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CMC Markets vs BlackBull Markets 2026

ForexBrokers.com

Written by ForexBrokers.com

February 05, 2025

In this head to head comparison of CMC Markets vs BlackBull Markets, we will compare the trading platforms, mobile apps, range of investments, costs, market research, and more. Let's dive in.

CMC Markets
5/5 Stars Overall
  • Minimum Deposit: $0
  • Trust Score: 99
  • Tradeable Symbols (Total): 12029
BlackBull Markets
4.5/5 Stars Overall
  • Minimum Deposit: $0
  • Trust Score: 78
  • Tradeable Symbols (Total): 26000

CFDs are complex instruments and come with a high risk of losing money rapidly due to leverage. Between 51% and 89% of retail investor accounts lose money when trading CFDs. You should consider whether you understand how CFDs work and whether you can afford to take the high risk of losing your money.

Regulation

Founded in 1989, CMC Markets boasts a long history in the financial trading industry, and is a publicly traded entity. It holds an impressive 6 Tier-1 licenses and an additional Tier-2 license, earning it the highest Trust Score rating of 99 out of 99 from ForexBrokers.com. This score categorizes CMC Markets as a highly trusted broker. Although it is not a bank, its comprehensive regulatory backing provides strong assurance for traders seeking security and credibility in an online broker.

In comparison, BlackBull Markets was established more recently in 2014 and is not publicly traded. It offers a singular Tier-1 license, without Tier-2 credentials, which reflects its ForexBrokers.com Trust Score rating of 78 out of 99. This places BlackBull Markets within the average risk category. Though it is not considered high risk, traders might find greater peace of mind with brokers that possess more extensive regulatory oversight.

Feature CMC Markets logoCMC Markets
BlackBull Markets logoBlackBull Markets
Year Founded info 1989 2014
Publicly Traded (Listed) info Yes No
Bank info No No
Tier-1 Licenses info 6 1
Tier-2 Licenses info 1 0
Tier-3 Licenses info 0 0
Tier-4 Licenses info 0 1

Fees

Comparing commissions and fees, CMC Markets generally comes out cheaper than BlackBull Markets. CMC Markets is rated 5 stars and ranked #4 of 63 for Commissions and Fees, and it won #1 in our 2025 Annual Awards for this category. BlackBull Markets is rated 4.5 stars and ranked #9 of 63. Both brokers offer tight spreads and multiple pricing options, but CMC Markets’ mix of low average spreads and commission plans tends to deliver lower all-in costs for many traders.

CMC Markets posts typical EUR/USD spreads of 0.61 pips (August 2023) and has a commission plan called FX Active: $2.50 per side with minimum spreads of 0.0, producing an all-in cost of about 0.5 pips on EUR/USD (and five other pairs). Its averages have historically stayed close to advertised minimums. Active traders can also reduce costs via the Price Plus Scheme, which awards Trading Points based on volume (for example, two points per standard lot; Tier 4’s 20% spread discount kicks in at 1,250 lots per month). FX Active is available on both MT4 and Next Generation.

BlackBull Markets’ pricing is about average overall and depends on account type. The Standard account is commission-free with higher spreads and no minimum deposit. The Prime account requires $2,000, charges $3 per side ($6 round turn) and showed a 0.16‑pip average spread on EUR/USD in March 2024, for an all‑in cost near 0.76 pips—making it the better value versus Standard. The ECN Institutional account is aimed at higher balances ($20,000+), with $2 per side ($4 round turn). In short, BlackBull’s Prime account can be competitive, but CMC Markets typically delivers lower all‑in costs, especially under FX Active or with Price Plus discounts.

Feature CMC Markets logoCMC Markets
BlackBull Markets logoBlackBull Markets
Minimum Deposit info $0 $0
Average spread (EUR/USD) - Standard account info 1.3 info 1.16 info
All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active info 0.65 info 0.76 info
Non-wire bank transfer info Yes No
PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) info Yes No
Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) info No Yes
Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) info Yes Yes

Dive deeper: Best Low Spread Forex Brokers.

Featured Offers


Range of investments

Comparing the range of investments, BlackBull Markets lists about 26,000 tradeable symbols, while CMC Markets offers around 12,029. For currency traders, CMC Markets provides 141 forex pairs versus 72 at BlackBull. Both brokers offer forex trading, whether via CFDs or spot contracts, giving flexibility in how you trade.

Outside of forex, both CMC Markets and BlackBull Markets let you buy exchange-traded shares on U.S. and international exchanges, support copy trading, and offer crypto exposure through CFDs (neither supports buying delivered crypto). Each earns 5 stars for Range of Investments from ForexBrokers.com; among 63 brokers, BlackBull Markets ranks #7 and CMC Markets ranks #9.

Feature CMC Markets logoCMC Markets
BlackBull Markets logoBlackBull Markets
Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) info Yes Yes
Tradeable Symbols (Total) info 12029 26000
Forex Pairs (Total) info 141 72
U.S. Stocks (Shares) info Yes Yes
Global Stocks (Non-U.S. Shares) info Yes Yes
Copy Trading info Yes Yes
Cryptocurrency (Underlying) info No No
Cryptocurrency (CFDs) info Yes Yes
Disclaimers Note: Crypto CFDs are not available to retail traders from any broker's U.K. entity, nor to U.K. residents (except to Professional clients). Note: Crypto CFDs are not available to retail traders from any broker's U.K. entity, nor to U.K. residents (except to Professional clients).

Dive deeper: Best Copy Trading Platforms.

Trading platforms and tools

CMC Markets vs BlackBull Markets: both brokers make it easy to get started with a free demo account for paper trading and support web-based and Windows desktop platforms. Each offers MetaTrader 4 (MT4) and MetaTrader 5 (MT5), copy trading, and the ability to place trades directly from charts. The key difference is platform choice: CMC Markets adds a proprietary, in-house platform alongside MetaTrader, while BlackBull Markets focuses on the MetaTrader suite without its own branded platform.

For Trading Platforms and Tools, CMC Markets earns 5 stars and ranks #6 out of 63 brokers on ForexBrokers.com, while BlackBull Markets earns 4 stars and ranks #25. If you want an in-house platform plus MetaTrader, CMC Markets is the stronger pick; if you prefer sticking with MetaTrader across web and desktop and still want copy trading and a demo account, BlackBull Markets fits the bill.

Feature CMC Markets logoCMC Markets
BlackBull Markets logoBlackBull Markets
Virtual Trading (Demo) info Yes Yes
Proprietary Desktop Trading Platform info Yes No
Desktop Platform (Windows) info Yes Yes
Web Platform info Yes Yes
Copy Trading info Yes Yes
MetaTrader 4 (MT4) info Yes Yes
MetaTrader 5 (MT5) info Yes Yes
Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) info 73 109
Charting - Trade From Chart info Yes Yes

Dive deeper: Best MetaTrader 4 Brokers, Best MetaTrader 5 Brokers.

Forex trading apps

Both the CMC Markets mobile app and the BlackBull Markets mobile app are available for iPhone and Android. Each app supports stock and forex price alerts, syncs watchlists with your online account, and lets you draw trendlines on charts. Drawings auto-save on both platforms, so your annotations stick when you return to a chart.

For charting tools, BlackBull Markets offers 30 technical studies while CMC Markets provides 29. Despite that slight edge, CMC Markets earns stronger industry marks: ForexBrokers.com rates it 5 stars and ranks it #5 out of 63 brokers for Mobile Trading Apps, compared with BlackBull’s 4 stars and #27 ranking. If you want the extra built-in study, BlackBull may appeal; if overall app quality and polish matter more, CMC Markets is the safer bet.

Feature CMC Markets logoCMC Markets
BlackBull Markets logoBlackBull Markets
Android App info Yes Yes
Apple iOS App info Yes Yes
Mobile Price Alerts info Yes Yes
Mobile Watchlists - Syncing info Yes Yes
Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies info 29 30
Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines info Yes Yes
Mobile Charting - Trendlines Autosave info Yes Yes

Dive deeper: Best Forex Trading Apps.

Market research

Both CMC Markets and BlackBull Markets cover the basics of market research. Each provides daily market commentary, Autochartist-powered technical ideas, a sentiment tool that shows the ratio of long vs. short positions, and an economic calendar. Neither broker adds research from Trading Central, TipRanks, or Acuity Trading.

Where they differ is news. CMC Markets includes forex news from top-tier sources such as Bloomberg, Reuters, or Dow Jones, while BlackBull Markets does not. That extra stream of professional headlines helps CMC deliver deeper context without leaving the platform. Reflecting this edge, ForexBrokers.com rates CMC Markets 5 stars for research and ranks it 6th out of 63 brokers, whereas BlackBull Markets earns 4 stars and ranks 16th. If premium news and higher-rated research matter to you, CMC Markets is the better choice; if you only need the core tools, BlackBull Markets remains a capable option.

Feature CMC Markets logoCMC Markets
BlackBull Markets logoBlackBull Markets
Daily Market Commentary (Articles) info Yes Yes
Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) info Yes No
Autochartist info Yes Yes
Trading Central info No No
Client sentiment data info Yes Yes
TipRanks info No No
Acuity Trading info No No
Economic Calendar info Yes Yes

Dive deeper: Best Brokers for Forex Research.

Beginners and education

For beginners, CMC Markets delivers a wide range of forex and CFD education. It includes at least 10 beginner videos and 10 advanced videos to guide new traders from basics to more complex topics. CMC doesn’t run monthly educational webinars, but its library earned a 5-star Education rating and a #10 of 63 ranking from ForexBrokers.com.

BlackBull Markets also offers forex and CFD education suitable for newcomers, with at least 10 beginner videos and 10 advanced videos. It adds live learning through monthly webinars, which can help beginners ask questions in real time. BlackBull’s Education rating is 4 stars with a #24 of 63 ranking. If you prefer on-demand videos and structured lessons, CMC Markets is compelling; if live webinars are important, BlackBull Markets has the edge.

Feature CMC Markets logoCMC Markets
BlackBull Markets logoBlackBull Markets
Webinars info No Yes
Videos - Beginner Trading Videos info Yes Yes
Videos - Advanced Trading Videos info Yes Yes

Dive deeper: Best Forex Brokers for Beginners.

Winner

After testing 63 of the best forex brokers, our research and account testing finds that CMC Markets is better than BlackBull Markets. CMC Markets finished with an overall rank of #5, while BlackBull Markets finished with an overall rank of #22.

CMC Markets is well-trusted across the globe, and delivers a terrific trading experience thanks to its excellent pricing and selection of over 12,000 tradeable instruments.

Feature CMC Markets logoCMC Markets
BlackBull Markets logoBlackBull Markets
Overall Rating info 5/5 Stars 4.5/5 Stars
Trust Score info 99 78
Range of Investments 5/5 Stars 5/5 Stars
Trading Fees 5/5 Stars 4.5/5 Stars
Trading Platforms 5/5 Stars 4/5 Stars
Research 5/5 Stars 4/5 Stars
Mobile Trading 5/5 Stars 4/5 Stars
Education 4.5/5 Stars 4/5 Stars

FAQs

Can you trade cryptocurrency with CMC Markets or BlackBull Markets?

In the CMC Markets vs BlackBull Markets comparison, neither broker offers the ability to buy actual (delivered) cryptocurrency, but both provide access to trading cryptocurrency CFDs.

What funding options does each broker offer?

For deposit and withdrawal options, CMC Markets supports ACH/SEPA, PayPal, and bank wire transfers, while BlackBull Markets offers Skrill and bank wire transfers but not ACH/SEPA or PayPal; Visa/Mastercard availability is not specified for either broker.




announcementPlease note:

We review each broker’s overall global offering – a “Yes” checkmark in our Compare Tool does not guarantee the availability of any specific features in your country of residence. To verify the availability of any features within your country of residence, please contact the broker directly.

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Compare

0 of 5
Overall Rating CMC Markets BlackBull Markets
Overall Rating info 5/5 Stars 4.5/5 Stars
Trading Fees 5/5 Stars 4.5/5 Stars
Range of Investments 5/5 Stars 5/5 Stars
Trading Platforms 5/5 Stars 4/5 Stars
Mobile Trading 5/5 Stars 4/5 Stars
Research 5/5 Stars 4/5 Stars
Education 4.5/5 Stars 4/5 Stars
Trust Score info 99 78
Winner check_circle
Review CMC Markets Review BlackBull Markets Review
Broker Screenshots CMC Markets BlackBull Markets
Broker Gallery (click to expand) info
Regulation CMC Markets BlackBull Markets
Trust Score info 99 78
Year Founded info 1989 2014
Publicly Traded (Listed) info Yes No
Bank info No No
Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). info Yes info No info
Tier-1 Licenses info 6 1
Tier-2 Licenses info 1 0
Tier-3 Licenses info 0 0
Tier-4 Licenses info 0 1
Tier-1 Licenses (Highly Trusted) CMC Markets BlackBull Markets
Australia (ASIC Authorised) info Yes No
Canada (CIRO Authorised) info Yes No
Hong Kong (SFC Authorised) info No No
Japan (FSA Authorised) info No No
Singapore (MAS Authorised) info Yes No
Switzerland (FINMA Authorised) info
United Kingdom (U.K.) (FCA Authorised) info Yes No
USA (CFTC Authorized) info No No
New Zealand (FMA Authorised) info Yes Yes
Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). info Yes info No info
Tier-2 Licenses (Trusted) CMC Markets BlackBull Markets
Kenya (CMA Authorised) info
Israel (ISA Authorised) info No No
South Africa (FSCA Authorised) info No No
UAE (DFSA, FSRA, or SCA Authorised) info Yes No
India (SEBI Authorised) info No No
Jordan (JSC Authorised) info
Investments CMC Markets BlackBull Markets
Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) info Yes Yes
Tradeable Symbols (Total) info 12029 26000
Forex Pairs (Total) info 141 72
U.S. Stocks (Shares) info Yes Yes
Global Stocks (Non-U.S. Shares) info Yes Yes
Copy Trading info Yes Yes
Cryptocurrency (Underlying) info No No
Cryptocurrency (CFDs) info Yes Yes
Disclaimers Note: Crypto CFDs are not available to retail traders from any broker's U.K. entity, nor to U.K. residents (except to Professional clients). Note: Crypto CFDs are not available to retail traders from any broker's U.K. entity, nor to U.K. residents (except to Professional clients).
Cost CMC Markets BlackBull Markets
Average spread (EUR/USD) - Standard account info 1.3 info 1.16 info
All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active info 0.65 info 0.76 info
Inactivity Fee info Yes No
Order execution: Agency info No No
Order execution: Market Maker info Yes Yes
Funding CMC Markets BlackBull Markets
Minimum Deposit info $0 $0
PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) info Yes No
Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) info No Yes
Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) info Yes Yes
Non-wire bank transfer info Yes No
Trading Platforms CMC Markets BlackBull Markets
Proprietary Desktop Trading Platform info Yes No
Desktop Platform (Windows) info Yes Yes
Web Platform info Yes Yes
Copy Trading info Yes Yes
MetaTrader 4 (MT4) info Yes Yes
MetaTrader 5 (MT5) info Yes Yes
cTrader info No Yes
Trading Tools CMC Markets BlackBull Markets
Virtual Trading (Demo) info Yes Yes
Price Alerts info Yes Yes
Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) info 73 109
Charting - Trade From Chart info Yes Yes
Charts can be saved info Yes Yes
Mobile Trading CMC Markets BlackBull Markets
Android App info Yes Yes
Apple iOS App info Yes Yes
Mobile Price Alerts info Yes Yes
Mobile Watchlist [DELETED] info
Mobile Watchlists - Syncing info Yes Yes
Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies info 29 30
Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines info Yes Yes
Mobile Charting - Trendlines Autosave info Yes Yes
Mobile Research - Economic Calendar info Yes Yes
Research CMC Markets BlackBull Markets
Daily Market Commentary (Articles) info Yes Yes
Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) info Yes No
Autochartist info Yes Yes
Trading Central info No No
TipRanks info No No
Client sentiment data info Yes Yes
Economic Calendar info Yes Yes
Education CMC Markets BlackBull Markets
Webinars info No Yes
Videos - Beginner Trading Videos info Yes Yes
Videos - Advanced Trading Videos info Yes Yes
Major Forex Pairs CMC Markets BlackBull Markets
GBP/USD [DELETED] info
USD/JPY [DELETED] info
EUR/USD info Yes Yes
USD/CHF [DELETED] info
USD/CAD [DELETED] info
NZD/USD [DELETED] info
AUD/USD [DELETED] info
Review CMC Markets Review BlackBull Markets Review
Overall CMC Markets BlackBull Markets
Overall Rating info 5/5 Stars 4.5/5 Stars
Trading Fees 5/5 Stars 4.5/5 Stars
Range of Investments 5/5 Stars 5/5 Stars
Trading Platforms 5/5 Stars 4/5 Stars
Mobile Trading 5/5 Stars 4/5 Stars
Research 5/5 Stars 4/5 Stars
Education 4.5/5 Stars 4/5 Stars
Trust Score info 99 78
Winner check_circle
Review CMC Markets Review BlackBull Markets Review
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