CMC Markets

Name: CMC Markets review
Item: CMC Markets
Rating: 4.8
Author: ValidBrokers

UK-listed broker with 12,000+ instruments and Next Generation platform.

FCAASICBaFinFMAIIROCMAS

4.8/5

1,876 reviews

Founded

1989

Min. deposit

Regulated by

FCA · ASIC

Platforms

MT4, PROPRIETARY

CMC Markets homepage — www.cmcmarkets.com

Quick take · 30s

Founded 1989 in London — 35+ years of continuous operation
Six tier-1 regulators including FCA (#173730), ASIC (#238054), BaFin
Award-winning Next Generation proprietary platform
12,000+ instruments across forex, indices, commodities, shares, crypto

What we liked & What we didn't

What we liked

+Top-tier FCA, ASIC, BaFin regulation
+Publicly listed on London Stock Exchange (CMCX)
+Proprietary Next Generation platform consistently wins industry awards
+Wide spread-only pricing model — no commissions on most CFDs
+Strong educational content and market analysis

What we didn't

−FCA retail leverage capped at 1:30 — restrictive for some traders
−MT4 functionality limited compared to competitors
−Cryptocurrency CFD availability restricted in many jurisdictions

Overview

CMC Markets is a publicly listed UK CFD and forex broker (LSE: CMCX) founded in 1989 by Peter Cruddas. With 35+ years of operating history and six tier-1 regulators, CMC sits firmly in the top tier of global retail brokers. The proprietary Next Generation platform — consistently award-winning in retail broker comparisons — is the flagship offering, supplemented by MT4 access for traders who prefer it.

Regulation & safety

CMC Markets carries FCA (#173730), ASIC (#238054), BaFin, FMA New Zealand, IIROC Canada, and MAS Singapore licenses. UK FSCS coverage applies up to £85,000 per client. Publicly listed status (LSE: CMCX) means quarterly audited disclosures, an additional transparency layer private brokers don't offer.

Account types

Single main account with no minimum deposit (recommended £250+ to get useful functionality). Professional clients can apply for elevated leverage and additional features. Corporate accounts available for institutional clients.

Fees & spreads

Spread-only pricing on most CFDs — no commissions. EUR/USD spreads from 0.7 pips during peak liquidity. Stock CFD commissions apply (typically 0.10% in the UK). Overnight financing rates published clearly. No deposit fees; small fees on certain withdrawal methods.

Trading platforms

The Next Generation platform is CMC's flagship — web and mobile, with award-winning charting (115+ technical indicators, 70+ drawing tools), pattern recognition, sentiment data, and Reuters news integration. MetaTrader 4 is available as an alternative for traders who prefer it, though with fewer instruments than Next Generation.

Asset class coverage

12,000+ instruments: 330+ forex pairs, 90+ indices including spot and futures, 100+ commodities, 9,500+ shares and ETFs, treasury CFDs, and cryptocurrency CFDs in select jurisdictions. The shares offering is unusually broad for a CFD-focused broker.

Customer support

24/5 phone, live chat, and email support. UK and Sydney-based call centers. Response times average under 2 minutes on live chat during business hours.

Verdict

CMC Markets is the broker for traders who want top-tier regulation, a premium proprietary platform, and a transparent publicly-listed corporate structure. The Next Generation platform alone is worth considering — it consistently wins industry awards on charting quality and order types.

FCA leverage caps and the absence of cTrader will rule it out for some. But for serious retail CFD trading with FCA-level oversight, CMC is one of the strongest options available.