Forex Index Trading

Q: Is there an index for forex?

There isn’t a specific forex index on the market. However, we've created bespoke baskets of currency pairs, which allow you to speculate on the price movements of one currency pair against a basket of pairs. Our forex indices include the USD Index and GBP Index.

Q: How are forex indices weighted?

Our forex indices have a base level price of 1,000 (or 20,000 for the JPY Index), and the weighting of each component within an index is capped at 40% of the total trade volume. Learn more about forex indices

Q: Are any of your forex indices focused on emerging currencies?

We have one forex index that’s focused on emerging currencies, our CNH Index, as well as minor currencies including the NOK, SEK, and SGD.

Q: How does CMC Markets protect my money?

CMC Markets Germany GmbH is a broker regulated by the German Federal Financial Supervisory Authority (BaFin). It holds funds of private clients separately from its own funds in separate bank accounts. In the unlikely event that CMC Markets Germany GmbH is unable to meet its financial obligations, the EdW would cover any claim for damages by claimants up to €20,000, provided that certain criteria are met.

Q: Is CMC Markets regulated?

CMC Markets Germany GmbH is a company authorised and regulated by the German Federal Financial Supervisory Authority (BaFin). CMC Markets complies with the requirements of §84 of the German Securities Trading Act (WpHG) regarding client funds.

Q: Is it free to open an account?

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

Q: How does CMC Markets make money?

Our income primarily comes from our spreads, while other fees, such as overnight holding costs, make a minor contribution to our overall revenue.

Q: What can I trade on with CMC Markets?

You can trade on financial instruments when you spread bet and trade CFDs with us. Take a look at our popular markets and instruments.

EU regulated

FTSE 250 group

2m+ global traders and investors¹

2023 WINNER

Best Forex Broker

Good Money Guide Awards

2025 WINNER

Best Mobile Trading Platform

ADVFN International Financial Awards

2023 WINNER

No.1 Web Platform

ForexBrokers.com Awards

More than a forex trading platform

We've got your pair

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

Precision pricing

Enjoy friendly assistance around the clock with 24/5 dedicated support, ensuring you never trade alone.

Fast, 100% automated execution

Experience fully automated, lightning-fast execution in only 0.009 seconds².

Exclusive instruments

Get exposure to multiple currencies in a single trade with our range of 12 forex indices.

Dedicated customer service

Our experienced team is here whenever the markets are open to support you on your trading journey.

No partial fills

No dealer intervention – we don't reject or partially fill trades based on size.

How do forex indices work?

Our forex indices group individual FX pairs with the same base currency to make a forex 'basket'. The indices track the underlying prices of the currency pairs within that index. If the individual forex prices in that index increase, then the value of the index will go up. Conversely, if the individual FX prices decrease, then the value of that index will fall.

Trading forex indices as opposed to individual currencies can potentially be a more cost-effective and efficient way of trading, as it allows you to take a view on one area of the forex market, without having to open a position on each FX pair. It can be a good way to diversify your portfolio; for example, geopolitical issues could affect one currency pair in the index, while the others may remain unaffected. Forex indices might also be used to hedge any unfavourable moves in a particular currency and spread your risk, through exposure to a wider range of currencies rather than just one currency pair.

It's important to be aware that spread bets and CFDs are high-risk, speculative products. High volatility combined with leverage could lead to significant losses. As with any leveraged product, profits and losses are magnified as they are based on the full value of the position, not just your initial deposit on a trade. While you could profit if the market moves in your favour, you could also make a loss if the trade moves against you, particularly if you don't have adequate risk-management cover in place.

Forex trading explained

Exclusive to CMC

Major forex indices to trade

We offer 12 different forex indices. Each is made up of a range of currency pairs with the same base currency. So the CMC USD Index, for example, is made up of a collection of US dollar pairs. Our full range of forex indices is listed below.

CMC USD Index

A collection of currency pairs which share the US dollar as the base currency.

CMC GBP Index

A collection of currency pairs which share the British pound sterling as the base currency.

CMC EUR Index

A collection of currency pairs which share the euro as the base currency.

CMC AUD Index

A collection of currency pairs which share the Australian dollar as the base currency.

CMC CAD Index

A collection of currency pairs which share the Canadian dollar as the base currency.

CMC CHF Index

A collection of currency pairs which share the Swiss franc as the base currency.

CMC CNH Index

A collection of currency pairs which share the same base currency: the Chinese yuan.

CMC JPY Index

A collection of currency pairs which share the same base currency: the Japanese yen.

CMC NOK Index

A collection of currency pairs which share the same base currency: the Norwegian krone.

CMC NZD Index

A collection of currency pairs which share the same base currency: the New Zealand dollar.

CMC SEK Index

A collection of currency pairs which share the same base currency: the Swedish krona.

CMC SGD Index

A collection of currency pairs which share the same base currency: the Singapore dollar.

Forex index details

View the spreads, margin rates and trading hours for our 12 major forex indices in the table below.

View all of our costs

What are other traders saying about CMC Markets?

Discover why 2 million+ global traders and investors choose us.³

How our forex indices are weighted

Our forex indices were created with a base level price of 1,000 for the USD, GBP, EUR, AUD, NZD, CAD, CNH, CHF, SEK, NOK and SGD indices, and a base level price of 20,000 for the JPY index, as of 31 December 2018. The weighting of each index component is capped at 40% of the total trade volume.

Forex indices methodology [pdf]

Tools built to enhance your analysis

Pattern recognition scanner

We automatically scan over 120 of our most popular instruments every 15 minutes for emerging and completed chart patterns, such as wedges, channels and head & shoulders formations.

Award-winning broker

2025 WINNER

No.1 Most Currency Pairs

ForexBrokers.com Awards

2025 WINNER

Best Mobile Trading Platform

ADVFN International Financial Awards

2025 WINNER

Best CFD Education Tools

ADVFN International Financial Awards

FAQs

New to forex index trading?

Is there an index for forex?

How are forex indices weighted?

Are any of your forex indices focused on emerging currencies?

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 on with CMC Markets?

Do you have any questions?

Email us at info@cmcmarkets.ie or call us on +353(0)1 256 3000 (lines open 24 hours, Monday to Friday).

¹Best Mobile Trading Platform, ADVFN International Financial Awards 2025; No.1 Most Currency Pairs and No.1 Commissions & Fees, ForexBrokers.com Awards 2025; Best Mobile Trading Platform, Professional Trader Awards 2024; No.1 Web Platform, ForexBrokers.com Awards 2023; Best Forex Broker, Good Money Guide Awards 2023; Best In-House Analysts, Professional Trader Awards 2023; Best Charting (Germany) and Best Customer Service (Germany), Investment Trends Leverage Trading Report 2023.

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.

More than a forex trading platform

How do forex indices work?

Major forex indices to trade

Forex index details

What are other traders saying about CMC Markets?

How our forex indices are weighted

Trade on forex indices

Tools built to enhance your analysis

Award-winning broker

FAQs

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