CMC Markets Review: Scam Or Legit? | Find Out Here 2024

CMC MARKETS
Earn your financial freedom with a regulated broker
Is CMC Markets a scam? Are they legit? Find the answers to all these questions and more in this guide.
Summary

CMC Markets is a major forex broker and has received a lot of praises from Intelligence Commissioner users. They have established themselves as an industry leader.

CMC Markets, a global FX and CFD broker founded in 1989, is well-known for its diverse trading alternatives and regulatory compliance. It provides over 12,000 trading instruments, no minimum deposit, stable platforms, affordable pricing, and exceptional customer service. CMC Markets is regulated by top authorities such as the FCA and ASIC, and it provides a secure trading environment that appeals to both novice and experienced traders.

We suggest working with a trustworthy broker with specialized staff, latest tech and most importantly, customer-centric trading conditions. After reviewing 1000+ brokers, we rank the following company as the best:

1

Key Takeaways

CMC Markets has several major red flags
CMC Markets website owner is anonymous
Vague terms of service
2

Is CMC Markets Regulated? Do They Have a License?

CMC Markets is a well-known global forex and CFD broker with a wide choice of trading options and a strong regulatory framework. Established in 1989, the organization has earned a reputation for providing a full trading experience to both rookie and experienced traders. This article goes into the different factors that make CMC Markets a popular choice among traders worldwide, emphasizing its diverse offers, regulatory compliance, trading platforms, competitive pricing, customer support, and research tools.

One of CMC Markets’ distinguishing aspects is its large product selection. The broker provides more than 12,000 trading instruments, including FX pairings, indices, commodities, stocks, and treasuries. This diverse choice of assets enables traders to diversify their portfolios and pursue numerous market opportunities. Whether you’re looking for key currency pairings like EUR/USD, commodities like gold and oil, or global indices like the S&P 500, CMC Markets has the tools and resources you need to trade them efficiently.

Another appealing feature of CMC Markets is the lack of a minimum deposit requirement for opening an account. This feature makes the broker available to traders of all skill levels, from beginners with small cash to experienced traders wishing to test the waters before investing large sums. By eliminating the minimum deposit requirement, CMC Markets ensures that more people can engage in the financial markets.

CMC Markets is overseen by numerous top-tier regulatory authorities, including the UK’s Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) and Australia’s Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC). This high level of regulatory compliance assures that the broker follows strict financial behavior guidelines, providing traders with a secure and transparent trading environment. The legitimacy granted by these regulators increases clients’ trust and confidence in the broker’s activities.

Client fund protection is an important part of CMC Markets’ commitment to safety. The broker keeps customer funds separate from operating finances to protect traders’ money in the unlikely event of the company’s insolvency. Furthermore, CMC Markets provides negative balance protection, ensuring that clients do not lose more than their account amount. This feature adds an additional degree of security, particularly during times of extreme market volatility.

CMC Markets Homepage


Checking the regulatory status of a forex broker is essential. However, there are multiple tiers of regulation as well.

Some popular regulatory authorities include FCA and CFTC.

Whether its CMC Markets or another forex broker, it’s best to check if they are regulated by one (or more) of these authorities:

Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) – United States:

The CFTC is an independent agency of the U.S. government that regulates the futures and options markets. It also oversees the forex market, particularly ensuring the integrity of transactions and protection against fraud and manipulation.

National Futures Association (NFA) – United States:

The NFA is a self-regulatory organization for the U.S. derivatives industry, including on-exchange traded futures, retail off-exchange foreign currency, and OTC derivatives. It ensures that every firm or individual conducting futures and forex business with the public must be registered and must comply with strict standards.

Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) – United Kingdom:

The FCA is a financial regulatory body in the UK that oversees financial markets, including forex. It ensures that financial markets operate with integrity and that consumers are protected.

Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC) – Australia:

ASIC is an independent Australian government body that acts as Australia’s corporate regulator. It oversees financial markets and services, ensuring that financial markets are fair and transparent, and it also regulates forex brokers.

Financial Services Authority (FSA) – Japan:

The FSA in Japan oversees banking, securities, and exchange, as well as insurance sectors to maintain the stability of Japan’s financial system. It regulates forex trading and brokers to ensure the protection of investors.

Swiss Financial Market Supervisory Authority (FINMA) – Switzerland:

FINMA is responsible for financial regulation in Switzerland. It oversees banks, insurance companies, and financial markets, including forex brokers, ensuring they operate within a secure and transparent framework.

Cyprus Securities and Exchange Commission (CySEC) – Cyprus:

CySEC is the financial regulatory authority of Cyprus, which is a popular jurisdiction for forex brokers. It supervises and controls the operation of the Cyprus Stock Exchange and regulates forex brokers to ensure compliance with international standards.

Investment Industry Regulatory Organization of Canada (IIROC) – Canada:

IIROC oversees all investment dealers and trading activities on debt and equity marketplaces in Canada, including the forex market, ensuring that firms adhere to high standards of conduct.

Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) – Singapore:

MAS is the central bank and financial regulatory authority of Singapore. It oversees various financial institutions and markets, including forex, ensuring they are well-regulated and stable.

Financial Sector Conduct Authority (FSCA) – South Africa:

The FSCA is responsible for market conduct regulation and supervision of financial institutions in South Africa, including forex brokers, to ensure fair treatment of customers and the integrity of financial markets.

These regulatory bodies play a crucial role in maintaining the integrity of the forex market by enforcing rules and regulations, ensuring transparency, and protecting traders and investors from fraudulent activities.

Checking the regulatory status of brokers like CMC Markets is quite beneficial. It inspires trust in the brand.

3

Trading Conditions and Deposit/Withdrawal Methods at CMC Markets

CMC Markets offers two main trading platforms: its proprietary Next Generation platform and the ubiquitous MetaTrader 4 (MT4).

The Next Generation platform is feature-rich and user-friendly, with extensive charting capabilities, technical indicators, and a fully customisable interface. It is intended to suit the demands of both new and experienced traders by offering real-time insights and complex trading tools.

MetaTrader 4 (MT4) is well-known in the trading community for its powerful features and reliability. It provides a variety of technical analysis tools, automated trading capabilities via Expert Advisors (EAs), and a user-friendly interface.

CMC Markets MT4 Feature


In today’s fast-paced environment, mobile trading capabilities are critical. CMC Markets provides a highly customisable mobile trading app that mimics the functionality of its website. The software enables traders to manage their accounts, conduct transactions, and access real-time market data from their smartphones or tablets. This flexibility allows traders to stay linked to the markets while also managing their portfolios on the fly.

CMC Markets is noted for its low forex trading fees. The broker provides minimal spreads on a variety of forex pairs, which can drastically cut trading costs for busy traders. Unlike some brokers, who charge fees on top of spreads, CMC Markets frequently offers commission-free trading on currency pairs, which increases its cost-efficiency.

In addition to cheap trading charges, CMC Markets does not impose any deposit or withdrawal fees. This approach improves the overall cost-efficiency of traders, allowing them to keep more of their profits. The absence of withdrawal fees is especially useful for traders who frequently transfer funds into and out of their trading accounts.

CMC Markets places a high value on trader education, offering numerous resources to help traders develop their abilities and expertise. The broker provides articles, videos, webinars, and lessons that address many areas of trading. These training tools are intended to help traders of all skill levels, from beginners learning the fundamentals to advanced traders looking to fine-tune their methods.

Making informed trading decisions is critical for success in the financial markets, and CMC Markets provides its clients with high-quality research and analysis tools. The broker offers market news from respected sources such as Reuters and Morningstar reports, as well as its own research. These materials provide useful insights into market patterns, economic events, and potential trading opportunities, allowing traders to make more informed decisions.

You should always check the trading conditions of a forex broker.

That’s primarily because they have a direct impact on your potential returns. Moreover, each forex broker such as CMC Markets has distinct trading conditions.

A major part of checking the trading conditions of a broker is to verify their deposit and withdrawal methods.

In the case of CMC Markets withdrawal, you can see that there are multiple options available.

It makes them accessible to traders. Furthermore, it ensures that people can trade freely.

Some major aspects to keep in mind are:

1. Spreads:

  • Fixed Spreads: These remain constant regardless of market conditions. They are generally higher than variable spreads but provide predictability in trading costs.
  • Variable (Floating) Spreads: These fluctuate based on market volatility and liquidity. They can be lower than fixed spreads during normal market conditions but can widen significantly during high volatility.

2. Leverage:

  • Leverage allows traders to control a larger position with a smaller amount of capital. It is expressed as a ratio (e.g., 100:1, 200:1). Higher leverage can amplify both potential profits and potential losses.

3. Margin Requirements:

  • Margin is the amount of money required to open a leveraged position. Brokers set margin requirements based on the leverage ratio. For example, with 100:1 leverage, a $1,000 position would require a $10 margin.

4. Minimum Deposit:

  • The minimum amount required to open an account varies by broker. Some brokers offer accounts with no minimum deposit, while others may require hundreds or thousands of dollars.

5. Trading Platforms:

  • Brokers provide various trading platforms, such as MetaTrader 4 (MT4), MetaTrader 5 (MT5), cTrader, and proprietary platforms. The choice of platform affects the tools, charts, and features available to traders.

6. Execution Methods:

  • Market Execution: Orders are executed at the best available price in the market. There may be slippage, especially during high volatility.
  • Instant Execution: Orders are executed at the price shown on the platform. If the price changes before execution, the order may be rejected (requote).


Keep in mind that shady forex brokers stop making payments and keep the money to themselves. Hence, you should always check the broker reviews to see if the broker’s payment methods work properly.

We recommend working with a reliable and trusted broker.

4

CMC Markets Customer Service: Do They Handle Complaints Well?

Customer service is an essential part of any trading experience, and CMC Markets excels in this area. The broker provides 24-hour customer service via phone, email, and live chat. Furthermore, CMC Markets has a detailed FAQ area on its website that answers common questions and provides useful information. With many offices worldwide, the broker is well-equipped to service clients from various regions.

Good customer service is vital for any trader.

You should always check if a forex broker remains accessible to its customers and whether it offers multiple contact channels or not.

The most popular ways for recent customers are live chat and email.

While email is becoming a bit obsolete, it is still among the most common methods for a customer to contact the support staff of a broker.

In the case of CMC Markets, it’s clear that they offer proper customer support with a significant variety of ways to contact them.

According to multiple users, CMC Markets’s customer support is quite active and responds promptly to general queries and grievances.

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5

CMC Markets Reviews: What Do Others Say?

Based on user-submitted reports, most of the CMC Markets reviews are quite positive.

CMC Markets reviews on Trustpilot


Customers praise the company for its prompt customer service and trader-friendly conditions.

However, it’s worth noting that many scammers tend to purchase fake reviews. Buying fake reviews has become extremely easy and it’s a multi-million dollar industry.

While CMC Markets doesn’t seem like a shady broker, many others rely on fake reviews to increase their credibility.

TIME Magazine investigated the fake review industry and estimated it to be worth more than $150 million. Certainly, there are a ton of scammers who want to seem legitimate and a bunch of fake reviews is the most effective way to do so.

That’s why we recommend doing extensive research on forex brokers before finalizing your selection.

It’s easy to identify fake reviews as well. You should look out for 5-star reviews posted by temporary accounts (profiles that only posted 1 or 2 reviews on the platform). Also, you should see if the positive reviews share any detailed information about their experience with the firm or not.

In the case of CMC Markets, however, we noticed that their reviews are legitimate.

Unlike their competitors, it seems CMC Markets has put in a lot of resources into providing its traders with specialized customer service. This way, their customers remain happy and satisfied with their experience.

Also, we didn’t notice many significant CMC Markets complaints. However, if you have any CMC Markets reviews to share, feel free to contact us or share them in the comment section.

CMC Markets reviews coverage


You should always look out for consumer complaints. The most common complaints in forex are usually regarding:

  • Poor customer support
  • Delays in payments
  • High fees
  • Lack of transparency regarding their leadership team
  • Aggressive sales staff

Do you have a similar complaint about CMC Markets? You can share your complaint in the comment section or submit an anonymous tip.

6

Is CMC Markets Legit Or a Scam?

CMC Markets distinguishes itself as a comprehensive and dependable forex and CFD broker, providing a diverse choice of tradable instruments, strong regulatory compliance, advanced trading platforms, competitive pricing, outstanding customer support, and high-quality research resources. These favorable characteristics make CMC Markets an excellent alternative for traders seeking to navigate the financial markets with confidence and success.

CMC Markets


Whether you are a newbie trying to dip your toes into trading or an experienced trader searching for a dependable and cost-effective broker, CMC Markets has the information and support you need to reach your goals. CMC Markets remains a global trading industry leader thanks to its commitment to security, transparency, and customer happiness.

CMC Markets is a regulated entity. They are licensed and operate under the watch of a major financial regulator.

So, it’s clear that CMC Markets is a legit forex broker.

You should avoid working with unregulated brokers. The lack of a license means they are not answerable to any regulatory authority. As a result, the people behind the unregulated broker can run away with your money without any prior notice. It would help if you were extremely cautious when dealing with an unregulated service provider.

However, that’s not the case with CMC Markets. It’s clear in our CMC Markets broker review that they are a legitimate entity and enjoy a positive reputation in the market.

Can You Trust CMC Markets?

All the evidence suggests that CMC Markets is legit. However, we recommend checking out more options before finalizing your choice.

That’s why we recommend working with a trusted broker. That way, you can avoid any hiccups and be certain of their reliability.

7

Frequently Asked Questions

Is CMC Markets a scam?

According to the online reviews of this company, it’s clear that CMC Markets is not a scam. However, we recommend checking out more brokers before before finalizing your decision.

What is the best alternative to CMC Markets?

We recommend going with our recommended broker instead of CMC Markets due to their higher experience and specialized technology.

Where is CMC Markets Located?

There is no information available on the location of CMC Markets.

Are there any CMC Markets complaints?

We’ve received a few CMC Markets complaints from our readers. If you’ve had a negative experience, feel free to write down a comment below or contact us.
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How Forex Scams Work

Launch a website/app with a generic name

A website or app with a generic name allows scammers to hide behind common Google search results. Marketing such names is easier as well.

Pay influencers & social media pages to promote the scheme

By getting influencers and social media pages to promote their brand, scammers make their shady company seem more legit than it actually is.

Send thousands of emails and make cold calls to potential victims

It’s common for scammers to buy the contact details of people and spam them through email, phone calls, social media messages and other means.

Make victims feel safe through “small wins”

Such small wins usually include a few payments transferred into the victim’s account. This makes them seem more legitimate.

Convince victims into investing large sums of money

Due to the small wins, the victim is now convinced that the company is legit. Now, the scammers try to manipulate the victim into giving them larger sums.

Disable withdrawals & take down the website/app

Once the scammers have received a significant sum, they either stop responding or cite a technical error to freeze their victims’ funds.

Repeat the cycle

After making the money, the scam will shut down and the people running it will launch another and repeat the cycle.

If you’re looking to start trading, we suggest working with our recommended broker. We have reviewed 1000+ brokers and fintech firms and chosen them as our no. 1.
*Forex trading is subject to market risk.
CMC Markets Review: Scam Or Legit? | Find Out Here 2024
CMC Markets Review: Scam Or Legit? | Find Out Here 2024

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