Spread bets and CFDs are complex instruments and come with a high risk of losing money rapidly due to leverage. 76% of retail investor accounts lose money when spread betting and/or trading CFDs with this provider. You should consider whether you understand how spread bets and CFDs work and whether you can afford to take the high risk of losing your money.

Open a forex demo account

Discover forex trading and spread bet or trade CFDs on over 330 forex pairs, at home or on the go.​

  • Open a forex trading demo account for free​
  • Award-winning customer service*​
  • Spread bet or trade CFDs on the go with our trading app​
  • Join over 90,000​ active clients worldwide​
Open your demo accountOr open a live account
CMC Markets

How to start forex trading?

  • 1

    Apply

    Just enter your email address and a password, then verify your email address to create your free forex demo account. It’s quick and easy.​​
    Apply now >​

  • 2

    Explore

    Get to know the platform by exploring the product library, charts, watchlists, order tickets, analyst insights and more.​

  • 3

    Learn

    Practise forex trading with £10,000 of virtual funds. Conduct chart analysis on free live charts. View the platform quick guide​​ and watch platform tour videos​​.​

What is forex trading?

Forex trading is the simultaneous buying and selling of the world’s currencies on a decentralised global market. It’s also referred to as the foreign exchange or FX market. As one of the largest and most liquid financial markets in the world, its total average turnover per day is reported to exceed $5 trillion. The forex market is not based in a central location or exchange so is open to trade 24 hours a day, from Sunday night through to Friday night. Learn more about forex trading here >​​

You can try trading forex for free with a​ forex demo account​ on our award-winning trading platform*. Trade via your web browser, or download our iPhone, iPad and Android apps.​

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Why trade forex with CMC Markets?

Dedicated support, 24 hours a day

We're No.1 for customer service

Dedicated support, 24 hours a day

Over 30 years' industry experience

Dedicated support, 24 hours a day

Spread bet or trade CFDs anywhere with our award-winning app*​​

Dedicated support, 24 hours a day

Listed on the London Stock Exchange

More reasons to trade with CMC >​​​​​

CMC Markets

Is forex trading right for you?

  • Go long or short on any FX pair
  • Trade on over 330 forex pairs, including major, minor and emerging pairs
  • Competitive spreads from 0.7 points on forex and 1 point on major indices
  • Margin rates from 3.3% on forex spread bets and 5% on indices
  • No stamp duty to pay when spread betting or CFD trading
  • Spread betting profits are capital gains tax-free**
  • Analyse price performance with advanced charts, technical indicators and drawing tools
  • Use features like guaranteed stop-loss orders to manage risk

More advantages of spread betting The risks of spread betting



Forex FAQs

How do I open a forex demo account?

If you want to practise forex trading with a risk-free demo account, you can sign up here. All you need is an email address and a password.

What do I get with a forex demo account?

You get access to nearly all the same features as you would in our live account, except you won’t be trading with real money. A forex trading demo account is an excellent way to practise forex trading risk-free, with £10,000 virtual funds.

Which forex instruments can I trade?

You can trade on over 330 forex pairs, including major pairs like EUR/USD, GBP/USD and AUD/USD, as well as minor and emerging currencies. Find out more about our forex pairs

How do I open a live account?

Once you’ve opened a demo account, you’ll be able to apply for a live account within the platform or app, by going to ‘Open Live Account’.

What is the minimum trade size for forex?

You can spread bet from £0.30/point on EUR/USD, GBP/USD, USD/JPY and AUD/USD, and £0.40/point on EUR/GBP. You can see the minimum trade size for all instruments on the platform, in the ‘Product Overview’ under ‘Betting and Position Limits’

What are your spreads on forex?

Trade on major FX pairs like EUR/USD, USD/JPY and AUD/USD from 0.7pts. Spreads on GBP/USD start from 0.9pts, and from 1.1pts on EUR/GBP.

What are your margin rates on forex?

Margin rates for our most popular forex pairs start from 3.34%. Margin shows the percentage of the total trade value that you need to put forward to open a position.

What are the main risks of forex trading?

Trading on the foreign exchange market can expose a trader to risks. For example, spreads between the buy and sell prices of popular forex pairs are among the tightest, so even small price fluctuations can incur larger-than-expected profits or losses. Learn more about the risks of forex trading

Why spread betting?

Spread betting allows you to trade tax-free on a wide range of financial markets 24 hours a day, from Sunday nights through to Friday nights. Trade on your phone, tablet, PC or Mac on thousands of instruments using leverage. Tax treatment depends on individual circumstances and can change or may differ in a jurisdiction other than the UK. Find out more about spread betting

What is leveraged trading?

One of the advantages of spread betting is that you only need to deposit a percentage of the full value of your position to open a trade, known as trading on leverage. Remember, trading on leverage can also amplify losses, so it’s important to manage your risk.

Is CMC Markets regulated by the FCA?

Yes, CMC Markets plc (registration number 173730) and CMC Spreadbet plc (registration number 170627) are 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.

Is CMC Markets covered by the FSCS?

Yes, your eligible deposits with CMC Markets are protected up to a total of 85,000 by the Financial Services Compensations Scheme (FSCS), the UK’s deposit guarantee scheme. If CMC Markets ever went into liquidation, retail clients would have their share of segregated money returned, minus the administrators’ costs in handling and distributing these funds. Any shortfall of funds up to 85,000 may be compensated under the FSCS.

Ready to start forex trading?

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*Best Telephone & Email Customer Service, Best Platform Features and Best Mobile/Tablet App, based on highest user satisfaction among spread betters, CFD & FX traders, Investment Trends 2019 UK Leverage Trading Report.​​

**Tax treatment depends on individual circumstances and can change or may differ in a jurisdiction other than the UK