Written by ForexBrokers.com
In this head to head comparison of CMC Markets vs FXCM, we will compare the trading platforms, mobile apps, range of investments, costs, market research, and more. Let's dive in.
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.
Founded in 1989, CMC Markets is a well-established online broker with a ForexBrokers.com Trust Score of 99, making it highly trusted. It is publicly traded but not a bank. CMC Markets holds six Tier-1 licenses, which contributes to its strong credibility in the trading industry, and it also has one Tier-2 license.
FXCM, established in 1999, also enjoys a strong standing with a Trust Score of 95, indicating it is highly trusted. Like CMC Markets, FXCM is publicly traded and not a bank. FXCM holds four Tier-1 licenses and two Tier-2 licenses. Both brokers are reliable options; however, CMC Markets’ higher number of top-tier licenses may appeal to traders looking for an extra layer of assurance.
| Feature |
CMC Markets
|
FXCM
|
|---|---|---|
| Year Founded | 1989 | 1999 |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | Yes | Yes |
| Bank | No | No |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 6 | 4 |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 1 | 2 |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 0 | 0 |
CMC Markets vs FXCM on commissions and fees: CMC Markets generally comes out cheaper. In our 2025 Annual Awards, CMC Markets won #1 for Commissions and Fees; it holds a 5 out of 5 stars rating and ranks #4 of 63 brokers in this category at ForexBrokers.com. FXCM is rated 4 out of 5 stars and ranks #17 of 63. CMC’s typical EUR/USD pricing and its FX Active commission plan often produce lower all-in costs than FXCM’s standard and commission accounts, though final pricing varies by region, platform, and monthly volume.
CMC Markets’ average EUR/USD spread was 0.61 pips (Aug 2023). Its FX Active plan charges $2.50 per side with minimum spreads of 0.0, yielding an all-in cost of about 0.5 pips on EUR/USD and five other pairs on both MT4 and Next Generation. The Price Plus Scheme rewards higher volumes with spread discounts via Trading Points (earn 2 points per standard lot; 1,250 lots in a month unlocks a 20% spread discount at Tier 4). CMC’s averages have tended to track its quoted minimums closely, helping keep total trading costs low.
FXCM’s forex pricing skews a bit higher than the industry average. In May 2024, average EUR/USD spreads were 0.78 pips for its EU, U.K., and Australia offerings, and 1.38 pips at its St. Vincent and the Grenadines entity. Its commission account posted a 0.28-pip core spread, which works out to about 0.74 pips after the commission equivalent. The Active Trader Rebate Program (availability varies by region) has five tiers with rebates from $5 to $25 per million when you trade at least $10 million per month. In the U.K., a $25,000 balance and $50 million in monthly volume can reduce the commission to $2.50 per side ($5 round turn), putting effective EUR/USD costs near 0.78 pips; spreads can widen during rollover or unusual market conditions.
| Feature |
CMC Markets
|
FXCM
|
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $0 | Starts from $50 |
| Average spread (EUR/USD) - Standard account | 1.3 | 0.9 |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 0.65 | 0.8 |
| Non-wire bank transfer | Yes | Yes |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | Yes |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Low Spread Forex Brokers.
CMC Markets vs FXCM: when it comes to range of investments, CMC Markets offers far more markets to choose from. It lists 12,029 tradeable symbols compared with 440 at FXCM. For forex, CMC provides 141 currency pairs versus FXCM’s 46, and both brokers let you trade forex as either CFDs or spot. CMC Markets also offers direct share dealing on U.S. and international exchanges—so you can buy stocks like Apple or Vodafone—while FXCM does not offer exchange-traded shares.
Both brokers support copy trading and offer cryptocurrency CFDs, but neither lets you buy actual crypto. Reflecting the broader product lineup, ForexBrokers.com rates CMC Markets 5 stars for range of investments and ranks it 9th out of 63 brokers; FXCM earns 3.5 stars and ranks 21st. If having more symbols and access to direct stock ownership matters to you, CMC Markets has the edge.
| Feature |
CMC Markets
|
FXCM
|
|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 12029 | 440 |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 141 | 46 |
| U.S. Stocks (Shares) | Yes | No |
| Global Stocks (Non-U.S. Shares) | Yes | No |
| Copy Trading | Yes | Yes |
| Cryptocurrency (Underlying) | No | No |
| Cryptocurrency (CFDs) | 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.
When comparing CMC Markets vs FXCM for trading platforms and tools, both online brokers check the key boxes. Each offers a free demo account for paper trading, a proprietary platform, a Windows desktop download, a web-based platform, copy trading, and the popular MetaTrader 4 (MT4). You can also place trades directly from charts with either broker. A notable difference is platform choice: CMC Markets also supports MetaTrader 5 (MT5), while FXCM does not.
Ratings and rankings are strong for both. Each earns 5 stars for Trading Platforms and Tools, yet FXCM is ranked #4 out of 63 brokers by ForexBrokers.com in this category, while CMC Markets is ranked #6. If you want MT5 alongside MT4 and in-house tools, CMC Markets has the edge; if rankings matter more to you and MT5 isn’t essential, FXCM is a compelling pick. Either way, both give you flexible platform access and a hassle-free way to practice with a demo.
| Feature |
CMC Markets
|
FXCM
|
|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes |
| Proprietary Desktop Trading Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Desktop Platform (Windows) | Yes | Yes |
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Copy Trading | Yes | Yes |
| MetaTrader 4 (MT4) | Yes | Yes |
| MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | Yes | No |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 73 | 115 |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best MetaTrader 4 Brokers, Best MetaTrader 5 Brokers.
CMC Markets vs FXCM mobile trading apps: both brokers offer iPhone and Android apps, plus price alerts for forex and stocks. Your watchlists sync with your online account, so edits made on mobile or web carry over. For charting, each app lets you draw trendlines, and your drawings auto-save for the next session.
FXCM packs in more built-in technical studies (59) compared with CMC Markets (29). However, according to ForexBrokers.com, CMC Markets earns the higher marks overall with a 5-star rating and a #5 rank out of 63 brokers for Mobile Trading Apps, while FXCM holds 4.5 stars and ranks #16. Choose FXCM if indicator variety is your priority; pick CMC Markets if top overall app ratings matter more.
| Feature |
CMC Markets
|
FXCM
|
|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Price Alerts | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Watchlists - Syncing | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 29 | 59 |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Trendlines Autosave | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Forex Trading Apps.
When comparing CMC Markets to FXCM in terms of market research, both brokers provide daily market commentary and forex news from top-tier sources like Bloomberg and Reuters, making it easier for traders to stay informed. CMC Markets stands out by offering tools from Autochartist, which FXCM does not provide. Meanwhile, FXCM complements its offering with research tools from Trading Central and market insights from TipRanks, which are absent in CMC Markets' suite.
Both brokers offer sentiment-based trading tools and economic calendars to help traders stay ahead of market trends. While CMC Markets earns a 5-star rating for its research offerings, FXCM follows closely with a 4.5-star rating. In a ranking of 63 brokers by ForexBrokers.com, CMC Markets holds the 6th place for research while FXCM is ranked 11th, showing that both platforms are strong contenders but with CMC Markets having a slight edge in research tools and resources.
| Feature |
CMC Markets
|
FXCM
|
|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary (Articles) | Yes | Yes |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | Yes |
| Autochartist | Yes | No |
| Trading Central | No | Yes |
| Client sentiment data | Yes | Yes |
| TipRanks | No | Yes |
| Acuity Trading | No | No |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Brokers for Forex Research.
Comparing CMC Markets vs FXCM for beginner education: both brokers provide forex and CFD education with plenty of on-demand materials. Each offers at least 10 beginner videos and at least 10 advanced videos, along with articles and other lessons you can study at your own pace. For overall quality, ForexBrokers.com rates CMC Markets 5 stars and ranks it #10 out of 63 brokers for Education, while FXCM earns 4.5 stars and ranks #13.
If you want live learning, FXCM stands out by hosting monthly educational webinars; CMC Markets does not currently offer monthly webinars. Beginners who prefer structured videos and self-study will be well served at either broker, with CMC Markets holding the slight edge in ratings. Choose FXCM if live sessions and Q&A matter to you, or pick CMC Markets if top-rated on-demand education is your priority.
| Feature |
CMC Markets
|
FXCM
|
|---|---|---|
| Webinars | No | Yes |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Forex Brokers for Beginners.
After testing 63 of the best forex brokers, our research and account testing finds that CMC Markets is better than FXCM. CMC Markets finished with an overall rank of #5, while FXCM finished with an overall rank of #10.
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
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FXCM
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|---|---|---|
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| Trust Score | 99 | 95 |
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Comparing online brokers CMC Markets and FXCM: neither supports buying actual (delivered) cryptocurrency, but both offer cryptocurrency CFDs for trading.
CMC Markets vs FXCM: both brokers support ACH/SEPA, PayPal, and bank wire transfers, but only FXCM offers Skrill, while Visa/Mastercard availability is not specified for either.
Please 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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0 of 5| Overall Rating | CMC Markets | FXCM | |
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| Trust Score | 99 | 95 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | CMC Markets Review | FXCM Review |
| Broker Screenshots | CMC Markets | FXCM | |
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| Regulation | CMC Markets | FXCM | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trust Score | 99 | 95 | |
| Year Founded | 1989 | 1999 | |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | Yes | Yes | |
| Bank | No | No | |
| Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). | Yes | Yes | |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 6 | 4 | |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 1 | 2 | |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 | |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 0 | 0 |
| Tier-1 Licenses (Highly Trusted) | CMC Markets | FXCM | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Australia (ASIC Authorised) | Yes | Yes | |
| Canada (CIRO Authorised) | Yes | Yes | |
| Hong Kong (SFC Authorised) | No | No | |
| Japan (FSA Authorised) | No | No | |
| Singapore (MAS Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| Switzerland (FINMA Authorised) | |||
| United Kingdom (U.K.) (FCA Authorised) | Yes | Yes | |
| USA (CFTC Authorized) | No | No | |
| New Zealand (FMA Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). | Yes | Yes |
| Tier-2 Licenses (Trusted) | CMC Markets | FXCM | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kenya (CMA Authorised) | |||
| Israel (ISA Authorised) | No | Yes | |
| South Africa (FSCA Authorised) | No | Yes | |
| UAE (DFSA, FSRA, or SCA Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| India (SEBI Authorised) | No | No | |
| Jordan (JSC Authorised) |
| Investments | CMC Markets | FXCM | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 12029 | 440 | |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 141 | 46 | |
| U.S. Stocks (Shares) | Yes | No | |
| Global Stocks (Non-U.S. Shares) | Yes | No | |
| Copy Trading | Yes | Yes | |
| Cryptocurrency (Underlying) | No | No | |
| Cryptocurrency (CFDs) | 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 | FXCM | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average spread (EUR/USD) - Standard account | 1.3 | 0.9 | |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 0.65 | 0.8 | |
| Inactivity Fee | Yes | Yes | |
| Order execution: Agency | No | Yes | |
| Order execution: Market Maker | Yes | Yes |
| Funding | CMC Markets | FXCM | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $0 | Starts from $50 | |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes | |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | Yes | |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes | |
| Non-wire bank transfer | Yes | Yes |
| Trading Platforms | CMC Markets | FXCM | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Proprietary Desktop Trading Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| Desktop Platform (Windows) | Yes | Yes | |
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| Copy Trading | Yes | Yes | |
| MetaTrader 4 (MT4) | Yes | Yes | |
| MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | Yes | No | |
| cTrader | No | No |
| Trading Tools | CMC Markets | FXCM | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes | |
| Price Alerts | Yes | Yes | |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 73 | 115 | |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes | |
| Charts can be saved | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Trading | CMC Markets | FXCM | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes | |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Price Alerts | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Watchlist [DELETED] | |||
| Mobile Watchlists - Syncing | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 29 | 59 | |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Charting - Trendlines Autosave | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Research - Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Research | CMC Markets | FXCM | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary (Articles) | Yes | Yes | |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | Yes | |
| Autochartist | Yes | No | |
| Trading Central | No | Yes | |
| TipRanks | No | Yes | |
| Client sentiment data | Yes | Yes | |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Education | CMC Markets | FXCM | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Webinars | No | Yes | |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | Yes |
| Major Forex Pairs | CMC Markets | FXCM | |
|---|---|---|---|
| GBP/USD [DELETED] | |||
| USD/JPY [DELETED] | |||
| EUR/USD | Yes | Yes | |
| USD/CHF [DELETED] | |||
| USD/CAD [DELETED] | |||
| NZD/USD [DELETED] | |||
| AUD/USD [DELETED] | |||
| Review | CMC Markets Review | FXCM Review |
| Overall | CMC Markets | FXCM | |
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| Trust Score | 99 | 95 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | CMC Markets Review | FXCM Review |
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