Forex Trading Canada: Trade 330+ FX Pairs

Q: How do you trade on forex?

When trading forex, you speculate on whether the price of one currency will rise or fall against another. For example, if you believe that the value of the US dollar will rise, relative to the value of the Canadian dollar, you would trade the USD/CAD pair.

Q: What is margin in forex?

Forex margin rates are usually expressed as a percentage, with forex margin requirements typically starting at around 1.5% for major foreign exchange currency pairs. Your FX broker's margin requirement shows you the leverage you can use when trading forex with that broker. Learn more about margin in forex trading

Q: What is leveraged trading?

Leveraged trading allows you to gain exposure to a larger position with a smaller upfront deposit. In forex CFD trading, leverage can increase both potential profits and potential losses. Because losses are calculated on the full position size, leveraged trading carries a high level of risk.

Q: When is the forex market most active?

The forex market is most active during overlapping trading sessions. The London-New York overlap (8am-12pm EST) typically sees the highest volume and spreads may be narrower, which makes it popular for trading major pairs like EUR/USD and GBP/USD. The USD/CAD pair is particularly active during North American trading hours (8am-5pm EST). Less liquid pairs and exotic currencies may have wider spreads outside peak hours. Learn more about forex trading hours Learn more about forex currency pairs

Q: Can I trade forex on weekends?

The forex market is closed on weekends, opening Sunday at 5pm EST and closing Friday at 5pm EST. While you can't execute trades when the market is closed, you can use this time to review your positions, plan your trading strategy, and analyze charts on our platform. Our customer service team is available 24/5 to support you whenever the markets are open. Learn more about forex trading hours

Q: What affects forex prices?

Forex prices are influenced by economic data releases (employment, inflation, GDP), central bank decisions on interest rates, geopolitical events, and market sentiment. For Canadian traders, factors like oil prices, US-Canada trade relations, and Bank of Canada policy announcements significantly impact the CAD. Learn more about factors affecting forex prices

Q: What's the difference between spot forex and forex CFDs?

Spot forex involves buying and selling actual currencies for immediate delivery. Forex CFDs (Contracts for Difference) allow you to speculate on currency price movements without owning the underlying currencies. With CMC Markets, you trade forex CFDs, which means you can take positions on both rising and falling markets and use leverage to control larger positions with a smaller deposit. However, it's important to remember that leverage magnifies both potential profits and losses, so CFD trading carries significant risk and may not be suitable for all investors.

Q: How does CMC Markets protect my money?

Client money is held in segregated accounts, in line with applicable regulatory requirements. Segregation means client money is kept separate from the firm's own money. Regulatory protection doesn't remove the risk of trading losses.

Q: Is CMC Markets regulated?

Yes, CMC Markets Canada Inc. is a member of the Canadian Investment Regulatory Organization (CIRO). CFDs are distributed in Canada by CMC Markets Canada Inc. acting as principal.

Q: Is it free to open an account?

There's no fee to open an account. Trading costs may apply when you trade, including spreads, commissions, holding costs, and other applicable charges.

Est. 1989

2m+ global traders and investors¹

LSE listed*

2025 WINNER

No.1 Commissions & Fees

ForexBrokers.com Awards

2023 WINNER

Best Forex Broker

Good Money Guide Awards

2024 WINNER

Best Mobile Trading Platform

ADVFN International Financial Awards

What is forex trading? A guide for Canadian traders

Forex trading means buying one currency while selling another. Currencies are traded in pairs, such as EUR/USD, GBP/USD, or USD/CAD. The price of a forex pair reflects how much one currency is worth compared with the other.

For Canadian traders, forex markets can include major global pairs as well as Canadian dollar pairs such as USD/CAD (the "Loonie"), EUR/CAD, CAD/JPY, and major pairs like EUR/USD and GBP/USD. These pairs may be affected by factors such as interest rates, inflation, commodity prices, central bank policy, economic data, and changes in market sentiment.

With CMC, forex is traded through contracts for difference, also known as CFDs. A CFD allows you to speculate on the price movement of a currency pair without owning the underlying currencies. You can trade on rising or falling prices, but both directions involve risk.

Why open a forex demo account with CMC Markets Canada?

We've got your pair

More forex pairs than any other broker¹ If you want it, we've probably got it.

Precision pricing

We combine multiple feeds from tier-one banks, to get you the most accurate bid/ask price.

No partial fills

Access execution with no partial fills on supported order types

Tight spreads

Trade major forex pairs from 0.0 pips with an FX Active account.

Dedicated customer service

Experienced customer service available in EN, FR, and ZH to support you in your trading.

CIRO member firm

CMC Markets Canada Inc. is a member of the Canadian Investment Regulatory Organization and operates on an order-execution-only basis.

Account types for every trader

Get access to 330 FX pairs with tight spreads and no hidden fees.

Standard

A CFD account allows you to trade on the price movements of underlying financial assets. With a standard account, you can enjoy commission-free forex trading.

Access 11,000+ global financial instruments
Choose from over 330 FX pairs – more than anyone else¹
Trade via our CMC platform, intuitive mobile app, or MT4
Enjoy tight spreads with no hidden fees

Open an accountMore on CFD trading

INSTRUMENT	MIN SPREAD	MARGIN	PRICE	HOLDING COST BUY	HOLDING COST SELL

INSTRUMENT	MIN SPREAD	MARGIN RATE	PRICE	HOLDING COST BUY	HOLDING COST SELL

INSTRUMENT	MIN SPREAD	MARGIN RATE	PRICE	HOLDING COST BUY	HOLDING COST SELL

FX Active

A CFD account designed for forex traders, with spreads from 0.0 pips on six major FX pairs, and a fixed, low commission rate. Plus, get a 25% spread discount on 300+ other FX pairs.

Get spreads from 0.0 pips on 6 major pairs
Enjoy a 25% spread discount on 330+ FX pairs
Access all our other markets, including shares, indices, and commodities
Trade via our CMC platform, intuitive mobile app, or MT4

Open an accountMore on FX Active

INSTRUMENT	FX ACTIVE MIN SPREAD	Standard cfd account MIN SPREAD	MARGIN RATE	COMMISSION ( PER US $100,000)	HOLDING COST BUY	HOLDING COST SELL
	0.0			US $2.50
	0.0			US $2.50
	0.0			US $2.50
	0.0			US $2.50
	0.0			US $2.50
	0.0			US $2.50

INSTRUMENT	FX ACTIVE MIN SPREAD	STANDARD CFD ACCOUNT MIN SPREAD	MARGIN RATE	PRICE	HOLDING COST BUY	HOLDING COST SELL

INSTRUMENT	FX ACTIVE MIN SPREAD	STANDARD CFD ACCOUNT MIN SPREAD	MARGIN RATE	SPREAD DISCOUNT	HOLDING COST BUY	HOLDING COST SELL
				25%
				25%
				25%
				25%
				25%
				25%
				25%
				25%
				25%
				25%

				25%
				25%
				25%
				25%
				25%
				25%
				25%
				25%
				25%
				25%
				25%
				25%
				25%
				25%
				25%
				25%
				25%
				25%
				25%
				25%
				25%
				25%
				25%
				25%
				25%
				25%
				25%
				25%
				25%
				25%
				25%
				25%
				25%
				25%
				25%

A minimum spread is the lowest spread that will be shown on the given product. Minimum spread will vary subject to after-hours trading. If the underlying market spread widens throughout the trading day, or you are trading out of hours, the platform spread may also widen. The spreads shown are for the first price available for the average market trade/bet sizes in the relevant product. The spread will widen for larger trade/bet sizes, see our platform for more information.

Trade on our award-winning platforms¹

To trade with us, you choose a CFD account that suits the platform you want to use.

The standard or FXActive CFD accounts provide access to our proprietary and award-winning CMC platform, available on PC and mobile. This account can also be linked to TradingView.

To trade on Metatrader 4 or Metatrader 5, you must create a separate standard or FXActive account.

Read more below about the platforms we offer and find out which one best suits your trading style.

2023 Winner

Best-in-Class Platform & Tools

ForexBrokers.com Awards

CMC platform

The CMC platform is designed for active traders who want access to charts, watchlists, order tickets, technical indicators, and risk-management features in one place.

Use the platform to:

Monitor forex pairs and other markets
Place and manage CFD trades
Access advanced charting and technical tools
Set alerts and manage watchlists
Review open positions, orders, and account performance
The platform is available on desktop and can be used alongside the CMC mobile app.

Mobile app

The CMC Markets mobile app gives you access to forex markets from your phone or tablet.

Use the app to:

Monitor live prices
Place and manage trades
Access mobile-optimized charts
Set price alerts
Review open positions and account activity

MetaTrader

MetaTrader, also known as MT4 or MT5, is a widely used third-party trading platform for forex and CFD trading.

With CMC Markets Canada, a standard or FX Active account is available on the MT4/5 platforms, and doesn't provide access to the CMC platform or TradingView.

MT4/MT5 includes tools such as technical indicators, automated trading features, and Expert Advisors. Automated tools can support analysis and execution, but they don't remove trading risk.

Forex trading costs and spreads in Canada

Get access to more than 330 FX pairs, and enjoy tight spreads with no hidden fees.

INSTRUMENT	MIN SPREAD	MARGIN RATE	HOLDING COST BUY	HOLDING COST SELL

A minimum spread is the lowest spread that will be shown on the given product. Minimum spread will vary subject to after-hours trading. If the underlying market spread widens throughout the trading day, or you're trading out of hours, the platform spread may also widen. The spreads shown are for the first price available for the average market trade sizes in the relevant product. The spread will widen for larger trade sizes. Please log in to our platform for more information.

INSTRUMENT	MIN SPREAD	MARGIN RATE	HOLDING COST BUY	HOLDING COST SELL

INSTRUMENT	MIN SPREAD	MARGIN RATE	HOLDING COST BUY	HOLDING COST SELL

Forex leverage and margin explained

Forex CFDs are traded using leverage. Leverage allows you to gain exposure to a larger position while only putting down a percentage of the full trade value as margin.

For example, if a forex pair has a 5% margin rate, you would need to deposit 5% of the full position value to open the trade. The remaining exposure is leveraged.

Leverage can make trading more capital-efficient, but it also increases risk. Profits and losses are calculated on the full position size, not just the margin amount. This means losses can build quickly and may exceed your initial deposit.

Margin requirements vary by instrument and may change depending on market conditions. If the market moves against your position, you may need to deposit additional funds or close positions to meet margin requirements.

What are other traders saying about CMC Markets?

As a financial services pioneer, we combine technical excellence with 37 years of industry know-how. That‘s why 2 million+ global traders and investors put their confidence in us.¹

User FriendUser Friendly Platform / Easy to Use / Nice charts ly Platform / Easy to Use /…User Friendly Platform / Easy to Use / Nice charts M D Khorasani,2 hours ago

great chartsgreat chartsYves Larochelle,yesterday

like numbersnumberslike numbersAlbert,2 days ago

So easy to useSo easy to use, no irritating complication like I’ve experienced on other platform, I certain that I’m sticking with them…Millie,3 days ago

I use CMC for spread bettingI use CMC for spread betting. It’s pretty easy to use. Like any leveraged trading platform, it’s easy to take a lot of risk! Easy to use,3 days ago

very easy platform quick to move around…very easy platform quick to move around user friendly easy to learn comfortable to use Yunus Luqmani,5 days ago

New hereNew here, and finding my way around and looking to the futureRobert Patterson,5 days ago

Prefect dataPrefect dataKhalil,7 days ago

Good simple to use appGood simple to use appDIPA LAKHMAN,October 22

I like it because it’s easy to trade or…I like it because it’s easy to trade or make deposit or withdraw and quick login and logout and no extra charges Afsin,October 22

Forex trading FAQs

New to forex trading?

How do you trade on forex?

What is margin in forex?

What is leveraged trading?

When is the forex market most active?

Can I trade forex on weekends?

What affects forex prices?

What's the difference between spot forex and forex CFDs?

New to CMC Markets?

How does CMC Markets protect my money?

Is CMC Markets regulated?

Is it free to open an account?

How does CMC Markets make money?

What can I trade with CMC Markets?

Dive deeper

What is forex trading?

Explore the world of forex trading and understand how currency markets operate globally.

Learn more about Forex trading

How to trade forex

Learn how to start trading forex with this essential step-by-step guide, covering everything from how to choose a currency pair to opening your first trade.

Learn how to trade FX

Forex leverage

Understand how leverage and margin work when trading forex CFDs.

Learn more about Forex leverage

Forex market hours

Learn when forex markets are open and why trading activity can vary by session.

Learn more about Forex market hours

Forex currency pairs

Explore major, minor, and exotic forex pairs, including Canadian dollar pairs.

Learn more about Forex currency pairs

Do you have any questions?

Our client services team is here whenever the markets are open.
Email us at clientmanagement@cmcmarkets.ca or call us on 1-866-884-2608.

¹Best Mobile Trading Platform, ADVFN International Financial Awards 2024; No.1 Web Platform, ForexBrokers.com Awards 2023; No.1 Most Currency Pairs, ForexBrokers.com Awards 2023; Best Charting (Germany), Investment Trends Leverage Trading Report 2023; Best Customer Service (Germany), Investment Trends Leverage Trading Report 2023; Best In-House Analysts, Professional Trader Awards 2023; No.1 Platform Technology (UK), ForexBrokers.com Awards 2022; Best CFD Provider (UK), Online Money Awards 2022; Industry Pioneer with "Outstanding" Customer Rating (Germany), Focus Money Test Edition 36/2022, "Very good" Trading Platform (Germany), Deutsches Kundeninstitut (DKI) Survey 2022.

²0.009 seconds CFD median trade execution time on CMC Markets' web and mobile platforms, 1 April 2024-31 March 2025.

³Based on over 2 million unique user logins across CMC's trading and investing platforms, including partners, as at November 2025.

Explore Forex Trading in Canada

What is forex trading? A guide for Canadian traders

Why open a forex demo account with CMC Markets Canada?