Who we are

Our company

CMC Markets started out as a foreign exchange broker (sometimes also called forex) in 1989 when entrepreneur Peter Cruddas famously started the company with a £10,000 investment. Peter called his firm the "Currency Management Corporation" and set up a small office with just a desk and a phone. In 1996 Peter launched the world's first online forex trading platform. Since then CMC Markets has evolved into one of the world’s leading online CFD providers and financial spread betting companies, with over 26 million trades executed annually.

Our success

CMC Markets’ success is founded on its ability to deliver a wide range of trading products to customers, from single equities to indices, currencies and commodities. This means you don’t need to go to a forex broker, futures broker or a commodities broker to trade these different instruments, you can trade them all through one trading platform. CMC Markets has pioneered the development of online trading in markets around the world to become a world leading spread betting company and CFD provider.

Our presence

Since launching in 1989, CMC Markets has broadened its presence to cover Asia, continental Europe and North America making it a world leading online CFD provider. Key acquisitions in the course of CMC Markets’ expansion have included the financial content and data provider Digital Look, and Australian stock broker Andrew West & Co. Still privately held, CMC Markets welcomed its first institutional shareholder when Goldman Sachs purchased a 10% stake in the company.

A timeline of CMC Markets

1989

CMC Markets starts out as a forex broker.

1996

CMC Markets becomes the world’s first online retail forex trading company, allowing customers to take advantage of markets previously only accessible to professionals.

2000

CMC Markets expands to become a CFD broker, underlining its commitment to offering the most competitive and innovative trading products available in the global market place.

2001

CMC Markets launches its online spread betting service, also becoming the first spread betting company to launch the Daily Rolling Cash Bet. The innovative Daily Rolling Cash® becomes a benchmark in the industry.

2002

CMC Markets goes international in 2002, when it opens the first non-UK office in Sydney, Australia, becoming an online CFD and forex trading company to the Australian market. Since opening, CMC Markets has become the number one CFD company in Australia.

2005

CMC Markets launches one-click dealing and becomes one of the first spread betting firms to launch mobile trading.

CMC Markets opens the Beijing representative office.

CMC Markets Asia Pacific opens the Hong Kong office.

CMC Markets further expands its presence with the establishment of an office in Toronto, Canada.

CMC Markets opens in Germany.

In August 2005, the Group rebrands as CMC Markets, simultaneously replacing all existing brands (including "deal4free") with one global brand. In addition, the Group opens branch offices in Melbourne and Brisbane.

2006

CMC Markets wins Best Active Trading Service from Digital Look, Best Spread Betting Service from Shares Magazine and Best Spread Betting Firm from Investors Chronicle for the third consecutive year.

CMC Markets also wins Best Spread Betting and Best CFD provider from Trade2Win for the third year in a row as well as Best FX provider.

2007

CMC Markets' office opens in Singapore.

CMC Markets acquires Digital Look, a leading provider of online investment market data and intelligence to the retail investor.

CMC Markets opens its first Nordic office in Stockholm, Sweden.

CMC Markets announces the launch of its Japanese subsidiary, CMC Markets Japan k.k.

The 50 millionth client trade milestone is reached.

Goldman Sachs purchases a 10% stake in CMC Markets

2008

CMC Markets (Australia) successfully completes negotiations to acquire leading non-advisory Australian stock broker Andrew West & Co.

CMC Markets continues its rapid global expansion plan with new office openings in Scotland and Ireland.

2009

CMC Markets celebrates its 20th Anniversary (starting as a forex broker branching out into a world leading spread betting company and CFD company).

2010

CMC Markets opens up an office in Milan.

CMC Markets launches new spread betting pricing, execution and technology.

CMC Markets re-launches its brand.