XTB vs CMC Markets | Fees, Features, Safety & More for 2024

Published :
Updated :
Written by

XTB and CMC Markets are online Forex and CFD brokers that offer trading services to traders and investors worldwide. Both brokers are regulated by top-tier regulatory authorities. XTB is regulated by three tier-1 jurisdictions and one tier-4 jurisdictions including CySEC, FCA , KNF, FSC. On the other hand, CMC Markets is regulated in five tier-1 jurisdictions, including FCA, MAS, ASIC, IIROC, FMA.  These two brokers offer almost similar services. However, each broker has its strengths and weaknesses.

In this article, we will compare and contrast XTB with CMC Markets regarding trading platforms, regulations, tradable assets, fees, customer support, and overall trading experience score. We will also explore if XTB is better than CMC Markets and vice versa. This comparison lets you understand which broker is better for your trading style and preferences.

XTB

Founded in 2002, XTB is an exchange-listed forex and CFD broker with headquarters in Poland and offices in over 13 countries. The broker offers more than 5,800 forex, CFDs as well as real stocks and ETFs for trading on its proprietary platforms. XTB boasts of over 800,000 clients from all over the world. However, the broker offers only the xStation platform. The broker also offers real stocks with 0% commissions.  To learn more, you can read our review on XTB

XTB Overview

XTB Overview
  • Founded In: 2002
  • Founder: Jakub Zablocki
  • Locations: UK, Cyprus, Belize, Poland.
  • Minimum Deposit: $0
  • Maximum Leverage: 1:500
  • Regulations:CySEC, FCA , KNF , IFSC
  • Trading platform:xStation 5 , xStation Mobile
  • Account Types: Standard, Pro, Islamic
  • Payment Options: Bank Wire (BankTransfer/SWIFT), VISA, MasterCard, Maestro, Neteller, Paysafe, SafetyPay, Skrill
  • US Traders: Not Accept

CMC Markets

Founded in 1989, CMC Markets is a publicly traded broker (Ticker: CMCX). The broker is regulated in the UK, Australia, Canada, and Singapore. It offers over 9800 trading instruments, including Forex, Indices, Cryptocurrencies, Shares & ETFs, and Commodities. There is no minimum deposit requirement on IC Markets; you may deposit as low as $1. CMC Markets allows EA trading and news trading. The broker uses the most popular trading platform, MetaTrader (MT4), as its trading platform.

CMC Markets Overview
  • Founded In: 1989
  • Minimum Deposit: $0
  • Maximum Leverage: 1:500
  • Regulations: ASIC
  • Trading platform: MT4 , Share trading platforms
  • Account Types: SPREAD BETTING, Fx Active, CFD Trading
  • Payment Options: Bank Wire (BankTransfer/SWIFT), VISA, MasterCard
  • US Traders: Not Accept

CMC Markets

  • Trading Instruments: 12000+ trading instruments including forex, indices, Cryptocurrencies, Commodities, Shares, Share baskets, Treasuries, etc 
  • Maximum leverage:  Up to 30:1 ( FCA, ASIC), up to 1:50 (IIROC), and up to 500:1 for a professional account.
  • Minimum Deposit: No Minimum Deposit. However, Pepperstone recommends $200 or equivalent for the margin requirement. 
  • Account Types: Three (Spread Betting Account, CFD Account, Corporate Account)
  • Trading Fees: only Spread is charged (Commission is only for Shares account). Variable spreads from 0.3 pips. A rollover commission is applied on open positions overnight. For the Shares account commission starts from $7. 
  • PAMM/ MAM:  Not Available 
  • Scalping: Allowed 
  • News Trading: Allowed
  • EA/ Robot Trading: Allowed

XTB vs : CMC Markets Features

XTB:

  • Trading Instruments: 5800+Trading instruments including Real stocks, ETFs, CFDs on forex, CFDs on Indices, CFDs on Commodities
  • Maximum leverage: The maximum leverage of XTB is as high as 500:1. Leverage may vary based on jurisdiction and tradable assets. For example, for CySEC jurisdiction the maximum leverage is 30:1. 
  • Minimum Deposit: No Minimum Deposit. You may deposit as low as possible.  
  • Account Types: Two ( Stocks &ETFS, and CFD Instruments) 
  • Trading Fees: The fees of CFD instruments start from as low as 0.5 pips spread. 0% commission on Stock Accounts
  • PAMM/ MAM: No
  • Scalping: Allowed 
  • News Trading: Allowed
  • EA/ Robot Trading: Allowed

XTB vs CMC Markets: Pros and Cons

XTB Pros & Cons

Pros
  • Regulated by  FCA, FSC, KNF, DDM-M, DNMV,
  • The Minimum deposit is as low as $1
  • The Maximum Leverage is as high as 1:500
  • Allows scalping, EA/Robot Trading, News Trading 
  • Trade stocks, ETFs, indices, commodities, cryptocurrencies, and forex
  • 0% commission on stock and ETF trading (only applicable to some EU countries)
  • Traders  can enjoy commission-free trading with spreads as low as 0.25 pips
Cons
  • XTB does not offer  cTrader, MT4/MT5, or Ninja Trader which are the most popular platforms in the world 
  • No passive investment programme ( PAMM, MAM Accounts) 
  • Withdrawal fees for transfers below $100 or €200
  • Inactivity fee (€10/monthly after 1+ year with no activity plus no deposit in the last 90 days)
  • Complex trading platform for a beginner
  • CFDs only – so traders do not own the underlying asset

CMC Markets Pros & Cons

Pros
  • Regulated by FCA, ASIC, IIROC, MAS, FMA
  • Founded in 1989, CMC Markets is publicly traded company
  • The minimum deposit is as low as $1 
  • Comparatively low spread starting from 0.7 pips
  • Allows news trading, EA/Robot trading
  • Extensive range of tradable assets 
  • Excellent education and research resources
Cons
  • Offered only MT4, no MT5, cTrader trading platforms 
  • Maximum leverage is only 1:300
  •  No passive investment programme or social trading platforms ( No PAMM, MAM accounts) 
  •  Does not accept US clients
  • Only CFD Trading 
  • High CFD spreads for certain Indices 
  • Spread betting only for UK residents

XTB vs CMC Markets: Side-by-Side Comparison

XTB
CMC Markets
Product
Product
XTB
CMC Markets
Founded In
Founded In
2002
1989
Founded By
Founded By
Jakub Zablocki
Peter Andrew Cruddas, Baron Cruddas
Headquarters
Headquarters
Belize City, Belize
London, United Kingdom
Regulations
Regulations
FCA, CySEC, CNMV, KNF, FSC(Belize)
FCA, ASIC, BaFin, IIROC, FMA, MAS
Min Deposit
Min Deposit
None
None
Max Leverage
Max Leverage
1:500
1:500
Tradable Assets
Tradable Assets
Forex, Indices, Commodities, Cryptocurrencies, Stocks, and ETFs
Forex Major, Forex Crosses, Forex Minor, Metals, Oil , CFD, Stock indices
Fees
Fees
Spread from 0.9 pips
Spread starting from 0.3 pips or commission $10
Platforms and Tools
Platforms and Tools
xStation 5 , xStation Mobile
MT4 , Share trading platforms
US Traders
US Traders
Not Allowed
Not Allow

XTB Vs CMC Markets: Our Scores and Ratings

We rated both brokers, XTB and CMC Markets, on a scale of 1 to 10, with 0.1 increments. To achieve a comprehensive rating, we broadly grouped all services offered by brokers into 6 macro categories and assigned percentage weights to them. Each macro category is subdivided into several data points which contributes to the total score of 1.0-10.0 assigned to each macro category. Since all categories are not equally important, our weight percentage plays a significant role in assessing the broker accurately. For example, Regulation and Security contributes a total weight of 40% to the whole ratings because this is the most important rating category. To learn more, read our methodology.

XTB :

8.8
XTB Scores
Regulation and Security (40%)9.8
Fees and Commissions (20%)7.5
Trading (15%)8
Trading tools (10%)8.6
Customer Support (10%)9
Trading Education (5%)8

CMC Markets

9.0
CMC Markets Score
Regulation and Security (40%)9.7
Fees and Commissions (20%)8
Trading (15%)9
Trading tools (10%)8
Customer Support (10%)9.5
Trading Education (5%)9

Final Verdict :

XTB and CMC Markets are regulated forex and CFD brokers in the industry. They offer similar trading services including forex and CFD trading. They both allow scalping, hedging, EA trading and Copy trading. Neither of these brokers accept US Clients. The minimum order size for both of them is 0.01. 

However, there are a few areas where you may find some differences. For example, the minimum deposit for XTB is $0, whereas the minimum deposit for CMC Markets is $0. Additionally, the maximum leverage for the XTB is 30:1. On the other hand, the maximum leverage for CMC Markets is 300:1. 

Our score for XTB is 8.8, and for CMC Markets, it is 9.0 So, if you are looking for the most trusted forex brokers with tight spreads, you may choose XTB. However, If you prefer another broker with similar services, you may choose  CMC Markets.

Written by

Jason Paine is a forex trader, researcher, and tech enthusiast. He is passionate about financial markets and cutting-edge technology. With a dynamic 16-year trading career, he's on a mission to guide fellow traders. Having navigated diverse forex brokers, Jason shares his insights at Brokersway to bridge the gap between traders and the right brokerage.

Disclosure:  At Brokersway we're committed to delivering unbiased information. our opinions are our own and are not influenced by the payment we receive from our advertising partners. While we adhere to strict editorial integrity, this post may contain references to products from our partners. Here's an explanation of how we make money.

Leave a Comment