FAQs

Spread betting and CFD trading both provide similar economic benefits to investments in companies, indices, commodities and currencies using margin. However, there are some distinctions between the two products.

Main CFD differences

• Financing is optional thanks to the customisable margin feature

• Invest in only a fraction of a unit with fractional trading

• Specify the size of your trade in units or monetary amount

When trading with CFDs you buy or sell a number of units or a specific monetary amount of CFDs in an instrument, similar to the way you do when trading physical equities, except with CFDs you have the option to trade on margin, so you can take out a position that is worth much more than your initial deposit. You also have the option to trade CFDs in fractions of units when you trade with CMC Markets. Your profit or loss is determined by the difference between the price you buy at and the price you sell at, multiplied by the number of CFDs you hold.

Main spread betting differences

• Tax-free profits - Unlike share trading, profits made from spread betting are exempt from capital gains tax (CGT) in the UK. Tax treatment depends on your individual circumstances. Tax law can change or may differ in a jurisdiction other than the UK.

• Invest by stake size - Profit or loss is the difference between the price you buy at and the price you sell at, multiplied by your stake.

• Only available to customers who reside in the UK or Ireland

When you spread bet, you simply choose whether the price of an instrument is likely to go up or down and decide how much to bet. The amount you wish to bet per point of movement in price is your stake. If the instrument moves in your favour, your profit is calculated by multiplying your original stake size by the number of points the instrument has moved. If it goes against you, your loss will be calculated in the same way.

There are no charges at all for creating a Live or Demo account on the Platform. There are however Holding Costs which are incurred when you carry a financed position past 17:00 New York time, for more information please see our question on 'What are Holding Costs?

You will need to have Adobe Flash Player version 10 or higher installed and internet access to use the Web based app. Flash Player 10 does not run on most 64-bit browsers, this may result in issues when logging on to the Platform. If this is the case, then please use the link below which will show you a step by step guide on how to download a 32-bit browser which you can use to get onto the Platform.

Download Flash Player

Use our Product Library to search for any product. If you know the name, stock code or common nickname, simply type it in and search. Or you can browse through our list of companies, indices, commodities and currencies and filter by type, region and country.

There is no real minimum when trading CFDs.Our fractional trading feature allows you to own a fraction of any asset, meaning you can decide to invest in a half, a tenth or even one thousandth of a share. The choice is yours.

The minimum stake for spread betting is currently £1 per point on all instruments.

The maximum stake size varies according to each instrument. Just click on the factsheet icon next to the instrument name on the platform to see the maximum stake size for that product.

Yes! If you have an iPhone you can trade on your mobile phone. Simply visit the App Store from your iPhone and search for CMC Markets to download either the CMC CFD App (called Tracker) or CMC Spread Bet App, or click here for more information.

Yes, you can trade from anywhere you can get internet access, as the platform is web-based.

You can only deposit funds into your CFD or spread betting account using your local currency. Please contact a member of our Customer Management Team for assistance on +44 (0)20 3003 8588 or via email at customerservice@cmcmarkets.com. In the future we may open up the possibility of trading in other currencies.

Yes! Our demo accounts give you free and unlimited use of our trading platforms, with virtual funds. All you need to do is provide a valid email address, your full name, a phone number and a password and you will be able to start trading right away.

Your username is the email address you specified when you opened your account.

If you can’t remember your password, either click on the ‘Forgot password?’ link on the login page or contact a member of our Customer Management Team for assistance on +44 (0)20 3003 8588 or via email at customerservice@cmcmarkets.com.

You will receive a welcome email from us that contains your 6-digit account number. This can also be found by clicking on the 'Preferences' icon in the top right hand corner of the platform and then selecting the 'Information' tab.

The next generation Platform requires you to set up a new account. However, if you are an existing customer we can help you migrate to the new platform.Contact our Customer Management Team on +44 (0)20 3003 8588 or via email at customerservice@cmcmarkets.com for more details.

When you open and fund your account you will have access to an account manager for your first few weeks. They can help you with any questions you may have, assist you with navigating our platform and apps and provide further information about our products. In addition, they can arrange your attendance at any of our seminars, webinars and one-to-one training sessions to suit your needs. Please note that account managers do not provide tips, trading or investment advice.

The 'Insights' section on the platform is updated on a regular basis, to give you up-to-date market news. And if you visit the Education section of our website you will find written information and videos on a wide range of topics – ranging from risk management techniques, charting methods, company and economic announcements, topical trends in the markets, trading strategies and much more.

Watch our introductory videos in the ‘On demand videos’ section, for a short demonstration of how to use the platform and mobile trading apps and place orders. These videos can also be found when you are logged into the platform,by clicking on the 'Guided Tours' icon. If you are unsure of how to trade, you can start by using our free unlimited use demo account andyou can run through placing orders there. Click here for a step by step guide to placing a trade.

The platform and apps are fully automated for order execution, meaning there is no dealer intervention. Order tickets can be opened from the buy or sell buttons on any window or quote panel. Choose whether you want to enter the trade using a Market or a Limit Order, enter your transaction size (in units or monetary amount for CFDs and stake for spread betting), set your Stop Loss or Take Profit values (if you want to) and click ‘Confirm’. Please note that the price at which the entryorder will be executed may be less favourable to you than the price you see on the platform when you place the order.This could be due to market movements between the time you confirm your order and the time the platform executes your order, or it could be caused by poor internet connectivity.

You can place an order to open at a specific price by placing a Limit Order. On the order ticket, select 'Limit' to set an order to open. Then type in your ‘Target Price’ or utilise the inbuilt charts and the overlaid horizontal ‘Limit line’ to help you choose a price.

Finally, select the date that you want the order to be valid until, enter your trade size in units or amount then set your Stop Loss or Take Profit values (if you want to) and click ‘Confirm’.

You can’t open a long position and a short position at the same time. You can however have a quote window open to see the direction of movement of the instrument, from which you can open a long or short position.

Yes, but we don't call them OCO orders. You can set up Stop Loss and Take Profit orders for every trade, as all orders are automatically linked together. If you close your trade or the Stop Loss or Take Profit order is triggered, all other linked orders will be cancelled.

Yes! Just select Trailing under the Stop Loss section within the order ticket. Then simply choose the distance in points or monetary amount that you want your Stop Loss to trail behind the most favourable price movement.

You can also edit your stop loss orders at any time to turn them into trailing stops or back to regular stop losses.

Market Order: A Market Order is an instruction to immediately buy or sell at the current price at that time. When you place a Market Order with CMC Markets, a buy or sell order will be executed as soon as possible at the first available price, which may or may not be the price you see on the screen.

Limit Order: A Limit Order allows you to set an order at a specific price that is independent of any existing trade, meaning you can set an order to enter a position at a price different to the current price. Limit Orders will behave differently depending on whether you set the Target Price above or below the market price available at the time you place the order.

A Limit Order to buy at a price below the prevailing market price will be executed at the first available buy price which is equal to or less than the target price.

A Limit Order to buy at a price above the prevailing market price will be executed at the first available buy price which is equal to or more than the target price.

A Limit Order to sell at a price above the prevailing market price will be executed at the first available sell price which is equal to or more than the target price.

A Limit Order to sell at a price below the prevailing market price will be executed at the first available sell price which is equal to or less than the target price.

Stop Loss and Take Profit: Stop Loss and Take Profit orders are risk management tools that are used in the context of individual trades:

Stop Loss orders aim to limit your losses in an unfavourable market.

Take Profit orders aim to capture your profits.

For both order types, you set the target price at which you would like the order to be executed. When the relevant price of the product reaches or crosses the target price, the order is executed at the first available price, which may or may not be the same as your target price.

Trailing Stop Loss: A Trailing Stop Loss is a cross between a Stop Loss and a Take Profit. It aims to limit your losses when the market moves against you, however, when the market moves in your favour, the stop loss moves with it, aiming to secure any profitable movement in price. When you place a Trailing Stop Loss, you specify a number of points away from the prevailing price at that time. As the market moves in your favour and you have an unrealised profit, the stop loss will stay the same number of ‘points’ away from the most favourable price to you. When the market falls, the stop loss will remain at that price.

When the relevant price of the instrument reaches or crosses the target price of your stop loss, the order is executed at the first available price, however, due to market conditions such as gapping, the first available execution price may or may not be the same as your target price, therefore your target price can’t be guaranteed.

Yes! You can add, edit or remove Stop Loss and Take Profit orders on any open position quickly and easily from the Positions tab in the Account window by simply clicking on the field and entering a value. Similarly you can modify Limit Order prices and expiry dates the same way on the Orders tab in the Account window. You can also edit stop loss and take profit orders on open positions directly from charts by clicking on the triangular trade icon, then dragging the red (stop loss) or green (take profit) horizontal lines up or down.

The spread is the difference between the buy price and the sell price. The spread for each instrument varies and can be found by clicking on the > arrow next to the instrument and selecting the Overview tab.

Margin is a powerful tool that allows you to invest without tying up large percentages of your own capital.

We offer a flexible approach to marginon our CFD platform. Gone are the days of being forced to take on fixed margin rates - now you are in control. You can easily increase or decrease the amount of margin you would like to use on each transaction. You can invest using no leverage, or invest with full leverage, the decision is yours. Click here for a more detailed explanation.

For spreadbetting the margin ratesare set at a fixed level.

The trading hours for each instrument vary and can be found by clicking on the > arrow next to the instrument,then select the Overview tab.

Yes, we do offer out-of-hours trading on selected instruments. For full information please click here.

The prices of the CMC products are generated in real time, electronically, by the platform.While these prices take into account various prices from various sources, they are not taken from any particular source. As such, the prices at which you open and close trades are exclusive to the platform and should not be compared to prices you may see elsewhere. CMC Markets offers a quote regardless of a trade actually being placed on any exchange.

Our comprehensive charting package has more than 45 technical studies (including MACD, RSI and DMI) and over 20 technical overlays (like Moving Averages and Bollinger Bands). We also have a range of drawing tools (such as trendlines andsupport and resistance channels) along with adjustable time frames of historical data of up to 5 years for each instrument.

You can close a position by clicking on the ‘Account’ icon, selecting the position you wish to close and then clicking on the red cross icon. You will then receive a new pop-up asking you to ‘Confirm’ or ‘Cancel’ the request. You can close multiple trades on the same instrument by clicking the red cross on that instrument’s first summary line.

Positions remain open until either you close them, a Stop Loss or Take Profit is triggered or the AccountValue drops below 20% of the minimum potential margin requirement for all leveraged positions (which includes short positions with 0% financing), at which point the platform will look to invoke the ‘close-out procedure’ and close all of your positions (including fully funded positions, which are long positions with 0% financing).

If the close-out level is invoked, all open positions on the account will be liquidated in the order in which they were opened (on a ‘first in’, ‘first out’ basis). The platform will look to close out your open trades at this level to protect you from losing more than what is held in your account.

A Holding Cost is incurred if a trade is held open after 17:00 New York time each day, including weekends. The Holding Cost is the sum of both the Borrowing Cost and the Carrying Cost. The Borrowing Cost is applied to the unfunded portion of the trade and the Carrying Cost, which is equivalent to the cost of carrying the underlying asset, is applied to the total value of the trade. For full details please refer to our Terms of Business.

When you place a trade with CMC Markets and use financing you will incur a Borrowing Cost. The Borrowing Cost is the cost of ‘borrowing’ the value of the unfunded portion of a trade. We calculate the rate applicable to the Borrowing Cost with reference to interbank lending rates. The Borrowing Cost is only applicable to trades on the following product types: Indices, Companies and Commodities. For full details please refer to our CFD Terms of Business or Spread bet Terms of Business.

CMC Markets products are priced with reference to underlying assets. Investing directly in such assets carries an associated cost of physically holding those assets for a period of time. For instance, if you buy futures on crude oil, someone has to store that oil until the delivery date. The Carrying Cost represents the cost involved in holding an asset. The Carrying Cost is only applicable to trades on the following product types: Commodities and Currencies. For full details please refer to our CFD Terms of Business or Spread bet Terms of Business.

Yes, you will need to download Adobe Flash Player version 10 or higher, if it is not already installed on your computer.

You can install Adobe Flash Player by going to http://get.adobe.com/flashplayer and following the prompts. Flash Player 10 does not run on most 64-bit browsers, this may result in issues when logging on to the platform. If this is the case, then please use the link below which will show you a step-by-step guide on how to download a 32-bit browser which you can use to get onto the platform.

Download Flash Player 10

Settings under Preferences, such as Transaction Based Stop Losses, are automatically saved when they are edited on the platform. Your last viewed platform layout is also automatically saved when you log out, this will be the same view when you log back in, however, at present you cannot save multiple layouts.

Your account balance is always visible in the bottom right-hand corner of the screen. You can also see the details of your available Cash, your Margin used and your current Profit or Loss. These items added together give you your Account Value. This section can be hidden by clicking on the ‘Hide MINI-Account’ icon.

Use our Product Library to search for any product. If you know the name, stock code or common nickname simply type it in and search. Or you can browse through our list of companies, indices, commodities and currencies and filter by type, region and country.

Performance is the percentage increase or decrease of a particular instrument’s price over a ‘Time Range’. You can change the Time Rangeusing the Product Library filter or by changing the ‘Timeframe’ on an instrument’s chart.

Volatility expresses the degree to which the yield on an investment varies from a mean value over a specific period of time, this makes it a measure of risk. Commonly, the higher the volatility, the riskier the instrument. On the platform this is shown as a percentage over a ‘Time Range’. You can change the Time Rangeusing the Product Library filter or by changing the ‘Timeframe’ on an instrument’s chart.

Click on the > arrow next to the instrument name and click on the ‘News’ tab for product-specific news. Or for more general market-related news, as it happens, click on the ‘News’ icon in the bottom-left corner of the platform.

Open the Account window and click on the ‘History’ tab. You can then sort and filter your history by clicking on the column headings. If you require an electronic copy click the print icon and a PDF version of your statement will be created.

The CMC Markets CFD trading app (called Trade it in the app store) and the Spread bet app are compatible with all iPhone and iPad models.

Simply visit the App Store from your iPhone or iPad. You can click here to download the Trade it app for CFDs, or click here to download the Spread bet app.

No, you can use the same account on the web and on your iPhone or iPad. If you already have an account, you can sign in using the same details.

Receiving a call or text message will interrupt the connection until that communication has ended. Receiving an email will not directly interrupt the connection.

It can take a few seconds to reconnect if the 3G connection drops out when roaming so please be patient. Once you’re reconnected you'll see a message on the bottom of your screen.

The CMC Markets app doesn’t use any data when in the background. So feel free to go ahead and multitask without worrying about additional data charges.

It’s easy – every time there’s a new version available you’ll receive a notification from the App Store.

You can search for any product by tapping on the ‘Library’ icon in the menu bar. Here you can search by name, or you can filter results by type, region, country, performance and even volatility.

Yes!

iPhone - To see a chart for any product simply click the information icon (i) on the left-hand side, next to the price. This will bring up a comprehensive factsheet, then click the chart icon in the bottom-right of the screen.

iPad – Simply select an instrument from the Product Library and then tap anywhere on the result line to load that instrument’s factsheet. Then tap the chart icon in the top right.

iPhone - Rotate your iPhone horizontally to view a full-sized chart. You can then zoom in on price by changing the price frequency from 1 week up to 5 seconds.

iPad – Double click on any loaded chart to enter full screen mode.

By tapping and holding down two positions on the chart you can scroll your fingers to the left or right to see the percentage rise or fall between those two points.

Just tap the 'Watchlist' icon in the menu bar, then tap on 'Create New Watchlist'. Give your watchlist a name and then click 'Done'. You can create as many different watchlists as you like.

Use the Product Library to find the product you want. Tap on the 'Add' icon, and then simply select the watchlist you want to add it to.

These watchlists are not transferable between the apps and the web platform yet, but this functionality will be available very soon.

Tap on the buy price or the sell price and an order ticket will appear. Then choose between Market or Limit Order, the trade size, percentage of trade you want financed (if you’re using the CFD app), any Stop Loss and Take Profit levels and then tap on Confirm to finish. Use the inbuilt charts to help you set your risk management orders against historical prices.

If you do not receive a confirmation screen then it is likely your trade has not gone through. You can go into your account and check your positions to see whether or not a trade has gone through. Trades that aren’t completed or that are frozen for more than 60 seconds should automatically time out. If you need any assistance, don’t hesitate to contact our Customer Management Team for support on +44 (0)20 3003 8588 or via email at customerservice@cmcmarkets.com.

Tap on the 'Payments' icon in the menu bar. Here you can transfer money securely into your trading account. Information about the different types of options will be displayed on screen.

To withdraw funds please contact our Customer Management Team who will be able to do this for you, on +44 (0)20 3003 8588 or via email at customerservice@cmcmarkets.com. This functionality will soon be built into the payments icon on the CMC Markets App for iPhone and iPad.

Your payment has most likely not been processed. If in doubt please check your account balance under 'Account' or alternatively call us on +44 (0)20 3003 8588 or via email at customerservice@cmcmarkets.com and we’ll be happy to help you.

All settings for the CMC Markets apps are stored on the CMC Markets server - except for watchlists which are stored on your mobile device. Please note that these settings are only applicable to the iPhone and iPad individually, and not our web-based platform.

Nothing will happen to your account. You are simply uninstalling the application from your iPhone or iPad, your account will still be active and you can access it online via our website.

If you already have a demo account, on the login page there is a button called 'Open up a live account'.Click on this button to apply for your live account. Use your demo account login details to get started, then all you need to do is complete the additional fields to create a live account.

You can begin trading as soon as your application has been successfully completed and you have funded your account. For most customers this will happen within minutes of submitting your application. However, there will be cases where additional documentation is needed before we can process your live account application.

We need a customer's personal information (such as full name, address, telephone number etc.) to confirm their identity. Security of our customers' information, your personal data, is of the utmost importance to us.

We may use your information to make further enquiries about you, including checks to combat fraud. We may also use any information we have about you to make an assessment of whether or not you have sufficient knowledge and experience to understand the risks involved in trading. We do not sell your personal information to any third parties for marketing purposes.

Please contact a member of our Customer Management Team on +44 (0)20 3003 8588 or via email at customerservice@cmcmarkets.com. They can assist you with any account enquiries you have.

CMC Markets is authorised and regulated by the Financial Services Authority (FSA). If you are a retail client, we will hold your money in an account separate from our own. This means that if we become insolvent, your money is protected. However, please note your money is not protected in the event that the bank holding your money becomes insolvent. If the bank at which we hold your money becomes insolvent, you may be entitled to compensation from the Financial Services Compensation Scheme.

Upon opening a live account you will receive an account manager for the first few weeks to ensure that any questions or problems you have are properly resolved. Please note that this service does not include the provision of trading or investment advice. Thereafter, you will be able to contact the Customer Management Team via the ‘Live Help’ icon within the platform, or alternatively via telephone on +44 (0)20 3003 8588, or via email at customerservice@cmcmarkets.com.

You can sign into your account as soon as your application is accepted and you set up a username and password. However, you won’t be able to place a trade unless there are sufficient funds in your account to hold an open position. If you want to try trading on the platform first then you can open a free unlimited-use demo account and practise trading with virtual funds.

We do not insist on a minimum account balance. However, you should ensure you have enough funds deposited with us to meet your trading and investment needs.

You can fund your account either via the 'Payments' icon on the platform or call our Customer Management Team on +44 (0)20 3003 8588, who will transfer you to our secure telephone system which will take your payment for you. If you are funding via the platform, you will find the 'Payments' icon in the lower left navigation pane, click on the icon to transfer funds in and out of your account (please 'Allow pop-ups’ within your browser). Click on the ‘Payments’ tab, you will then be prompted to enter in your card details, the amount, and then hit ‘Submit Payment’.

On the platform, click the ‘Payments’ icon, then the ‘Payments’ tab. Here you should see your previously authorised cards and you can choose which one you want to use to make another payment. Enter the amount, your CV2 (3-digit security number on the back of your card), and click on ‘Submit Payment’.

Currently you can use up to 3 cards to fund your CFD or Spread Bet account.

For security purposes this is not possible.

CMC Markets bank account details can be found on the 'Bank Transfers' tab, after you have clicked on the 'Payments' icon on the platform. Once you have the details, you will need to process the transfer using your own online banking system, or through a bank branch. Please ensure you send us money from a bank account held by you. We do not accept cash deposits.

Your bank will send the funds to the CMC Markets bank account. Once they are credited to our account, we will credit it to your trading account, subject to our normal fraud checks.

While logged into your trading account, select the ‘Payments' icon and click the ‘Withdrawals’ tab. Enter the amount you wish to withdraw, then click on the’Withdraw funds’ button. The system will then process the withdrawal for you. Or you can contact the Customer Management Team on +44 (0)20 3003 8588, who can also process the withdrawal for you.Please note that funds are returned to your cards first. If you have used more than one card to fund your account, the funds are returned based on which card you used first.

This is the maximum amount that you can withdraw, and does not include funds that are tied up in open positions.

For security reasons, once the withdrawals have been through the normal fraud checks, funds will be returned as follows:

• Bank withdrawals: standard = 3 to 5 working days

• Bank withdrawals: express = 1 day

• Card withdrawals= 3 to 5 working days

A verified bank account will allow you to fund your account directly with bank transfers, without the payment being stopped and sent for exception handling by our payments team. It will also allow for you to make withdrawals of£20,000 or more. Please note that withdrawals cannot be made to unverified bank accounts.

If this occurs please contact the Customer Management Team on +44 (0)20 3003 8588, with details about what happened, when it happened and if the card(s) were stolen or lost and if any other personal details were compromised.

If you are using a local debit card there are no charges. Other methods of payment may have a fee associated with them. Please contact the Customer Management Team on +44 (0)20 3003 8588 for further details.

To transfer your funds between a CFD or Spread Betting Marketmaker® account and the new platform, please contact the Customer Management Team via the ‘Live Help’ icon within the platform, or via telephone on +44 (0)20 3003 8588, or email on customerservice@cmcmarkets.com. We can perform the transaction for you, either as one 'full balance' transfer, or in the form of up to three ‘partial balance transfers’ (followed by a 'full balance’ transfer of any remaining balance if required). Please note there is no facility to send funds from the new account, back to a Marketmaker® trading account.

As required by the Financial Services Authority, all customer funds are segregated from any other CMC Markets’ funds when they are deposited. We will hold an amount equivalent to your Account Value in this segregated account.

No, each client can only have one CFD account and one Spread Bet account at the same time.

No. CMC Markets is an order execution firm only. However, we do offer clients information on the current market trends, this can be found on the platform by clicking on the 'Insights' icon. This material is for general information only and is not intended to provide trading or investment advice or any personal recommendations.

This option will be coming in the future. Watch this space.

It is impossible to eliminate all your risk. To minimise your losses you can consider using stop losses so that trades are closed before your losses exceed a certain level. Please remember that Stop Losses are not guaranteed. In addition, please bear in mind when trading with CFDs, that the lower the margin rate you use for a transaction, the higher the risk.

You can generate your own statements any time you like from the Account window in the History tab by filtering according to the date. This can then be exported into a PDF file for the purpose of saving or printing.

You can see your entire trading and payment history by opening the Account window and clicking on the History tab.

Please contact our Customer Management Team on +44 (0)20 3003 8588 or via email at customerservice@cmcmarkets.com. We are available 24hours a day from Sunday 9pm through to Friday 10pm, and Saturday 9am to 5pm GMT/BST.

Please contact our Account Management Team in writing, either by emailing amt@cmcmarkets.co.uk or by post, to our registered address. You will need to provide your full contact details and your account number. We will endeavour to contact you by phone to confirm your closure.If we cannot contact you by phone we will always send you an email. You may need to reply to that email to confirm your closure request.

If you would like to express dissatisfaction with any area of service from CMC Markets and would like to formally register this complaint, please use the following link for more information. Complaints procedure.