CMC Markets or XTB – which is better for UK traders 2026? Compare CMC Markets and XTB in this detailed breakdown of their platforms, features and fees.
| CMC Markets | XTB |
|---|---|
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| CMC Markets is ranked #15 among CFD brokers. | XTB is ranked #2 among CFD brokers. |
| Visit CMC Markets | Visit XTB |
| 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. | Established in Poland in 2002, XTB caters to over a million clients worldwide. This forex and CFD broker offers a robust regulatory framework, a diverse range of assets, and prioritises trader satisfaction. It provides an intuitive proprietary platform equipped with excellent tools to support aspiring traders. |
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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. |
CFDs are complex instruments and come with a high risk of losing money rapidly due to leverage. 74% of retail investor accounts lose money when trading CFDs with this provider. You should consider whether you understand how CFDs work and whether you can afford to take the high risk of losing your money |
| Pros | |
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| Cons | |
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| Awards | |
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| FCA Regulated | |
| Yes | Yes |
| Instruments | |
| CFDs, Forex, Stocks, Indices, Commodities, ETFs, Treasuries, Custom Indices, Spread Betting, Certificates and Warrants (Germany and Austria) | CFDs on shares, Indices, ETFs, Raw Materials, Forex currencies, Real shares, Real ETFs |
| Demo Account | |
| Yes | Yes |
| Minimum Deposit | |
| $0 | $0 |
| Payment Methods | |
| Minimum Trade | |
| 0.01 Lots | 0.01 Lots |
| Regulator | |
| FCA, ASIC, MAS, CIRO, BaFin, FMA, DFSA | FCA, CySEC, KNF, DFSA, FSC, SCA, CMF, Bappebti |
| 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. | Each year, XTB's app impresses with its sleek design and clear interface. It's fast, responsive, and full of practical features like integrated sentiment data, market news, economic calendars, and educational content. The intuitive order panel below the chart simplifies trade execution, including take profit and stop loss settings. |
| iOS App Rating | |
| Android App Rating | |
| Margin Trading | |
| Yes | Yes |
| Margin Rate | |
| 3.0% | 4.5% |
| MetaTrader 4 | |
| Yes | No |
| MetaTrader 5 | |
| Yes | No |
| 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 | 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 | 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 | |
| Copy Trading | |
| No | No |
| Social Trading | |
| Yes | No |
| Trade Signals | |
| Yes | No |
| VPS Hosting | |
| Yes | No |
| Tournaments | |
| No | No |
| Demo Competitions | |
| Yes | No |
| Ethical Investing | |
| No | Yes |
| Custodial Account | |
| No | No |
| Guaranteed Stop Loss | |
| Yes | No |
| Inactivity Fee | |
| $15 | €/$10 per month after 365 days |
| Islamic Account | |
| Yes | Yes |
| Account Currencies | |
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| Commodities | |
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| 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. | XTB provides an extensive range of CFDs, including forex, indices, commodities, stocks, ETFs, and cryptocurrencies, subject to location. EU and UK clients have leverage up to 1:30, whereas global users and pro traders can obtain up to 1:500. XTB excels in offering valuable resources and tutorials for short-term CFD trading strategies. |
| Leverage | |
| 1:30 (Retail), 1:500 (Pro) | 1:30 (Retail), 1:200 (Pro) |
| FTSE Spread | |
| 1 pt | 1.8 |
| GBPUSD Spread< | |
| 0.9 | 1.4 |
| Oil Spread | |
| 3.5 | 0.03 |
| Stocks Spread | |
| 0.02 | 0.2% |
| 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. | XTB offers access to over 70 currency pairs, with competitive spreads averaging about 1 pip for major pairs. Its xStation platform is user-friendly, providing traders with top-tier charting tools, over 30 indicators, and diverse order types to support different strategies and risk management needs. |
| Assets | |
| 300+ | 70+ |
| GBPUSD Spread | |
| 0.9 | 1.4 |
| EURUSD Spread | |
| 0.7 | 1.0 |
| EURGBP Spread | |
| 1.1 | 1.4 |
| Currency Indices | |
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| CMC Markets | XTB |
| Visit CMC Markets | Visit XTB |
| 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. | CFDs are complex instruments and come with a high risk of losing money rapidly due to leverage. 74% of retail investor accounts lose money when trading CFDs with this provider. You should consider whether you understand how CFDs work and whether you can afford to take the high risk of losing your money |