CMC Markets vs FXTM

CMC Markets or FXTM – which is better for UK traders 2025? Compare CMC Markets and FXTM in this detailed breakdown of their platforms, features and fees.

CMC Markets vs FXTM Comparison Table 2025
CMC Markets FXTM
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4.7
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4
CMC Markets is ranked #32 among CFD brokers. FXTM is ranked #64 among CFD brokers.
Founded in 1989, CMC Markets is a reputable broker publicly listed on the London Stock Exchange. It holds authorisation from top-tier regulators such as the FCA, ASIC, and CIRO. The brokerage, which has received multiple awards, boasts a global membership exceeding one million traders. FXTM, founded in 2011, is a forex and CFD broker operating worldwide. Regulated by top authorities such as the FCA, it provides a secure trading environment. With over 1,000 markets and three account types, FXTM accommodates traders of all experience levels.
Spread bets and CFDs are complex instruments and come with a high risk of losing money rapidly due to leverage. 69% of retail investor accounts lose money when spread betting and/or trading CFDs with this provider. You should consider whether you understand how spread bets and CFDs work and whether you can afford to take the high risk of losing your money.
Pros
  • The CMC web platform offers an exceptional user experience with sophisticated charting tools for trading and customisable options, suitable for both novice and seasoned traders. It supports MT4 but not MT5, and TradingView will be available from 2025.
  • We've upgraded the 'Assets & Markets' rating due to frequent product enhancements in early 2025. These include extended trading hours for US stocks and the introduction of new share CFDs.
  • CMC provides competitive pricing with narrow spreads and low trading fees, except for stock CFDs. The Alpha and Price+ programmes offer additional benefits for active traders, including discounts on spreads of up to 40%.
  • CMC Markets is well-regulated by respected financial authorities, ensuring a secure and reliable trading environment. It upholds a strong reputation, providing traders with confidence.
  • The brokerage excels with an extensive array of valuable resources, such as pattern recognition scanners, webinars, tutorials, news feeds, and research from reputable sources like Morningstar.
  • FXTM’s UK division provides exceptional client safeguards, including top-tier coverage of up to $1 million per client and segregated accounts, reinforcing security for traders with substantial balances.
  • FXTM stands out as a leading MetaTrader brokerage, offering custom MT4 tools like a Pivot Point Indicator, Pip Value Calculator, and Spread Indicator for more accurate trading.
  • FXTM offers an impressive selection of payment options, with a focus on local solutions in Africa and Asia such as M-Pesa and TC Pay Wallet. E-wallet withdrawals are processed rapidly, often within 30 minutes, accommodating traders needing swift fund access.
  • FXTM’s Advantage and Advantage Plus accounts provide tight spreads starting at 0.0 pips and charge low or zero commissions, tailored for traders aiming to reduce expenses.
Cons
  • Although there have been improvements, the online platform still needs further refinement to match the user-friendly trading experience offered by competitors such as IG.
  • CMC provides a robust range of assets; however, it does not support trading actual stocks, and UK clients are unable to trade cryptocurrencies.
  • Trading stock CFDs comes with a relatively high commission, particularly when compared to low-cost brokers such as IC Markets.
  • A monthly inactivity charge of $10 is imposed after a year's inactivity, potentially discouraging occasional traders.
  • The CMC Markets app provides a comprehensive trading package; however, its design and user experience lag behind market leaders such as eToro.
  • FXTM is well-regulated in the UK, but this coverage isn't global. Therefore, although negative balance protection is available, traders outside the UK might face limited options for resolving disputes.
  • FXTM's educational resources, including its insightful e-books, have significantly improved. However, these materials are predominantly aimed at novices, which may not attract seasoned traders.
  • FXTM provides only MetaTrader 4/5 for desktop trading, lacking a bespoke platform such as eToro's for a tailored experience. MetaTrader 4/5 is becoming outdated for active traders.
  • FXTM specialises in CFDs and a select range of stocks but does not offer ETFs, options, or futures. This may restrict diversification for traders aiming to explore various market opportunities.
  • FXTM imposes a $10 inactivity fee following just three months without trading. This is shorter than the period many brokers offer and might frustrate those who do not trade regularly.
  • FXTM Invest, a user-friendly copy trading app, offered comprehensive performance statistics and risk assessments for Strategy Managers. However, it was discontinued in 2024, restricting passive traders' options.
Awards
  • Best Trading App 2023 - DayTrading.com
  • No.1 Platform Technology 2022
  • No.1 New Tool 2022
  • No.1 Most Currency Pairs 2022
  • Best Trade Execution 2021
  • Best Forex Broker For Beginners 2021
  • Most Transparent Forex Broker Europe 2020
  • Best Trading Platform 2020
  • Best Trading App 2019
  • Best Customer Service 2018
  • Best Trading Experience 2021 - World Finance Awards
  • Best Online Leveraged Trading Services 2021 - Global Business Awards
  • Best Forex Education Partner Nigeria 2021 - World Business Outlook
  • Best Trading Experience 2020 - World Finance Awards
  • Best ECN Broker 2020 - DayTrading.com
FCA Regulated
Yes Yes
Instruments
CFDs, Forex, Stocks, Indices, Commodities, ETFs, Treasuries, Custom Indices, Spread Betting CFDs, Forex, Commodities, Indices, Stocks, Crypto
Demo Account
Yes Yes
Minimum Deposit
$0 $200
Payment Methods
Minimum Trade
0.01 Lots 0.01 Lots
Regulator
FCA, ASIC, MAS, CIRO, BaFin, FMA, DFSA FCA, FSC, CMA
Mobile Apps
iOS & Android iOS & Android
Trading App
CMC Markets' award-winning app has revolutionised mobile trading. Its modern, customisable interface provides a unique user experience that sets it apart. Enhanced with 25 technical indicators, 15 drawing tools, and a swift, stable trading platform, it is an outstanding option for traders. FXTM offers an excellent mobile trading experience. It's swift, secure, and user-friendly, supporting MetaTrader 4 and 5. Enjoy real-time quotes, all execution types, and complete account management. The app's charting features are top-tier. Download now.
iOS App Rating
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4.1
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4.8
Android App Rating
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3.7
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4.4
Margin Trading
Yes Yes
Margin Rate
1%
MetaTrader 4
Yes Yes
MetaTrader 5
No Yes
cTrader
No No
AlgoTrader
No No
OmniTrader
No No
TradingView
Yes No
Autochartist
No No
eSignal
No No
Trading Central
No No
STP Account
No Yes
ECN Account
No Yes
DMA Account
No No
MAM Account
No Yes
PAMM Account
No Yes
LAMM Account
No No
Demat Account
No No
AI / Machine Learning
No No
Robo Advisor
No No
Negative Balance Protection
Yes Yes
Market Maker
Yes Yes
P2P Trading
No No
Spot Trading
Yes Yes
Auto Trading
Expert Advisors (EAs) on MetaTrader Expert Advisors (EAs) on MetaTrader
Copy Trading
No No
Social Trading
Yes No
Trade Signals
Yes Yes
VPS Hosting
Yes Yes
Tournaments
No No
Demo Competitions
Yes No
Ethical Investing
No No
Custodial Account
No No
Guaranteed Stop Loss
Yes No
Inactivity Fee
$10 $10
Islamic Account
Yes Yes
Account Currencies
  • USD
  • EUR
  • GBP
  • CAD
  • AUD
  • NZD
  • SEK
  • NOK
  • SGD
  • PLN
  • USD
  • EUR
  • GBP
  • NGN
Commodities
  • Gold
  • Oil
  • Silver
  • Copper
  • Coffee
  • Wheat
  • Precious Metals
  • Natural Gas
  • Soybeans
  • Orange Juice
  • Nickel
  • Palladium
  • Steel
  • Cannabis
  • Platinum
  • Livestock
  • Sugar
  • Gasoline
  • Gold
  • Silver
  • Natural Gas
  • Oil
  • Precious Metals
CFD
CMC enables trading of CFDs on over 12,000 assets, including currencies, indices, commodities, shares, ETFs, and treasuries. In 2025, new equities will feature sectors like quantum computing, AI learning, and digital car sales. Enjoy competitive spreads without hidden fees, and leverage the renowned MetaTrader 4 platform. Consistently, CMC stands out as a leading CFD broker. FXTM provides CFDs in over 600 instruments, including forex, stocks, commodities, indices, and location-dependent crypto, with recently reduced spreads. Experienced traders can access industry-leading leverage of up to 1:3000 via Exinity Ltd, enhancing potential returns but requiring careful risk management.
Leverage
1:30 (Retail), 1:500 (Pro) 1:30
FTSE Spread
1 pt 0.8
GBPUSD Spread<
0.9 0.1
Oil Spread
3.5 5.0
Stocks Spread
0.02 0.1
Forex
CMC offers a broad selection of over 300 forex pairs, featuring tight spreads and quick execution. This exceeds many competitors in currency variety. Their forex indices provide a distinctive and comprehensive method to speculate on major currencies such as USD, EUR, and GBP. FXTM excels with a robust offering of more than 60 currency pairs, outperforming rivals such as AvaTrade. Its six currency indices provide traders with excellent options for forex diversification. Additionally, the ECN account delivers ultra-competitive spreads from 0 pips on major currencies and features attractively low commission rates of only $3.50 per lot.
Assets
300+ 60+
GBPUSD Spread
0.9 0.1
EURUSD Spread
0.7 0.0
EURGBP Spread
1.1 0.0
Currency Indices
  • USD
  • EUR
  • GBP
  • JPY
  • CAD
  • AUD
  • NZD
  • CHF
  • USD
  • EUR
  • GBP
  • JPY
  • AUD
  • NZD
Cryptocurrency
CMC Markets provides trading opportunities with popular digital currencies such as Bitcoin. However, it excels in offering crypto indices, granting broader market exposure. With minimal slippage and an impressive 99.9% fill rate, CMC is an excellent choice for active traders in the cryptocurrency sector. Trade cryptocurrency CFDs on 11 popular digital tokens like Bitcoin, Avalanche, and Dogecoin. Benefit from competitive floating spreads and low minimum lot sizes starting at 0.01, ideal for both new traders and seasoned investors.
Spread
From 1.3 Variable
Coins
  • BTC
  • BCH
  • ETH
  • LTC
  • EOS
  • TRON
  • NEO
  • ADA
  • XLM
  • BTC
  • ETH
  • LTC
  • XRP
Crypto Lending
No No
Crypto Mining
No No
Crypto Staking
No No
Auto Market Maker
No No
CMC Markets FXTM
Spread bets and CFDs are complex instruments and come with a high risk of losing money rapidly due to leverage. 69% of retail investor accounts lose money when spread betting and/or trading CFDs with this provider. You should consider whether you understand how spread bets and CFDs work and whether you can afford to take the high risk of losing your money.
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