 2 million+ globally |
| Instruments | 13,000+ CFDs, forex, spread betting, certificates, warrants, investing products |
| Platforms | CMC proprietary platform, MT4, MT5, TradingView (availability varies by region) |
| Regulated By | FCA, ASIC, MAS, CIRO, BaFin, DFSA, FMA |
What Can You Trade?
CMC Markets mainly offers CFDs and spread betting (UK and Ireland). You are not buying Apple shares directly; instead, you are speculating on whether the price will rise or fall. Leverage increases both gains and losses, making these high risk financial products.
Available markets:
- Forex — 300+ currency pairs (more than any broker we’ve compared)
- Indices — including custom indices, e.g. baskets of assets such as FAANG stocks, sector groups, and thematic indices
- Share CFDs — 8,000+ companies across major global exchanges
- Commodities — gold, silver, oil, gas, soft commodities
- Crypto — BTC, ETH, LTC, BCH, ADA, XLM, and others (availability depends on region, e.g. not in UK)
- Treasuries — government bonds
- ETF CFDs — a range of funds covering major markets and industries
- Certificates and Warrants — Germany and Austria only
- Spread Betting — UK and Ireland only, tax-efficient
What CMC also offers via CMC Invest in certain regions (UK, Singapore, Australia) is real share ownership, physical ETFs, REITs, funds, pensions, and stocks and shares individual savings accounts (ISAs) – UK only. This makes CMC a viable option for longer-term investors, too.
Although commonly described as a brokerage, CMC Markets is normally the product issuer and contractual counterparty for its CFDs and spread bets, making CMC a market maker. In other words, you are trading against CMC rather than your trades being routed to an exchange for ownership of the underlying asset.
How Does CMC Markets Make Money?
With its leveraged offerings, CMC principally earns from spreads, commissions, overnight financing and other account charges. Its fees, based on our direct tests, and as explained below, are cheaper than many brokers, especially if you opt for its FX Active account and rebate schemes. As a market maker, its overall trading results can also be influenced by client activity and the effectiveness of its risk-management and hedging.
Its investing business earns through brokerage, foreign-exchange fees, interest and related charges.
Its technology arm makes money from institutional platform arrangements.
What Sets It Apart
We have tested many brokers. Here is what sets CMC Markets apart:
- 300+ Forex Pairs — No other broker we reviewed offered a similar range. For forex traders, this variety is important.
- The Next Generation Platform — CMC has invested over £100 million in its proprietary platform. It is browser-based and supports more than 115 indicators, over 40 drawing tools, and a pattern recognition scanner. It is one of the most capable platforms in the industry.
- FX Active Account — Spreads start at 0.0 pips on six major pairs, with a $2.50 commission per $100,000 traded. This is competitive pricing, even for a market-maker model.
- Alpha and Price+ Programs — If you deposit £25,000 or more in the UK, you may qualify for the Alpha program, which includes spread discounts, priority support, and interest on equity. The Price+ program offers tiered discounts based on trading volume and is available to all accounts.
CMC platform