CMC Markets vs Pocket Option

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

CMC Markets vs Pocket Option Comparison Table 2025
CMC Markets Pocket Option
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4.7
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4.2
CMC Markets is ranked #3 among CFD brokers. Pocket Option is ranked #1 among binary options 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. Founded in 2017, Pocket Option is a binary options broker providing high/low contracts for forex, stocks, indices, commodities, and cryptocurrencies. Attracting more than 100,000 active users worldwide, the platform remains a favourite among emerging traders.
Spread bets and CFDs are complex instruments and come with a high risk of losing money rapidly due to leverage. 70% 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.
  • Pocket Option now offers an 'AI Trading' feature that evaluates signals, technical indicators, and trader insights to identify the best trade direction and expiration time. This provides a more automated trading experience.
  • Over the years, Pocket Option has won several annual awards from DayTrading.com, including the notable 'Best Binary Broker 2025' after enhancing its trading tools.
  • The web platform excels in its simple design and ease of use, attracting novice traders interested in speculating on leading markets with minimal effort.
  • The MetaTrader platforms provide robust analysis and technical summaries tailored for short-term traders.
  • The variety of payment options surpasses most competitors, offering traders in numerous countries swift, secure, and convenient deposit processes.
  • Traders with a deposit of over $1,000 may receive a 2% or higher payout increase, access to more assets, and enjoy exclusive benefits.
  • The sign-up process is swift and seamless, completing in under two minutes.
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.
  • The MISA provides limited oversight and inadequate investor protection for retail traders.
  • The 4-hour cap on binary contract durations limits long-term trading strategies. Options such as Videforex provide contracts with up to one-month terms, offering greater flexibility for traders.
  • Pocket Option presents a streamlined version of MT4 and MT5, lacking the comprehensive charting tools that experienced traders seek.
  • Although binary brokers such as IQCent provide returns reaching 98% based on evaluations, others typically offer competitive payouts up to 92%.
  • To gain access to over 250 assets, a deposit of $1000 is required. Without this deposit, traders will only have access to a selection of 130 assets.
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 Binary Broker 2025 - DayTrading.com
  • Best Binary Broker Runner Up 2023 - DayTrading.com
  • Best Binary Broker 2022 - DayTrading.com
FCA Regulated
Yes No

List of FCA Regulated Brokers

Instruments
CFDs, Forex, Stocks, Indices, Commodities, ETFs, Treasuries, Custom Indices, Spread Betting Binary Options, Currencies, Commodities, Stocks, Indices, Cryptos
Bonus
50% Deposit Bonus
Demo Account
Yes Yes
Minimum Deposit
$0 $50
Payment Methods
Minimum Trade
0.01 Lots $1
Regulator
FCA, ASIC, MAS, CIRO, BaFin, FMA, DFSA MISA
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. Pocket Option offers a superb trading experience on mobile and tablet browsers, negating the need for a native app. Charts are customisable via top settings, and trades can be executed effortlessly with one-click 'higher' and 'lower' options at the screen's base. The interface adjusts smoothly to horizontal viewing, aligning with the desktop layout for consistency.
iOS App Rating
rating empty
rating full
4.1
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rating full
4
Android App Rating
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rating full
3.7
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4.2
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 No
ECN Account
No No
DMA Account
No No
MAM Account
No No
PAMM Account
No No
LAMM Account
No No
Demat Account
No No
AI / Machine Learning
No Yes
Robo Advisor
No No
Negative Balance Protection
Yes No
Market Maker
Yes No
P2P Trading
No No
Spot Trading
Yes Yes
Auto Trading
Expert Advisors (EAs) on MetaTrader Yes
Copy Trading
No Yes
Copy Trading Platform
Pocket Option offers an intuitive social trading platform. Here, you can explore the 'Top Ranked Trades' leaderboard and more to discover traders to follow. This service is accessible around the clock and includes vibrant community chats. Advice: assess traders by analysing trade volume and profits over months, instead of a few days.
Social Trading
Yes Yes
Trade Signals
Yes Yes
VPS Hosting
Yes No
Tournaments
No Yes
Demo Competitions
Yes No
Ethical Investing
No No
Custodial Account
No No
Guaranteed Stop Loss
Yes No
Inactivity Fee
$10 $0
Islamic Account
Yes No
Account Currencies
  • USD
  • EUR
  • GBP
  • CAD
  • AUD
  • NZD
  • SEK
  • NOK
  • SGD
  • PLN
  • USD
Commodities
  • Gold
  • Oil
  • Silver
  • Copper
  • Coffee
  • Wheat
  • Precious Metals
  • Natural Gas
  • Soybeans
  • Orange Juice
  • Nickel
  • Palladium
  • Steel
  • Cannabis
  • Platinum
  • Livestock
  • Sugar
  • Gasoline
  • Silver
  • Gold
  • Natural Gas
  • Oil
  • Palladium
  • Platinum
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.
Leverage
1:30 (Retail), 1:500 (Pro)
FTSE Spread
1 pt
GBPUSD Spread<
0.9
Oil Spread
3.5
Stocks Spread
0.02
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. You can trade binary and OTC options on over 40 currency pairs, or more than 55 pairs if you deposit £1,000 or more. Payouts typically reach a fair 81%, and with a minimum trade of just £1, this broker is ideal for novice traders. Additionally, the MT4 and MT5 platforms are available for those with more trading experience.
Assets
300+ 55+
GBPUSD Spread
0.9 N/A
EURUSD Spread
0.7 N/A
EURGBP Spread
1.1 N/A
Currency Indices
  • USD
  • EUR
  • GBP
  • JPY
  • CAD
  • AUD
  • NZD
  • CHF
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. Pocket Option provides a limited selection of cryptocurrencies, featuring over 10 digital coins like Bitcoin and more than 65 tokens for those depositing £1000. The platform's built-in analytics tool assists traders in identifying potential trades, and its daily signals service simplifies the process of seizing short-term crypto opportunities.
Spread
From 1.3 N/A
Coins
  • BTC
  • BCH
  • ETH
  • LTC
  • EOS
  • TRON
  • NEO
  • ADA
  • XLM
  • BTC
  • ETH
  • BCH
  • LINK
  • AAVE
  • ALGO
  • TLM
  • ALPP
  • ANT
  • AVAX
  • AXS
  • BNB
  • ADA
  • CHZ
  • COMP
  • ATOM
  • DASH
  • MANA
  • DGB
  • DOGE
  • ENJ
  • EOS
  • FIL
  • GLMR
  • ILV
  • ICP
  • KAVA
  • LTC
  • MKR
  • MASK
  • MIOTA
  • XMR
  • ALICE
  • NEAR
  • NEO
  • NULS
  • OMG
  • DOT
  • MATIC
  • QTUM
  • REEF
  • XRP
  • SANTOS
  • SC
  • SOL
  • STX
  • XLM
  • STORJ
  • DATA
  • SUN
  • XTZ
  • SAND
  • THETA
  • TRX
  • UNI
  • VET
  • WAVES
  • YFI
  • YGG
  • ZEC
Crypto Lending
No No
Crypto Mining
No No
Crypto Staking
No No
Auto Market Maker
No No
Binary Options
Pocket Option provides ultra-short-term contracts, starting from just 5 seconds, on an intuitive platform ideal for novice traders. Payout rates exceed 90%, comparable with competitors, and the 'Double Up' and 'Rollover' functions enable additional earning possibilities. On the downside, its range of over 130 assets is less extensive than that of brokers such as Quotex, which offer more than 400 options.
Payout
92%
Expiration Times
5 seconds - 4 hours
Boundary Options
No No
Ladder Options
No No
CMC Markets Pocket Option
Spread bets and CFDs are complex instruments and come with a high risk of losing money rapidly due to leverage. 70% 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.
More Comparisons
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