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Interactive Brokers vs CMC Markets : Fees, Safety & Trading Conditions Compared (2026)
Broker Name
Interactive Brokers
CMC Markets
Broker Overview
Broker Type (e.g., Market Maker, ECN/STP)
Market maker
Market maker
Years of Existence / Established Year
1993
1989
Customer Base / Number of Accounts
3.12M
265k+
Regulation & Security
Regulations (governing bodies)
SEC, FINRA, NYSE, FCA, FINMA, CFTC, MAS, SFC, CBI, IIROC, JFSA, MiFiD
FCA, ASIC, CIRO, MAS, FMA
Awards Won (count for the last 2 years)
Best Online Broker for Advanced Traders in 2024, Professional Trading 2024, #1 Best Online Broker in 2023, Best for Advanced Traders, Best Online Broker in 2024, Best Stock Broker for International Trading
Best Mobile Trading Platform, No.1 Most Currency Pairs, Best for CFDs -2024, No.1 Web Platform, Best Forex Broker, Best In-House Analysts 2023
Security Measures
SIPC
FSCS
SSL Encryption / 2FA
Yes
Yes
Segregated Funds
Yes
Yes
Negative Balance Protection
Yes
Yes
Trading Instruments/Products Offered
Assets Types / Trading Instruments (total count and breakdown)
150 Markets including Forecast and event contracts, Spot currencies,US spot Gold, Hedge funds
12,000+ tradable instruments including shares, Treasuries
Currency Pairs
Yes
Yes
Commodities
No
Yes
Indices
No
Yes
Cryptocurrencies
Yes
Yes
CFDs
No
Yes
ETFs
Yes
Yes
Stocks
Yes
No
Options
Yes
No
Futures
Yes
No
Bonds
Yes
Yes
Mutual Funds
Yes
No
Fractional Shares
Exchange Traded Notes (ETNs)
No
No
Precious Metals
Yes
Yes
Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs)
No
No
Equities
No
No
Trading Platforms & Technology
Trading Platform Availability
Yes
Yes
MT4
No
Yes
MT5
No
No
cTrader
No
No
Social Trading
Yes
Copy Trading
Yes
Yes
Other Trading Platforms (proprietary, etc.)
IBKR global Trader, Client Portal, Desktop, Mobile, Trader workstation, APIs, Forecast Trader, IMPACT
CMC web platform, iOS and Android app
Platform Compatibility (Windows, Mac, iOS, Android)
Yes
Yes
Account Types & Conditions
Account Types (Retail, Pro, VIP, etc.)
Individual, Joint, Trust, IRA and UGMA/UTMA Accounts, Non-Professional Advisor Accounts, Family Office Accounts, Small Business Accounts, Advisor Accounts, Money Manager Accounts, Broker & FCM Accounts, Proprietary Trading Group Accounts, Hedge Fund & Mutual Fund Accounts, Compliance Officers, Administrators, Institutional Hedge Fund Investors
Spread betting, CFD account , FX active, Corporate account
Demo Account (Yes/No)
Yes
Yes
Islamic Accounts (Yes/No)
Yes
No
Minimum Deposit
$0
$0
Leverage Available
10:1 to 50:1
30:1 to 1:500
Trade Limit (maximum per trade)
EUR 5,000,000
No information
Commission (per account type)
$0
Standard - No commission, FX active account- $2.50
Best Suited For (e.g., beginners, experienced traders)
Beginner to advanced traders
Professional and retail traders
Deposit & Withdrawal Options
Deposit Methods
ACH transfer, Link a new bank account, Bank wire, Transfer from wise balance, Scan a check , Mail a check, SEPA
Bank transfer, Debit/credit card, Online banking
Withdrawal Methods
ACH, Check, Direct debit, Transfer to wise balance, Canadian ETF transfer, SEPA
Bank transfer, Debit/credit card, Online banking
Other E-Wallets Supported
No
No
Tools & Educational Resources
Economic Calendar
Yes
Yes
Tools & Educational Resources (tutorials, webinars, market news, etc.)
Traders' Academy (Online Courses), IBKR Webinars, Market Insights and Analysis, Trader's University (Video Tutorials), IBKR Quant Blog (Quantitative Trading), Customer Education (Trading Guides)
Learn spread betting, Learn to trade CFDs, Learn forex trading, technical indicators, Fundamental analysis, Webinars & events, Platform guides, Trading guides
Fees & Commissions
Trading-Related Fees
IBKR Lite: Commission-free U.S. stocks, ETFs, and specific mutual funds, IBKR Pro: $0.005 per share, minimum $1 per trade
CFD trading -US shares from $10; FX active - US shares from $10; Typical STP: Spread of 1.2 pips, Typical ECN: Spread of 0.2 pips, Spread- starts from 0.0 to 0.6 pips, Overnight holding costs: 0.0027%
Spread (typical, fixed, variable)
Fixed spread
Fixed/Variable
Per Lot Fees
NA
$2.50
Options Contract Fees
$0.65/contract
NA
Futures Contract Fees
$0.85
NA
Markup Fees on Spread
$1.50
$5.00 per $100,000 in nominal value
Guaranteed Stop Loss Fees
NA
Crude Oil Brent $0.02 per unit, Apple Inc $0.41 per unit, US 30 $1.50 per unit, GBP/USD $0.00015 per
Maximum Leverage
50:1
1:500
Non-Trading Fees
Dormant Fees
$0
$0
Subscription Fees (for premium features, data feeds)
NA
ASX Dynamic Data package $41.25 a month (non-professional investors) $118.80 a month, International Data service fees (US) $11, International Data service fees (NZ) $11, Live Data package Free
Advisory Fees
It depends up on the account type
NA
Swap Fees (Overnight Financing)
over $10 million free
NA
Statement or Document Fee
NA
NA
Account Opening Fee
$0
$0
Account Maintenance Fee
$0
NA
Deposit Fee
$0
$0
Currency Conversion Fee
$0.03
0.50%
Withdrawal Fee
$10 outgoing wire transfer fee
$0
Bonuses, Promotions & Benefits
Bonuses, Promotions, and Referrals
Yes
Yes
Customer Benefits (e.g., Retirement Plan)
Yes
No
Trading Hours
Trading Hours (for each asset class if applicable)
9:30 AM - 4:00 PM ET, Monday through Friday Overnight trading hours: 8:00 PM ET - 3:50 AM ET, Sunday through Friday
Depends on the instrument offer
Customer Support
Support Hours (e.g., 24/7, weekdays only)
24/7
Monday to Friday from 8am to 8pm
Customer Support Methods (phone, email, live chat)
Phone: 1 (888) 919-0022, E-mail: [email protected], Live chat
Email: [email protected], Phone: +44 (0)20 7170 8200
Support Languages
33
12+
Additional Information
Headquarters Location
Greenwich, Connecticut
CMC Markets UK plc, 133 Houndsditch, London, EC3A 7BX, United Kingdom
Complaints (for crypto brokers)
No
No
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