Written by ForexBrokers.com
Is CMC Markets better than XM Group? In our analysis of 23 international regulators across 39 of the best forex brokers, CMC Markets is considered low-risk, with an overall Trust Score of 99 out of 99. XM Group is considered low-risk, with an overall Trust Score of 90 out of 99. Learn more about Trust Score.
| Overall Rating | CMC Markets | XM Group | |
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| Trust Score | 99 | 90 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | CMC Markets Review | XM Group Review |
| Regulation | CMC Markets | XM Group | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trust Score | 99 | 90 | |
| Year Founded | 1989 | 2009 | |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | Yes | No | |
| Bank | No | No | |
| Authorised in European Union | Yes | Yes | |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 5 | 2 | |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 1 | 1 | |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 1 |
| Tier-1 Licenses (High Trust) | CMC Markets | XM Group | |
|---|---|---|---|
| ASIC Authorised (Australia) | Yes | Yes | |
| IIROC Authorised (Canada) | Yes | No | |
| SFC Authorised (Hong Kong) | No | No | |
| CBI Authorised (Ireland) | No | No | |
| FSA Authorised (Japan) | No | No | |
| MAS Authorised (Singapore) | Yes | No | |
| FINMA Authorised (Switzerland) | No | No | |
| FCA Authorised (U.K.) | Yes | Yes | |
| CFTC Registered (USA) | No | Yes | |
| FMA Authorised (New Zealand) | Yes | No |
| Tier-2 Licenses (Average Trust) | CMC Markets | XM Group | |
|---|---|---|---|
| CBRC Authorised (China) | No | No | |
| CySEC Authorised (Cyprus) | No | Yes | |
| SEBI Authorised (India) | No | No | |
| ISA Authorised (Israel) | No | No | |
| CBR Authorised (Russia) | No | No | |
| FSCA Authorised (South Africa) | No | No | |
| SEC Authorised (Thailand) | No | No | |
| DFSA / Central Bank Authorised (UAE) | Yes | No |
| Tier-3 Licenses (Low Trust) | CMC Markets | XM Group | |
|---|---|---|---|
| SCB Authorised (Bahamas) | No | No | |
| IFSC Authorised (Belize) | No | Yes | |
| CIMA Authorised (Cayman Islands) | No | No | |
| BMA Authorised (Bermuda) | No | No | |
| FSC Authorised (British Virgin Islands) | No | No | |
| FSC Authorised (Mauritius) | No | No | |
| VFSC Authorised (Vanuatu) | No | No |
| Investments | CMC Markets | XM Group | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 12377 | 1372 | |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 158 | 57 | |
| U.S. Stock Trading (Non CFD) | Yes | Yes | |
| Int'l Stock Trading (Non CFD) | Yes | Yes | |
| Social Trading / Copy Trading | Yes | Yes | |
| Cryptocurrency (Physical) | No | No | |
| Cryptocurrency (CFD) | 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 | XM Group | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average Spread EUR/USD - Standard | 0.51 (August 2022) | 1.6 (Aug 2020) | |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 0.51 (August 2022) | 0.8 (Aug 2021) | |
| Active Trader or VIP Discounts | Yes | No | |
| Execution: Agency Broker | No | No | |
| Execution: Market Maker | Yes | Yes |
| Funding | CMC Markets | XM Group | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Initial Deposit | $0 | $5 | |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | No | |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | Yes | |
| Visa/Mastercard (Credit/Debit) | Yes | Yes | |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes |
| Trading Platforms | CMC Markets | XM Group | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Proprietary Platform | Yes | No | |
| Desktop Platform (Windows) | Yes | Yes | |
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| Social Trading / Copy Trading | Yes | Yes | |
| MetaTrader 4 (MT4) | Yes | Yes | |
| MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | No | Yes | |
| cTrader | No | No | |
| DupliTrade | No | No | |
| ZuluTrade | No | No |
| Trading Tools | CMC Markets | XM Group | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes | |
| Alerts - Basic Fields | Yes | Yes | |
| Watchlists - Total Fields | 9 | 7 | |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 84 | 30 | |
| Charting - Drawing Tools (Total) | 40 | 15 | |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes | |
| Charts can be saved | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Trading | CMC Markets | XM Group | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes | |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Alerts - Basic Fields | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Watchlist | Yes | Yes | |
| Watchlist Syncing | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 29 | 30 | |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Charting - Multiple Time Frames | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Charting - Drawings Autosave | Yes | No | |
| Forex Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Research | CMC Markets | XM Group | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary | Yes | Yes | |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | Yes | |
| Autochartist | Yes | Yes | |
| Trading Central (Recognia) | Yes | Yes | |
| Social Sentiment - Currency Pairs | Yes | Yes | |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Education | CMC Markets | XM Group | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Has Education - Forex or CFDs | Yes | Yes | |
| Client Webinars | Yes | Yes | |
| Client Webinars (Archived) | Yes | No | |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | Yes | |
| Investor Dictionary (Glossary) | Yes | No |
| Major Forex Pairs | CMC Markets | XM Group | |
|---|---|---|---|
| GBP/USD | Yes | Yes | |
| USD/JPY | Yes | Yes | |
| EUR/USD | Yes | Yes | |
| USD/CHF | Yes | Yes | |
| USD/CAD | Yes | Yes | |
| NZD/USD | Yes | Yes | |
| AUD/USD | Yes | Yes | |
| Review | CMC Markets Review | XM Group Review |
| Overall | CMC Markets | XM Group | |
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| Overall Rating |
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| Commissions & Fees |
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| Offering of Investments |
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| Platform & Tools |
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| Mobile Trading |
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| Research |
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| Education |
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| Trust Score | 99 | 90 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | CMC Markets Review | XM Group Review |
Comparing forex brokers side by side is no easy task. For our 2023 annual forex broker review, we spent hundreds of hours assessing 39 forex and CFD brokerages to find the best forex broker. Let's compare CMC Markets vs XM Group.
Comparing the trading costs of forex and CFDs is not easy. Not every broker publishes average spreads data, and pricing structures vary. Based on our thorough annual assessment, CMC Markets offers better pricing overall for traders.
At ForexBrokers.com, we track where each forex and CFD broker is regulated across over 23 international regulator databases. Here's our findings. CMC Markets holds 5 global Tier-1 licenses, while XM Group holds 2. Both CMC Markets and XM Group hold 1 global Tier-2 licenses. In our analysis of 23 international regulators across 50 brokers, CMC Markets earned a higher Trust Score than XM Group.
To compare the trading platforms of both CMC Markets and XM Group, we tested each broker's trading tools, research capabilities, and mobile apps. For trading tools, CMC Markets offers a better experience. With research, CMC Markets offers superior market research. Finally, we found CMC Markets to provide better mobile trading apps.
For forex and CFDs traders, copy trading and MetaTrader are both popular platform options. Both CMC Markets and XM Group offer MetaTrader 4 (MT4).CMC Markets and XM Group both offer copy trading.
CMC Markets provides traders 158 currency pairs (e.g., EUR/USD) compared to XM Group's 57 available pairs. Forex pairs aside, CMC Markets offers traders access to 12377 CFDs while XM Group has 1372 available CFDs, a difference of 11005.
CMC Markets is publicly traded, does not operate a bank, and is authorised by five tier-1 regulators (high trust), one tier-2 regulator (average trust), and zero tier-3 regulators (low trust). CMC Markets is authorised by the following tier-1 regulators: Australian Securities & Investment Commission (ASIC), Investment Industry Regulatory Organization of Canada (IIROC), Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS), Financial Markets Authority (FMA), and the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA).
XM Group is not publicly-traded and does not operate a bank. XM Group is authorised by three tier-1 regulators (high trust), two tier-2 regulator (average trust), and one tier-3 regulator (low trust). XM Group is authorised by the following tier-1 regulators: Australian Securities & Investment Commission (ASIC) and, via its parent company's other brand Trading.com, with the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA).
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.
XM Group is a MetaTrader-only broker that offers a strong selection of high-quality educational content and market research.
Overall winner: CMC Markets
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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