Trading demo account

Share dealing, also known as equity trading and investing, is the buying and selling of a portion of ownership in a publicly-listed company. If a company's share price rises, your investment can increase in value, and if it falls, your investment can go down.

A contract for difference (CFD) is a derivative product which enables you to trade on the price movements of underlying financial assets (such as forex, indices, commodities, shares and treasuries). It's an agreement to exchange the difference in the value of an asset from the time the contract is opened until the time it's closed.

With a CFD, you never actually own the asset or instrument you're trading, but you can still benefit if the market moves in your favour, or make a loss should the market move against you.

Trading CFDs involves trading on leverage, which means that you can enter a position with a set initial deposit, known as the margin requirement. It's important to remember that leverage amplifies your gains and losses in equal measure, based on the full value of the trade, and not just the initial margin amount. Learn more about CFD trading

Spread betting is a way to trade on the price movement of financial markets like shares, indices, currencies and more without owning the underlying asset. You’re essentially placing a bet on whether the price will go up or down, and your profit or loss depends on how far the market moves in your chosen direction.

In the UK, profits from spread betting are typically tax-free. Tax treatment depends on individual circumstances and may be subject to change in the future.

Share dealing involves buying and owning actual shares in companies. You become a part-owner, receive dividends if the company pays them and benefit directly from share price increases. CFDs and spread betting involve speculating on price movements without owning the underlying asset. These products typically use leverage, meaning both gains and losses are magnified. Share dealing suits long-term investors seeking ownership; CFDs and spread betting are often used for short-term speculation and carry higher risk.

All you need to do is provide a valid email address, your full name, phone number and a password. Once you've opened a demo account, you will need to select the verification link sent to your registered email address to activate it. Learn more about documentation to provide.

To apply for a live trading account, follow these steps:

Desktop: Log in to your demo account, select the ‘Open a Live Account’ button at the top of the screen and follow the on-screen instructions.

If you already have a live trading account, you can apply for another one from the My Accounts tab, by selecting the 'Apply for another account' link, below your existing live account.

iPhone or iPad: Open the app and log in, then select the 'More' button (with the three dots), tap the ‘Open a Live Account’ button, and follow the on-screen instructions.

Android: Open the app and log in, then tap the three lines at the top of the screen, tap ‘Open a Live Account’, and follow the on-screen instructions.

There's no cost to open a live trading account with us. You can also view prices and use tools such as charts, Reuters news, or Morningstar quantitative research equity reports, free of charge. You'll need to deposit funds in your account to place a trade.

Yes, CMC Markets UK plc (registration number 173730) is fully authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) in the UK. Retail client money is held in segregated client bank accounts and money held on behalf of clients is distributed across a range of major banks, which are regularly assessed against our risk criteria.

Under the FCA's Client Money rules, we're required to segregate client money (unless you agree with us otherwise) from CMC's own funds. The funds held in segregated bank accounts do not belong to CMC, and will be held in a way that enables it to be identified as client money. Learn more about client money regulations

CMC Markets earns revenue through spreads and other applicable fees and charges. The fees and charges that apply may vary depending on the product and account type.