HYCM vs CMC Markets

HYCM or CMC Markets – which is better for UK traders 2026? Compare HYCM and CMC Markets in this detailed breakdown of their platforms, features and fees.

HYCM vs CMC Markets Comparison Table 2026
HYCM CMC Markets
rating empty
rating full
3.8
rating empty
rating full
4.7
HYCM is ranked #23 among CFD brokers. CMC Markets is ranked #17 among CFD brokers.
Review
Review
HYCM, authorised by four global entities including the FCA, is an online broker. It provides short-term CFD trading on forex, shares, commodities, indices, ETFs, and Bitcoin. The broker supports MT4, MT5, and Trading Central analysis. 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.
Spread bets and CFDs are complex instruments and come with a high risk of losing money rapidly due to leverage. 68% 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
  • HYCM, established in 1977, has endured events like Black Wednesday, the 2008 financial crisis, the SNB shock, and various FCA regulatory changes that saw many rivals restructure or exit. While many brokers recently obtained FCA regulation, HYCM's longstanding compliance spans a full generation of retail traders. This signifies a uniquely established track record.
  • Instead of a fixed leverage cap, HYCM's model automatically decreases leverage as position volume grows, safeguarding traders from excessive exposure on large trades without manual margin adjustments. Typical retail brokers set a static leverage limit, leaving risk control entirely to traders. The dynamic model provides a structural risk safeguard, especially beneficial for novice traders gradually expanding positions.
  • While most retail CFD brokers offer gold, oil, and silver, HYCM goes further by providing agricultural soft commodities. This is available from a standard account without requiring a higher minimum deposit or professional status. For those seeking true commodity diversification beyond metals and energy, such access is unusually available at this level.
  • 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.
  • CMC Markets has introduced an AI News feature. This leverages AI to highlight and summarise market stories instead of executing trades, suggesting the future direction of broker research tools.
  • 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%.
  • 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.
Cons
  • The limitation appears solely in HYCM's terms. Investors opening a Fixed or Classic account, creating a short-term strategy, and executing rapid trades risk having profits seized and accounts suspended without notice. The Raw account allows more precise trading, but the threshold between allowed and forbidden trading frequency is not clearly defined on hycm.com.
  • HYCM still uses the same MT4, MT5, and proprietary mobile app infrastructure from five years ago. There's no TradingView, cTrader, social trading, copy trading, or PAMM available. Despite having nearly 50 years of history and FCA regulation, the lack of platform development shows little focus on technology investment. This is crucial as rivals integrate TradingView and expand social trading to appeal to new retail traders.
  • Brokers such as eToro, Pepperstone, and IC Markets have created client acquisition channels centred on social and copy trading. HYCM lacks this approach. This leaves new traders wishing to invest in proven strategies and experienced traders aiming to profit from managing external capital without a platform. Consequently, HYCM fails to serve this segment of retail traders.
  • 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.
  • 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.
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
FCA Regulated
Yes Yes
Instruments
CFDs, Forex, Stocks, Indices, Commodities, ETFs CFDs, Forex, Stocks, Indices, Commodities, ETFs, Treasuries, Custom Indices, Spread Betting
Demo Account
Yes Yes
Minimum Deposit
$20 $0
Payment Methods
Minimum Trade
0.01 Lots 0.01 Lots
Regulator
FCA, DFSA FCA, ASIC, MAS, CIRO, BaFin, FMA, DFSA,
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.
iOS App Rating
rating empty
rating full
3
rating empty
rating full
4.1
Android App Rating
rating empty
rating full
3.6
rating empty
rating full
3.7
Margin Trading
Yes Yes
Margin Rate
Variable upon regulation and jurisdiction 3.0%
MetaTrader 4
Yes Yes
MetaTrader 5
Yes No
cTrader
No No
AlgoTrader
No No
OmniTrader
No No
TradingView
No Yes
Autochartist
No No
eSignal
No No
Trading Central
Yes No
STP Account
No No
ECN Account
Yes 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
No 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
No Yes
Trade Signals
Yes
VPS Hosting
No Yes
Tournaments
No No
Demo Competitions
No Yes
Ethical Investing
No No
Custodial Account
No No
Guaranteed Stop Loss
No Yes
Inactivity Fee
$10 $10
Islamic Account
Yes Yes
Account Currencies
  • USD
  • EUR
  • GBP
  • RUB
  • AED
  • USD
  • EUR
  • GBP
  • CAD
  • AUD
  • NZD
  • SEK
  • NOK
  • SGD
  • PLN
Commodities
  • Gold
  • Silver
  • Coffee
  • Oil
  • Cotton
  • Copper
  • Palladium
  • Platinum
  • Sugar
  • Gold
  • Oil
  • Silver
  • Copper
  • Coffee
  • Wheat
  • Precious Metals
  • Natural Gas
  • Soybeans
  • Orange Juice
  • Nickel
  • Palladium
  • Steel
  • Cannabis
  • Platinum
  • Livestock
  • Sugar
  • Gasoline
CFD
HYCM offers traders the opportunity to engage in trading CFDs across various stocks, indices, commodities, and ETFs, all featuring floating spreads. Leverage limits differ depending on the specific instrument. Clients can select from two top-tier trading platforms. 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
1:301:500 1:30 (Retail), 1:500 (Pro)
FTSE Spread
1.5 1 pt
GBPUSD Spread<
0.1 0.9
Oil Spread
2.0 3.5
Stocks Spread
2.2% 0.02
Forex
HYCM provides over 40 forex pairs for trading on the MT4 or MT5 platforms. Leverage is capped at 1:30, compliant with regulatory standards. The Raw account features tight spreads starting at 0.2, while the commission-free Classic account offers spreads from 1.2. 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.
Assets
40+ 300+
GBPUSD Spread
0.4 0.9
EURUSD Spread
0.1 0.7
EURGBP Spread
0.4 1.1
Currency Indices
  • USD
  • EUR
  • GBP
  • JPY
  • CAD
  • AUD
  • NZD
  • CHF
HYCM CMC Markets
Review
Review
Spread bets and CFDs are complex instruments and come with a high risk of losing money rapidly due to leverage. 68% 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
HYCM
vs

 CMC Markets
vs