CMTrading Review 2025

Pros

• CMTrading is overseen by the FSCA in South Africa, ensuring operational security and accountability while adhering to industry standards.
• Various account options—Basic, Trader, Gold, and Premium—serve traders with different needs and budgets. These accounts offer tighter spreads, trading signals, and discounts for higher-tier users.
• The CMTrading Academy provides extensive resources for traders of all levels. Video courses, webinars, and market analysis updates assist users in expanding their knowledge.

Cons

• CMTrading's customer support is not available 24/7, which was inconvenient during testing for traders in different time zones or those with issues outside business hours.
• CMTrading offers a range of assets but has a narrower selection than leading brokers like BlackBull. It mainly focuses on forex, commodities, some indices, and crypto.
• Spreads are higher than those offered by some competing brokers like IC Markets. This could increase trading costs, especially for high-volume traders.

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Regulation & Trust

CMTrading has been around since 2012 and has grown beyond South Africa, expanding into the Middle East.

However, regulation is a concern. CMTrading operates under ‘middle-tier’ and ‘bottom-tier’ regulators, which vary depending on where you trade from.

The South African entity is regulated by the Financial Sector Conduct Authority (FSCA), while the Seychelles branch falls under the Financial Services Authority (FSA).

These regulators offer oversight but don’t provide the same level of protection as ‘top-tier’ authorities like the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) in the UK, the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC), or the Cyprus Securities and Exchange Commission (CySEC).

The FSCA mainly focuses on market conduct in South Africa, and the FSA of Seychelles functions more as a registration body for international firms.

While some protections exist, know that trading with ‘top-tier’ regulators typically benefits from stricter compliance standards and investor compensation schemes.

Accounts & Banking

Live Accounts

CMTrading provides four account types, each designed for different levels of experience and investment.

All accounts offer relatively high leverage up to 1:200, but the key differences are in the investment requirements, spreads, and additional features.

The Basic Account suits beginners but requires a steep deposit between $299 and $1,999. It includes standard spreads, daily market reviews, e-books, a beginner’s video course, one risk-free trade, analyst sessions, and access to live webinars.

The Trader Account requires between $2,000 and $9,999 for intermediate traders. It builds on the Basic Account with slightly better spreads, two risk-free trades, and access to Trading Central.

The Gold Account caters to advanced traders with deposits ranging from $10,000 to $50,000. As an ECN account, it offers floating spreads from 0.1 pips, three risk-free trades, a dedicated market analyst, Trading Central analysis, and trading rebates. However, commissions apply at $7 per round trip per lot.

The Premium Account, designed for professionals, requires over $50,000 and includes everything in the Gold Account with additional perks like customized trading conditions, access to a trading room, and exclusive offers.

There’s also a swap-free account for traders following Islamic finance principles.

While I appreciate the variety of account options, the lack of detailed information on spreads, commissions, and trading costs is frustrating.

More transparency would make it easier to choose the correct account. I also wish CMTrading offered the choice between fixed and variable spread accounts for more flexibility.

Demo Accounts

CMTrading offers a free demo account, which allows you to test the trading platforms and familiarize yourself with the client dashboard.

However, it’s frustrating that you can’t access a demo account without first registering for a live account.

The sign-up process is quick and straightforward, taking just a few minutes.

Once you’re in, you can easily create demo accounts through the client portal.

Demo accounts comes pre-loaded with $10,000 in virtual funds, allowing you to practice on CMTrading’s proprietary Webtrader platform or MetaTrader 4 (MT4) without risk.

Unfortunately, you can’t manually adjust leverage or top up virtual funds, which limits the ability to experiment with different strategies.

There’s no strict expiration date, but demo accounts may become inactive if you don’t use them for 60 days.

Deposits & Withdrawals

CMTrading offers a decent range of deposit and withdrawal options, but availability depends on your location.

Since I’m in Europe, I can fund my account using credit card or debit card, Sticpay, and cryptocurrencies like USDT, BTC, ETH, USDC, BEP, and TRC20.

However, I’m surprised that a bank wire transfer isn’t an option, especially since most brokers I use offer this service.

The platform also supports mobile payment solutions like Skrill, Perfect Money, and Neteller in certain regions, which adds convenience.

Deposits are available in multiple currencies, including USD, EUR, and ZAR, making accessing the platform easier for traders worldwide.

Withdrawals generally follow the same method as deposits—if you fund your account with a debit card, you must withdraw up to the deposited amount back to that card first. Any profits beyond that can be withdrawn through other options, like an e-wallet.

The minimum deposit is $100, and there are no fees for adding funds. Withdrawals start at $20, but transfer fees apply if you withdraw in a different currency than your deposit.

CMTrading aims to process withdrawals within 24 hours, but I’ve found the turnaround time almost instant.

I’d appreciate more transparency on potential fees, including currency conversion charges. Adding more localized payment options would also make the platform more accessible to a broader audience.

Bonuses & Promotions

CMTrading runs social media campaigns where you can get a potential $250 trading bonus just by liking and sharing its website on Facebook or Instagram.

I’ve also noticed that it sometimes offers no-deposit welcome bonuses, so I check its website and social media for any updates on new promotions.

Before jumping into any offer, always take the time to read the terms and conditions, especially when it comes to withdrawals, to avoid any surprises later.

Assets & Markets

CMTrading gives access to just over 165 tradable assets, which feels limited compared to other brokers we’ve tested like CMC Markets and IG.

For example, you can’t trade ETFs, options, bonds, or futures, which makes the selection even smaller.

However, you can trade over 50 forex pairs, including majors like EUR/USD, minors like EUR/CAD, and exotics like USD/ZAR.

The platform offers over 75 stock CFDs from major US and EU companies, such as Intel and BMW, covering different sectors.

You also have access to 10+ global indices, including the Dow Jones, FTSE 100, DAX, and FTSE/JSE Top 40, which allows you to speculate on major financial markets.

You can trade over 15 assets for commodities like gold, silver, oil, and agricultural products such as coffee and wheat.

There are also 15+ cryptocurrencies, including Bitcoin, Ethereum, and Litecoin, which allow you to engage with the digital asset market.

One major drawback compared to brokers like AvaTrade, eToro, and Pepperstone is the lack of passive investment options.

CMTrading has also discontinued its Copykat copy trading service, which would have been an excellent tool for hands-free trading.

Fees & Costs

CMTrading makes money primarily through floating spreads on the assets you trade.

When I test major forex pairs, I notice that spreads on EUR/USD and GBP/USD are around 1.5 pips and 2.6 pips, respectively, on the Basic and Trader accounts.

If you upgrade to a Gold or Premium account, you get much tighter spreads, starting from 0.1 pips on EUR/USD, but you have to factor in a $7 commission per lot for a round trip.

However, ECN conditions don’t apply to Islamic accounts or when you trade cryptocurrencies and stocks.

While these spreads are competitive, some brokers like IC Markets and Fusion Markets offer even tighter spreads, often near zero, which benefits high-frequency and advanced traders.

On the other hand, CMTrading’s Basic and Trader accounts don’t charge additional commission fees, which helps simplify costs and makes it easier to manage trading expenses.

Also remember that CMTrading charges a $15 monthly inactivity fee if your account remains dormant for three months or more.

This can add up, so staying active or withdrawing funds makes sense if you’re not trading regularly.

Another cost to watch out for is the overnight rollover fee if you hold positions beyond the trading day and potential conversion fees when dealing with multiple currencies.

Platforms & Tools

You can trade traditional and emerging financial markets using MT4 or CMTrading’s browser-based trading platform, Webtrader.

These platforms offer everything you need to manage trades efficiently.

After registering and getting my login details, I downloaded MT4 for free from CMTrading’s website.

The popular platform gives me one-click execution, limit orders, multiple chart types, and dozens of technical indicators.

I also take advantage of automated trading, using built-in tools to create my trading robots.

When I want a web-based alternative, I turn to Webtrader. It’s beginner-friendly and offers essential trading tools like standard drawing features, risk management options, and even real-time trading tips and market forecasts.

The graphical representations help analyze trends quickly and efficiently.

Webtrader is ideal when you need a straightforward interface with solid trading features. It’s an excellent option for new traders who want to develop their skills without feeling overwhelmed.

Research

CMTrading’s blog is a good resource for insights into market analysis, trading strategies, and industry news.

While the blog provides valuable content, most of the platform’s market analysis is shared through videos on its YouTube channel.

These videos offer timely updates on market trends and trading opportunities, making them a great way to stay informed.

The blog complements this with written content, but I think expanding the depth of these posts or including more written market analysis would make them even more valuable.

Another valuable research tool is Trading Central, though it’s not available to Basic Account holders.

I like how CMTrading’s trading app lets me act on Trading Central signals with just a few clicks, including setting stop loss and take profit levels.

CMTrading also shares a few daily signals from third-party News Factory on its website, but these trades must be entered manually, which can be inconvenient.

The economic calendar is another helpful feature, but I wish it were integrated directly into the trading platform.

Tracking economic events is essential for planning trades and anticipating market volatility, so having it built into the platform would make things much more efficient.

Education

CMTrading’s ‘Academy‘ offers extensive educational resources catering to traders at all experience levels.

The Academy features a variety of materials, including videos, webinars, and e-books.

Beginners will find the ‘Intro to Trading’ course especially helpful. It has 42 videos covering essential concepts.

The ‘Intermediate Course’ with 40 videos on trading strategies and technical analysis helps to deepen understanding.

For experienced traders, there’s an in-depth 48-video course focused on advanced strategies and market optimization.

E-books like the ‘Basics of Trading’ guide provide valuable self-paced learning on market analysis and risk management.

I also enjoy the live webinars, where I can interact with in-house experts, ask questions, and stay updated on market trends.

CMTrading keeps things engaging with its regularly updated video series, like ‘Motivational Mondays‘ and ‘Technical Tuesdays,’ which offer timely insights and strategies.

Customer Support

CMTrading provides a solid customer support system with multiple channels for getting in touch, including phone, email, live chat, WhatsApp, and social media.

There are also dedicated email addresses for specific queries, such as general support, onboarding, funding-related questions, and introducing business (IB).

The Help Centre is also helpful for self-service, even if its presentation and grammar could use some polish.

It covers various topics, including account registration, verification, deposits, withdrawals, and platform guidance.

It would be even better if they regularly updated it with new articles and tutorials based on common questions from clients.

Introducing a ticketing system to track inquiries and their statuses would also be a great addition. This would make it easier to follow up and ensure better transparency.

Should You Trade With CMTrading?

CMTrading stands out as one of the top online forex and CFD brokers in South Africa.

The broker’s education center provides a wealth of resources, which is particularly helpful for both beginners and intermediate traders.

CMTrading also caters to those who are new to trading or have moderate experience. The low minimum deposit requirements and useful trading tools make it easier to get started and build up experience.

The resources CMTrading offers, from educational content to practical trading aids, make it an appealing choice for anyone looking to improve their trading skills.

Article Sources

• CMTrading Website
• CMTrading Blog
• CMTrading YouTube Channel
• CMTrading Economic Calendar
• CMTrading Academy
• CMTrading E-books
• CMTrading Webinars
• CMTrading Motivational Mondays
• CMTrading Technical Tuesdays
• CMTrading Help Centre
• Financial Services Authority (FSA)

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