CMC Markets Review 2026

CMC Markets scores 83.5 out of 100, ranking 4th in our audit. Founded in 1989 and listed on the London Stock Exchange, it's one of the most established brokers in the industry. The Next Generation platform is excellent, 330+ forex pairs is the largest selection we've seen, and 12,000+ total instruments rival IG for market coverage. The trade-off is that there's no MT5, no cTrader, and the inactivity fee kicks in after 12 months.

Overall Score: 83.5 / 100

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CMC Markets at a Glance

| Detail | Value | |--------|-------| | Founded | 1989 | | Headquarters | London, United Kingdom | | Listed | LSE (ticker: CMCX) | | Top Regulators | FCA, ASIC, BaFin, MAS, FMA | | Min. Deposit | $0 | | EUR/USD Avg. Spread | 0.70 pips (Standard) | | Commission | $0 (Standard), $5/lot (FX Active) | | Max Leverage (Retail) | 1:30 | | Platforms | Next Generation, MT4 | | Instruments | 12,000+ | | Inactivity Fee | GBP 10/month after 12 months |

Score Breakdown

| Category | Score | Weight | |----------|-------|--------| | Regulation & Trust | 92 / 100 | 25% | | Trading Costs | 78 / 100 | 20% | | Platforms & Tools | 85 / 100 | 15% | | Account Conditions | 82 / 100 | 10% | | Deposit & Withdrawal | 82 / 100 | 10% | | Customer Support | 78 / 100 | 10% | | Education & Research | 80 / 100 | 10% | | Overall | 83.5 / 100 | |

Regulation at 92 reflects the LSE listing, FCA license, 35+ years of history, and additional Tier 1 licenses from ASIC, BaFin, and MAS. That's four Tier 1 regulators. Platforms at 85 scores well thanks to the Next Generation platform's quality, though the limited choice (no MT5 or cTrader) prevents a higher score.

Regulation & Safety

| Regulator | Tier | License | Entity | |-----------|------|---------|--------| | FCA (UK) | Tier 1 | 173730 | CMC Markets UK plc | | ASIC (Australia) | Tier 1 | 238054 | CMC Markets Asia Pacific Pty Ltd | | BaFin (Germany) | Tier 1 | 154814 | CMC Markets Germany GmbH | | MAS (Singapore) | Tier 1 | CMS100090 | CMC Markets Singapore Pte Ltd | | FMA (New Zealand) | Tier 2 | FSP40955 | CMC Markets NZ Limited |

Four Tier 1 regulators plus FMA. No offshore entities. Like IG, CMC Markets routes all clients through well-regulated entities. The LSE listing (FTSE 250 constituent) adds corporate governance and financial transparency.

FSCS protection up to GBP 85,000 for UK clients. Negative balance protection and segregated funds across all entities.

Trading Costs

Spreads

| Pair | Standard Avg. | FX Active Avg. | |------|--------------|----------------| | EUR/USD | 0.70 pips | ~0.00 pips + $5/lot | | GBP/USD | 1.10 pips | N/A | | USD/JPY | 0.90 pips | N/A |

The Standard account at 0.70 pips EUR/USD with no commission is competitive for a spread-only model. The FX Active account offers raw spreads with a $5/lot round-turn commission ($2.50 per side), with the average all-in cost around 1.15 pips on EUR/USD.

CMC Markets isn't the cheapest option for raw spread trading, but the Standard account spreads are tighter than many competitors' spread-only accounts.

Other Fees

• Inactivity fee: GBP 10/month after 12 months
• Deposit fees: Free
• Withdrawal fees: Free

Trading Platforms & Tools

Next Generation is CMC Markets' proprietary platform and a genuine highlight. It features 80+ technical indicators, advanced pattern recognition, client sentiment data, and a clean, professional interface. The charting package is one of the best we've tested from any broker. Multiple chart layouts, price projection tools, and integrated news feeds make it a strong daily trading environment.

MT4 is available as an alternative for traders who prefer MetaTrader.

No MT5, no cTrader, no TradingView. API trading is available for the Next Generation platform.

No VPS hosting. No copy trading.

330+ forex pairs is the largest selection in our review by a significant margin. IC Markets offers 61, Pepperstone 62, IG 80. If you trade exotic currency pairs, CMC Markets likely has them.

Education & Research

CMC Markets provides webinars, video tutorials, trading courses, market analysis, economic calendar, and calculators. The education content is solid, particularly for UK and EU traders. Market analysis quality is good, benefiting from CMC's long presence in the industry.

Pros & Cons

Pros:

• 12,000+ instruments, one of the largest ranges available
• 330+ forex pairs (industry-leading)
• Award-winning Next Generation proprietary platform
• 35+ years operating history, LSE-listed
• Regulated by four Tier 1 authorities (FCA, ASIC, BaFin, MAS)
• No minimum deposit
• Competitive Standard account spreads (0.70 pips EUR/USD)

Cons:

• No MT5 or cTrader
• GBP 10/month inactivity fee after 12 months
• No copy trading
• Limited crypto CFD selection (20)
• FX Active account all-in costs don't match raw-spread specialists

Final Verdict

CMC Markets is for traders who want massive market access under rock-solid regulation. The 12,000+ instruments and 330+ forex pairs give you more markets than almost any competitor. The Next Generation platform is genuinely excellent for analysis and execution. And the regulatory credentials (four Tier 1 licenses, LSE listing, 35+ years) are among the strongest in the industry.

Cost-focused traders will find better value at raw-spread brokers. And the platform selection, while strong in quality, is limited in choice. But for traders who prioritise market breadth, regulatory safety, and platform quality in a single package, CMC Markets delivers all three.

Compare CMC Markets with other brokers | See our low spread broker rankings

Frequently Asked Questions

Is CMC Markets publicly listed? Yes. CMC Markets plc is listed on the London Stock Exchange (ticker: CMCX), a FTSE 250 constituent.

How many forex pairs does CMC Markets offer? 330+. This is the largest forex pair selection of any broker in our review.

What is CMC Markets' minimum deposit? $0. CMC Markets has no minimum deposit requirement.

Does CMC Markets offer MT5? No. CMC Markets offers its Next Generation proprietary platform and MT4. MT5 and cTrader are not available.

What is the Next Generation platform? CMC Markets' proprietary web-based trading platform with 80+ technical indicators, advanced charting, pattern recognition, and client sentiment data.

Review by Neil C, BrokerAudit. Data verified April 2026. Read our methodology.