XM vs CMC Markets - Fees Review included
Which broker is better XM or CMC Markets? Our expert assessment conducted according to TU’s own methodology showed that XM is one of the top brokers in the financial market with the TU Overall Score of 9 out of 10. CMC Markets is one of the top brokers in the financial market with the TU Overall Score of 6.45 out of 10. Find out more about TU Overall Score.
| Feature | XM | CMC Markets |
|---|---|---|
Overall |
4.5 |
3.9 |
4.9 |
4.5 |
|
4.3 |
4.4 |
|
4.4 |
4.8 |
|
Investment Instruments |
4.4 |
1 |
Platforms and Charting Tools |
4.6 |
3.4 |
Deposit and Withdrawal |
4.7 |
3.9 |
Research |
5 |
3.7 |
Education |
5 |
3.9 |
Support |
4.6 |
4.3 |
Bonuses |
5 |
1 |
|
|
XM vs CMC Markets: Pros and Cons
XM Broker was founded in 2009. Initially, the company covered a narrow niche of the trader market, specializing exclusively in intermediary services at the foreign exchange market. It has since experienced considerable success and growth. XM is reliable and safe. It has diversified and is now an international broker operating in almost 190 countries around the world. For over a decade XM Broker has attracted 3,5 million traders, offering unique technological solutions. The company is now being recognised as the Fastest Growing Broker, the Best Forex Service Provider and various other contributing achievements. The team at XM Broker is committed to continually working hard to improve the quality of the services provided every year as they are committed to continually providing the best service to their traders.
CMC Markets (https://www.CMC Markets.com/en/) is one of the leading companies in Forex and CFD trading, founded in 1989. The broker is regulated by the FCA (UK Financial Conduct Authority). The company provides a wide range of trading assets, including indices, stocks, and cryptocurrencies. Solid experience in the financial services market, regulation in the UK, and segregated accounts for clients are the foundation of a high level of traders' trust. The broker also has a risk management program. CMC Markets is popular in many countries, for example, in Australia.
| XM | CMC Markets | |
|---|---|---|
| Overall Pros | Well-Regulated broker | a wide range of assets |
| Strong research tools | FCA-regulated broker | |
| Strong education | high level of security and compensation in case the company is recognized as illiquid | |
| Big Forex bonuses | ||
| Free deposit and withdrawal | ||
| Instant withdrawal | ||
| 1000+ trading assets | ||
| Overall Cons | High spreads | No direct trading, only CFDs and spread betting |
| The CMC Markets broker does not provide investment programs for clients |
XM vs CMC Markets: Safety and Regulation
| XM | CMC Markets | |
|---|---|---|
Max. Regulation Level |
Tier-1 |
Tier-1 |
Investor protection |
£85,000 €20,000 |
£85,000 €100,000 (DE) |
FCA UK Regulation |
No |
Yes |
FINRA (U.S) |
No |
No |
BaFin (Germany) |
No |
Yes |
ASIC (Australia) |
No |
No |
CFTC (U.S) |
No |
No |
MAS |
No |
Yes |
FSCA SA |
Yes |
No |
BVI FSC |
No |
No |
VFSC |
No |
No |
FSA (Seychelles) |
Yes |
No |
XM vs CMC Markets: Trading Conditions
| Trading Conditions | XM | CMC Markets |
|---|---|---|
Minimum Deposit |
$5 |
$0 |
Trading Platforms |
MT4, MT5 |
MT4 |
Max Leverage (Futures) |
1:888, 1:30 (for EU, UK clients) |
1-30 |
Supported Markets |
Forex, CFDs on indices, commodities, crypto, metals, stocks |
Spread Betting Account, CFD Account, Corporate Account, and Demo Account |
Trading assets |
1300+ |
10000+ |
Trading Accounts |
Micro, Standard, Ultra Low, Zero |
Spread Betting, CFD Account, Corporate Account |
Base Account Currencies |
USD, EUR, GBP, JPY, CHF, AUD, HUF, PLN, RUB, SGD, ZAR |
USD, EUR, GBP |
XM vs CMC Markets: Fees
| XM | CMC Markets | |
|---|---|---|
Standard acc. spread EUR/USD, min pips |
0,7 |
0,5 |
Standard acc. spread EUR/USD, max pips |
1,2 |
0,8 |
ECN Commission |
3,5 |
3 |
ECN Spread EUR/USD |
0,2 |
0,1 |
Deposit fee, % |
No |
No |
Withdrawal fee, % |
No |
No |
Withdrawal fee, USD |
No |
No |
Inactivity fee, $ |
10 |
10 |
A conversion fee may be applied as withdrawals and deposits are conducted in USD. Any other currency will have to be converted.
XM vs CMC Markets: Trading Assets
| Asset Name | XM | CMC Markets |
|---|---|---|
Overall |
1300+ |
10000+ |
Forex |
Yes |
Yes (CFD) |
Stocks |
Yes |
Yes (CFD) |
Metals |
Yes (CFD) |
Yes (CFD) |
Cryptocurrencies |
Yes (CFD) |
Yes (CFD) |
Energy |
Yes (CFD) |
Yes (CFD) |
Indices |
Yes (CFD) |
Yes (CFD) |
ETFs |
Yes (CFD) |
Yes (CFD) |
Bonds |
No |
No |
Mutual funds |
No |
No |
Stock options |
No |
No |
Futures Trading |
No |
No |
Binary Options |
No |
No |
XM or CMC Markets: Investment Programs
| Asset Name | XM | CMC Markets |
|---|---|---|
Copy Trading |
Yes |
No |
MAM/PAMM |
No |
No |
Managed Accounts |
No |
No |
Other |
No |
The CMC Markets broker does not provide investment programs for clients |
Trading Platforms: CMC Markets or XM
| XM | CMC Markets | |
|---|---|---|
MT4 |
Yes |
Yes |
MT5 |
Yes |
No |
cTrader |
No |
No |
Appropriate platform |
No |
No |
Others |
No |
No |
|
|
XM vs CMC Markets: Deposit and Withdrawal Methods
| XM | CMC Markets | |
|---|---|---|
Bank Wire |
Yes |
Yes |
Bank Card |
Yes |
Yes |
Neteller |
Yes |
Yes |
BTC |
Yes |
Yes |
Wise |
No |
No |
Payoneer |
No |
No |
USDT |
Yes |
Yes |
XM vs CMC Markets: Research
| Research Type | XM | CMC Markets |
|---|---|---|
News Feed |
Yes |
Yes |
Fundamental Data |
Yes |
Yes |
Chart Analysis |
Yes |
Yes |
Trading Ideas |
Yes |
Yes |
E-Mail Reports |
Yes |
Yes |
XM vs CMC Markets: Education
| Education Type | XM | CMC Markets |
|---|---|---|
Demo-account/Paper Trading |
Yes |
Yes |
Webinars |
Yes |
Yes |
Articles |
Yes |
Yes |
Videos |
Yes |
Yes |
Cent account |
Yes |
no |
CMC Markets vs XM: Support
| Support Features | XM | CMC Markets |
|---|---|---|
Working Days |
24/5 |
24/5 |
Yes |
Yes |
|
Phone |
Yes |
yes |
Online chat |
Yes |
Yes |
Other |
No |
No |
XM vs CMC Markets: Forex Bonuses and Promo
| Promo | XM | CMC Markets |
|---|---|---|
Forex Bonus |
up to $5000 forex bonus, up to 100% forex deposit bonus |
No |
Affiliate Program |
Multi tier affiliate program |
Gray Label is targeted at licensed investment companies and trading account management firms. It allows you to copy the trading conditions of a broker. Cooperation is discussed individually with each partner. White Label allows the broker to use the CMC Markets network to promote the broker’s business. API Direct provides access to CFD and FX liquidity and stable prices for over 400 assets. Prime Derivatives allow counterparties to trade CFDs through the FIX API that is located in multiple data centers around the world and connected directly to the order management system. |
Other Promos |
No |
|
|
|
Top 5 Reviews on CMC Markets
-
Comment
I chose CMC Markets because of its high level of reliability and strong regulatory oversight. The company has been operating since 1989 and holds licenses from the FCA, BaFin, CNMV, ASIC, and other authorities — which is very important to me. It offers one of the lowest minimum deposits at just $1, along with strong fund protection: the FCA compensation scheme covers up to £85,000, which far exceeds the protection offered by most brokers. I was also impressed by the wide range of available assets — stocks, indices, commodities, cryptocurrencies, and bonds — with spreads starting from just 0.1 pips. The only downside is that all sections are in English, but that’s not an issue for advanced users.
-
Comment
CMC Markets suits me when it comes to trading. Although I have been working with this company for a little over a year, I managed to withdraw trading profits several times. Withdrawing funds from CMC Markets is not fast because I use bank transfer. Of course, there is a fee. But the broker seems reliable, although there are some disadvantages.
-
Comment
I do not recommend that you continue working with CMC мarkets. The conditions there are not good at all. Spreads are high, swaps are crazy, and the platform operates disgustingly. Therefore, if you want to trade, trade with normal brokers. There are many of them - you can confidently take the top 10 companies from the rating and open an account there.
-
Comment
Trading on the СMC мarkets platform is a complex task. Achieving sustainable profits here requires extensive experience and skills. The broker charges high fees and sets consistently high spreads. This can make you a losing trader in the long run and the broker will take advantage of this knowing that you may end up losing. Therefore, I do not recommend that novice traders choose СMC мarkets for trading, since it is unlikely that they will be able to remain in the black for a long time.
-
Comment
I still don’t understand why CMC Markets exists? It seems to allow you to trade, explore the platform, start trading on a demo account, and even trade with real money. Naturally, there is a problem. If you lose, everything is fine, but if you win, they don’t allow you to withdraw your profits. The funny thing is that you can withdraw exactly as much as you deposited into the company. I deposited $500, which is exactly what I got back. But they don’t allow you to withdraw your profits. CMC Markets is some kind of fraud!
Top 5 Reviews on XM
-
Comment
I discovered XM Group through the Traders Union rankings — the company ranked among the top brokers. I was impressed by the range of instruments: over 1,000 tradable assets, including 55+ currency pairs, stocks, indices, commodities, and even palladium and platinum. Spreads are very tight, with no markup on most pairs. I especially appreciated the execution speed: 99.35% of orders are filled in less than a second, and I can confirm that personally — I haven’t experienced any delays or requotes. Over the past four months, I’ve made around $700 trading currencies and commodities.
-
Comment
I've been trading with XM Group for just over a year. I chose this broker based on reviews and the fact that it holds multiple licenses — ASIC, CySEC, FSC, and DFSA. I really liked the low minimum deposit of just $5, which meant I didn’t have to risk a large amount. I started with a micro account where 1 lot equals 1,000 units — perfect for beginners. I’m satisfied with the spreads: on EUR/USD they start from 0.8 pips, and there are no fees for deposits or withdrawals, which is quite rare. Over the year, I’ve withdrawn about $900 in profit — the funds arrived quickly, with a maximum wait of 2 days.
-
Comment
XM Group is a great choice for active trading thanks to its transparent commission policy and no requotes. Over 5 million traders have chosen this broker — an impressive number. I made about 70 trades in a month, all executed in under a second with no requotes. MQL5 trading signals can be integrated directly into the terminal, making it easy to test ideas from other traders. A $5 minimum deposit and a wide range of assets make XM Group a versatile option for both beginners and professionals.
-
Comment
I liked that XM Group operates under licenses from four regulators at once: ASIC, CySEC, FSC, and DFSA. This inspires confidence. Fast execution was important to me — the broker claims 100% order execution, and in practice trades close at the prices I see in the terminal. Spreads are minimal — for major pairs they stay around 0.8–1 pip. Support is always available on weekends and helped me with account verification questions.
-
Comment
I chose XM Group for their professional approach to order execution. They have a stop-out set at 20%, which helps keep risks under control. I use a micro account with a 0.01 lot size, making it convenient to test scalping strategies on real quotes. Withdrawals are processed within the day, and I’ve never experienced delays. The minimum deposit of $5 is an ideal start for beginners.
FAQs
What should I start Forex trading with?
It is desirable for novice traders to explore trading using a demo account to learn the market and how to work on the trading platform without the risk of suffering losses. At the same time, it is advisable to review the educational materials of the broker, learn trading basics. Then you can deposit the minimum required amount to perform a small number of transactions. If you manage to close several months in a row in the black, without substantial drawdowns on the account, then you can try increasing your deposit. Also trying to copy trades automatically is a good option for a start.
What amount should I start trading with?
The minimum deposit of $10 may be enough to trade on the cent account. However, for trading on Standard/ECT accounts, experts recommend starting with at least $200-500. With this amount, you can use not a very big leverage. Remember, getting carried away with the margin is the main cause of losses among beginners.
What should I take into consideration when choosing a broker?
Experts recommend looking at the broker’s reliability first and foremost. The other important features include basic trading conditions, commissions and fees, customer reviews. If brokers are approximately the same in terms of basic criteria, you need to choose based on your experience and tasks. One broker may be good for professionals and another – for novice traders.
Is it possible to be scammed by a broker with a license from a reputable regulator?
In theory, yes. But in practice, it takes so much time and money to comply with the requirements of reputable regulators that it is not worth it for scammers to bother obtaining a legitimate license.
Team that worked on the article
Mikhail Vnuchkov joined Traders Union as an author in 2020. He began his professional career as a journalist-observer at a small online financial publication, where he covered global economic events and discussed their impact on the segment of financial investment, including investor income. With five years of experience in finance, Mikhail joined Traders Union team, where he is in charge of forming the pool of latest news for traders, who trade stocks, cryptocurrencies, Forex instruments and fixed income.