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Trading 212 vs CMC Markets : Fees, Safety & Trading Conditions Compared (2026)

Broker Name

Trading 212

Trading 212

VS
CMC Markets

CMC Markets

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Broker Overview

Broker Type (e.g., Market Maker, ECN/STP)

STP broker

Market maker

Years of Existence / Established Year

2003

1989

Customer Base / Number of Accounts

3 million- lifetime funded account

265k+


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Regulation & Security

Regulations (governing bodies)

FCA, CySEC, ASIC, FSC

FCA, ASIC, CIRO, MAS, FMA

Awards Won (count for the last 2 years)

No major awards listed

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

ICF

FSCS

SSL Encryption / 2FA

Yes

Yes

Segregated Funds

Yes

Yes

Negative Balance Protection

Yes

Yes


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Trading Instruments/Products Offered

Assets Types / Trading Instruments (total count and breakdown)

13,000+ Global stocks and ETFs

12,000+ tradable instruments including shares, Treasuries

Currency Pairs

Yes

Yes

Commodities

Yes

Yes

Indices

Yes

Yes

Cryptocurrencies

Yes

Yes

CFDs

Yes

Yes

ETFs

Yes

Yes

Stocks

Yes

No

Options

No

No

Futures

No

No

Bonds

No

Yes

Mutual Funds

No

No

Fractional Shares

Yes

Yes

Exchange Traded Notes (ETNs)

No

No

Precious Metals

No

Yes

Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs)

Yes

No

Equities

No

No


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Trading Platforms & Technology

Trading Platform Availability

Yes

Yes

MT4

No

Yes

MT5

No

No

cTrader

No

No

Social Trading

Yes

Yes

Copy Trading

Yes

Yes

Other Trading Platforms (proprietary, etc.)

Trading 212 web and mobile trading platform

CMC web platform, iOS and Android app

Platform Compatibility (Windows, Mac, iOS, Android)

Yes

Yes


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Account Types & Conditions

Account Types (Retail, Pro, VIP, etc.)

Invest, CFD, Stock ISA, and cash ISA

Spread betting, CFD account , FX active, Corporate account

Demo Account (Yes/No)

Yes

Yes

Islamic Accounts (Yes/No)

No

No

Minimum Deposit

£1, €1, $1

$0

Leverage Available

1:30

30:1 to 1:500

Trade Limit (maximum per trade)

Depends on the assets class

No information

Commission (per account type)

$0

Standard - No commission, FX active account- $2.50

Best Suited For (e.g., beginners, experienced traders)

Beginners to experienced traders

Professional and retail traders


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Deposit & Withdrawal Options

Deposit Methods

Bank transfer, Instant bank transfer, Card payments, Online banking PL, Carte Bleue, Blik, Direct e-banking, e-wallets

Bank transfer, Debit/credit card, Online banking

Withdrawal Methods

Bank transfer, Instant bank transfer, Card payments, Online banking PL, Carte Bleue, Blik, Direct e-banking, e-wallets

Bank transfer, Debit/credit card, Online banking

Other E-Wallets Supported

Apple Pay, Google Pay, PayPal, iDEAL

No


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Tools & Educational Resources

Economic Calendar

No

Yes

Tools & Educational Resources (tutorials, webinars, market news, etc.)

Trading Academy, Market News and Analysis, Webinars, Video Tutorial, Trading Guides and eBooks

Learn spread betting, Learn to trade CFDs, Learn forex trading, technical indicators, Fundamental analysis, Webinars & events, Platform guides, Trading guides


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Fees & Commissions

Trading-Related Fees

FX fees- 0.5%

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)

Variable

Fixed/Variable

Per Lot Fees

NA

$2.50

Options Contract Fees

NA

NA

Futures Contract Fees

NA

NA

Markup Fees on Spread

NA

$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

1:30

1:500


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Non-Trading Fees

Dormant Fees

$0

$0

Subscription Fees (for premium features, data feeds)

$0

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

NA

NA

Swap Fees (Overnight Financing)

Yes

NA

Statement or Document Fee

NA

NA

Account Opening Fee

NA

$0

Account Maintenance Fee

$0

NA

Deposit Fee

0.70%

$0

Currency Conversion Fee

0.15%

0.50%

Withdrawal Fee

$0

$0


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Bonuses, Promotions & Benefits

Bonuses, Promotions, and Referrals

Yes

Yes

Customer Benefits (e.g., Retirement Plan)

No

No


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Trading Hours

Trading Hours (for each asset class if applicable)

pre-market session from 04:00 - 09:30 ET, regular trading from 09:30 - 16:00 ET, after-hours session from 16:00 - 20:00 ET

Depends on the instrument offer


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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)

Live chat, E-mail- [email protected] Phone- +447385762101

Email: [email protected], Phone: +44 (0)20 7170 8200

Support Languages

18+

12+


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Additional Information

Headquarters Location

Aldermary House, 10-15 Queen Street, London, EC4N 1TX.

CMC Markets UK plc, 133 Houndsditch, London, EC3A 7BX, United Kingdom

Complaints (for crypto brokers)

No

No


At TradingCritique, we don't just list brokers. We test, compare, and simplify your decision-making. Whether you're a beginner or a pro, our data-driven comparisons are built to match your trading style and region. Learn how we Evaluate a broker.
Trading 212 stands out for its zero-commission trading model, appealing to cost-conscious investors. In contrast, CMC Markets offers more comprehensive services with slightly higher fees, especially for advanced tools and asset classes.
New users will likely find Trading 212 sign-up process more intuitive. Meanwhile, CMC Markets takes a more regulated path to onboarding, which could benefit traders seeking high capital limits and detailed agreements.
Trading 212 integrates well with algorithmic trading tools and third-party plugins. In contrast, CMC Markets emphasizes educational content and built-in research features within its platform.
Trading 212 caters to serious traders who value advanced features, whereas CMC Markets appeals to beginners due to its user-friendly platform.