Review sections
MARKETS.COM Video Review
VIDEO
Investor Protection & Regulations
“MARKETS.COM offers a high level of regulatory oversight from four major global financial regulators including the Cyprus Securities and Exchange Commission (CySEC), the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC), the Financial Sector Conduct Authority (FSCA) and the UK’s Financial Conduct Authority (FCA).”
Everyone of Markets.com’s global offices is regulated as summarised below:
Markets.com is an approved domain of Safecap Investments Ltd from the Cyprus Securities and Exchange Commission (CySEC) under licence number 092/08, as confirmed below on the CySEC register:
Markets.com is also operated by Tradetech Markets (Australia) Pty Ltd which holds an Australian Financial Services Licence (no.424008) and is regulated by the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC) as confirmed on the regulator’s register:
Markets.com is also operated by TradeTech Markets (South Africa) Pty Ltd which is regulated by the Financial Sector Conduct Authority (FSCA) under licence number 46860, as confirmed by the FSCA register shown below:
Markets.com is also operated by TradeTech Alpha Limited which is regulated by the UK’s Financial Conduct Authority under licence number 607305, as confirmed on the FCA register shown below:
Of which uk.markets.com is an approved trading name:
Each region provides unique features for individual users, such as access to changing leverage limits and bonus offerings. According to the broker’s website, Markets.com gives further protection to clients by:
Keeping client funds in segregated bank accounts.
Offering negative balance protection.
Being part of the ICF Investor Compensation scheme for CySEC regulated users, or the FSCS Investor Compensation scheme for FCA regulated users.
Markets.com does not accept users from the following regions: DPRK (North Korea), Iran, China, Ethiopia, Iraq, Serbia, Sri Lanka, Syria, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Vanuatu, Yemen, Brazil, Belgium, Canada, India, Israel, Japan, Northern Mariana Islands, Russia, US Virgin Islands, USA, New Zealand, Hong Kong, Singapore, Pakistan, Turkey.
Tradable Products
“With Markets.com, users can trade on more than 2,200 different CFD markets covering Stocks, Indices, Currencies, Commodities, Cryptocurrencies, Bonds, ETFs, IPOs and unique Index Blends.”
A wide range of CFD markets are available to trade on with Markets.com. Below is a list of just some of the markets available to trade on:
While trading with Markets.com is commission-free, spread costs and swaps vary between individual markets and trading platforms. For example, at the time of writing when logged into their Markets X FCA regulated demo account, the spread on EURUSD is 1 pip and the spread on GBPUSD is 3 pips.
* Details regarding the available assets are taken from Markets.com’s website and are correct at the time of this review.
Account Opening
“Markets.com offers MetaTrader 4 and MetaTrader 5 live and demo trading accounts as well as their own flagship Markets X account offering lower spreads, VIP support service and a host of advanced platform tools.”
Opening an account with Markets.com is quick and simple and is suitable for both beginner and professional traders. To get started, users just need to click the ‘Create Account’ tab at the top of the Markets.com homepage which will lead to a registration page as shown below:
Users will then be asked whether they would like to open a live trading account (Real Mode) or a demo trading account (Demo Mode):
Once selected, users then need to fill out some personal information:
Once this is filled in, users will need to complete four more simple questionnaire pages relating to financial information, trading experience and knowledge. At this point, users can then verify themselves by uploading proof of identification and proof of residence, as shown below:
Once users set up their Markets X account, they can access the broker’s feature-rich web trader platform or download the MetaTrader 4 or MetaTrader 5 platform.
While the minimum deposit is $/£/€ 100, the Markets X – which provides lower spreads, VIP support service and advanced platform tools – requires a minimum deposit of £250 or equivalent in local currency.
The registration process can differ depending on where you live, as confirmed from the broker’s website:
However, some users can choose to trade under different regulators to access different features, as shown below:
One of the main biggest differences between the regulators is the leverage on offer, which varies between the Markets.com offices, as shown below:
Deposit & Withdrawals options
“Markets.com offers a variety of ways to deposit and withdraw funds such as wire transfer, credit card, Neteller, Skrill, PayPal and more.”
With Markets.com, users have a wide range of options in depositing funds to their trading account as well as withdrawing them. While the broker does not charge any fees for deposits or withdrawals (although your own bank may) there are certain minimum transaction amounts as shown below:
Only European users can use PayPal, Ideal or Sofort to deposit and withdraw funds. Typically, the minimum amount to deposit funds is $/£/€ 100 or more. However, there are lower minimum amounts to withdraw funds depending on the chosen medium.
Withdrawals can take between 2 to 8 days to be processed, as shown below from the Markets.com customer support FAQ page:
Web & Desktop Trading Platforms
“Markets.com offers trading on MetaTrader 4 and MetaTrader 5, as well as on their own superior in-house built, proprietary Markets X Web Trader platform which offers advanced and unique features and benefits.”
The in-house built, proprietary Markets X Web Trader platform hosts a wide variety of features and benefits suitable for both beginner and advanced traders. Once users have created their account, logging in to the platform opens straight to their trading homepage as shown below:
On the left side, users can access the wide range of markets that are available to trade with at Markets.com across Indices, Currencies, Commodities, Cryptocurrencies, Shares, ETFs, Blends and Bonds. Users can create their own watchlists as well as search for the markets ‘top movers’. Users can easily switch from a live trading account to a demo trading account by clicking the Markets X icon on the top right.
Markets.com offers advanced charting functionality for a web-based trading platform making it highly unique. There are many features available for traders such as a variety of different charting types such as Bars, Candles, Heikin Ashi, Line, Area, Renko, Point & Figure and more, as shown below:
There is also a wide variety of trading indicators available that users can add to their charts including all the common and most popular indicators, as shown below:
Traders also have access to advanced drawing tools such as Fibonacci Time Zones, Gann Squares and the Schiff Pitchfork among others, as shown below:
Perhaps the most unique feature is the ability to draw upon a raft of key information for each individual security on the chart. In fact, next to the Chart option below the symbol and price name, there are options to view Key Statistics, Profile, Insights, Related Instruments, Open Positions and Orders. For example, the Key Statistics page offers useful information such as analyst opinions as well as margin requirements for trading, as shown below:
The Profile page is also very useful for those wanting to learn more about the instrument they are trading, as shown below for the UK 100 (FTSE 100 Cash) CFD:
Traders can also choose from three different types of trading order windows: Basic, Floating and Advanced.
The floating trade ticket offers quick functionality for one-click orders and trading functionality directly from the chart, as shown below:
Traders can also select a Basic trading ticket option which offers the following features:
There is also an Advanced trading ticket option which offers the following features:
From the Markets X Web Trader platform traders can also access news, signals and other account management options. While the Markets.com Web and Desktop platform offers far more functionality than the MetaTrader 4 or MetaTrader 5 platform, there is no option for algorithmic or automated trading. However, traders can access signals and insights from Trading Central and other market analysts.
Fortunately, Markets.com also offer trading on the MetaTrader 4 and MetaTrader 5 trading platform which is available for download for those with real live accounts, as shown below:
Mobile Trading Platforms
“The Markets.com CFD trading app offers unique features for the beginner and advanced trader but limited charting functionality.”
Traders can download the Markets.com CFD Trading App direct from the Google Playstore or Apple’s App Store. The app itself offers some unique functions, such as accessing your favourites watchlist, viewing and managing open positions and orders, depositing and withdrawing funds and accessing trading tools such as Financial Commentary, Dow Jones Top News, Analyst Recommendations, Hedge Fund Confidence and more.
On the homepage of the Markets.com mobile trading app, users can view featured, favourites and open positions as well as manually search for a specific market or view from their entire list of more than 2,200 tradable assets. From here, users can easily sell or buy a particular security:
The trading ticket to buy and sell on the Markets.com mobile trading app is simple and offers a variety of functions, such as adding a stop loss and take profit level, as shown below:
However, at this moment in time, the chart functionality is very limited and only offers the ability to view different timeframes of a particular security such as the Monthly, Weekly, Daily, 4 Hour, 2 Hour, 1 Hour, 30 Minute, 15 Minute, 5 Minute and 1 Minute charts.
Trading Features
“Markets.com offers a variety of trading features including no-fee trading and a wide variety of trading tools.”
Clients trading with Markets.com are offered a unique set of trading tools to aid in their trading. These include:
Interactive economic calendars, with a proprietary algorithm that scans consensus data from over 30 leading economists around the globe.
Access to Trading Central’s patented pattern recognition software.
Acuity news alerts and sentiment information.
A Signals tool which combines data from five of their most robust tools including Daily Analyst Recommendations, Insider Trades, Hedge Fund Confidence and Bloggers Opinions.
Traders who use the Markets.com MetaTrader 4 and MetaTrader 5 platforms can also use the wide variety of Expert Advisors available for the creation of custom indicators and algorithmic trading.
Commissions & Spreads
“Markets.com offers zero commission trading with their revenue coming from the spreads and swaps of trading their more than 2,200 tradable CFD markets.”
Markets.com offers no-fee trading with costs limited to the spread of individual securities and the swap rate for holding overnight positions. The average spread depends on whether traders are using MetaTrader 4, MetaTrader 5 or the Markets X Web Trader platform.
Forex Spreads
While the EURUSD spread states 1.90 pips on the broker’s website, from testing their Markets X platform the spread has been as low as 1 pip on EURUSD.
The MetaTrader 4 and MetaTrader 5 platform have different trading conditions which can be found on their website, as shown below:
With the Markets.com MetaTrader 4 platform the spread on AUDUSD, for example, is as low as 4 pips, whereas the Markets X platform is as low as 2.8 pips.
Some examples are provided below and more can be found on their website:
On top of the spread cost, Markets.com uses a 4% financing charge on all instruments across all platforms – according to their Best Execution Policy for FCA regulated account holders. From our observations, the swap rates are higher than average. There is also a currency conversion charge when trading an underlying asset that is priced in a different currency to your base account currency, as shown below:
Bonus & Promotions
“Markets.com offers a variety of bonus and promotional offers depending on which of their global offices an account is opened.”
Due to different regulations between the Markets.com offices, some users can access a variety of bonus and promotional offers for their trading. The details below are taken from the broker’s website at the time of writing and could be subject to change:
Generally speaking users under European or UK regulations cannot access bonus promotional offers such as the deposit bonus or trading rebates.
Customer Support
“Markets.com offers a variety of customer support avenues including Live Chat, Phone Support and Web Query Forms, 24 hours a day, 5 days a week, across multiple languages.”
Markets.com offers customer support in multiple languages including English, French, Spanish, German, Italian and Arabic. 24 hours a day, 5 days a week customers can contact Markets.com through:
Dedicated Live Chat is available from their website.
Dedicated Phone Support from 10 pm UK time on Sunday to 10 pm UK time on Friday on +44 (0) 203 1500 380.
Online web query form.
An online Support Centre with frequently asked questions.
Clients can also reach Markets.com through social channels such as Facebook and Twitter.
Research
“Markets.com offers a wide range of live market analysis, fundamental, technical and sentiment tools, as well as live shows and breaking news through their XRay service.”
Clients of Markets.com have a wide range of trading tools and analysis features available to them, directly from the Markets X trading platform, including:
A live economic calendar that uses a proprietary algorithm to scan consensus data from over 30 leading economists.
Dow Jones Newswire of the 20 most important news events in the world.
Thomson Reuters Analyst Research, a downloadable stock report with company-specific analysis.
Financial commentary from ForexLive.
Hedge Fund Confidence tool which uses data from the SEC to show where hedge funds are investing their money.
Acuity News Alert and Sentiment indicator for individual assets.
A Signals tool which combines data from five other Markets X tools.
XRay, which is a service that provides live breaking news and scheduled shows.
To access any of these tools, traders simply need to login to their Markets X trading platform and select the tools icon on the top right, as shown below:
Here’s an example of the Hedge Fund Confidence tool once selected:
And here’s an example of the Events and Trade tool:
Trader Education
“Markets.com offers on series of Education on Demand videos provided by Trading Central covering topics suitable for both beginner and advanced traders.”
The Education on Demand videos can be found once logged into the Markets X Web Trader platform. There are three video categories: Beginner, Intermediate and Advanced all covering a wide range of topics such as price action and indicators.
There are also additional videos under Video Tutorials, however, these are limited:
Trading Experience
“Markets.com offers a unique trading experience with their Markets X Web Trader platform which offers benefits for both beginner and advanced traders.”
From our observations, experienced traders will enjoy the flexibility of trading with a global office which may provide other options such as higher leverage and bonus promotions. Experienced users can also trade on the well-known MetaTrader 4 and MetaTrader 5 platforms while accessing the advanced trading tools offered by Markets.com such as the interactive economic calendar, Hedge Fund Confidence, Trading Central pattern recognition tools and more.
Beginner traders will find the use of a demo trading account very useful to get started on the Markets X Web Trader platform. While the platform offers advanced features, it is also suitable for beginner traders due to its browser-based functionality which is simple to use and understand. The progression from beginner and advanced is also seamless due to the more than 2,200 CFD markets that are available to trade with, as is the fact there are no trading commissions apart from the spread and swap rate of the individual market being traded.
FAQ
Is Markets.com regulated?
Yes, Markets.com is regulated by the Cyprus Securities and Exchange Commission (CySEC), the Financial Sector Conduct Authority of South Africa (FSCA), the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC) and the UK’s Financial Conduct Authority (FCA).
Where is Markets.com based?
Markets.com is headquartered in Nicosia, Cyprus.
How does Markets.com make money?
Markets.com mainly makes its money through the spread and swap rate of the market being traded.
How do I deposit in Markets.com account?
Funds can be deposited into a trading account via bank wire transfer, credit card, Neteller, Skrill, Paypal, Ideal and Sofort.
What is the min. deposit for Markets.com?
The minimum deposit is $/£/€ 250 for UK based traders and $/£/€ 100 for the rest.
How do I withdraw money from Markets.com?
Withdrawals can be made from Markets.com once logged into the trading platform and can be done via bank wire transfer, credit card, PayPal, Neteller and Skrill subject to minimum amounts.
What is the max leverage in Markets.com?
The maximum leverage offered by Markets.com varies depending on which global office is chosen to open an account. The maximum leverage in Europe and the UK is 30:1 for retail clients. The maximum leverage in Africa and Australia is 300:1 for all clients.
How do I open an account with Markets.com?
An account can be opened at the click of a button on the Markets.com website and can be done in just a few steps.
Does Markets.com use MetaTrader?
Yes, Markets.com does offer MetaTrader 4 and MetaTrader 5.
Conclusion
“Markets.com provides a unique offering with commission-free trading on their in-built, proprietary Markets X Web Trader platform which is full of advanced trading tools suitable for both beginner and advanced traders across their more than 2,200 CFD markets on offer.”
Clients with Markets.com can trade on more than 2,200 CFD markets covering Currencies, Indices, Commodities, Cryptocurrencies, Shares, Bonds, Blends, ETFs and IPOs. Some users can also choose which global office they open an account with which may provide options such as higher leverage and bonus promotions, as the broker is regulated by four major global regulators including CySEC, ASIC, FSCA and the FCA.
While Markets.com offers commission-free trading, the spreads of individual assets vary depending on the trading platform being used which is one of the costs of trading along with the swap rate. Live account traders can access the well-known MetaTrader 4 and MetaTrader 5 trading platforms as well as the impressive in-built, proprietary Markets X Web Trader platforms which come with a wide variety of advanced trading features.
Traders can enjoy trading with Markets.com seamlessly across Windows, Android or iOS operating systems, while accessing their wide variety of trading tools covering fundamental, technical and sentiment indicators. As the Markets X Web Trader platform is browser-based users will find it simple to use and understand.
The broker offers services and features designed for both beginner and professional traders such as a VIP trading service to access low spreads, analyst recommendations and VIP support service through their Markets X Account, as well as:
Choice of full regulation from CySEC, FCSA, ASIC or the FCA, as well as a secure trading environment with negative balance protection and segregated client trading funds.
Commission-free trading on more than 2,200 tradable CFDs across Stocks, Indices, Currencies, Commodities, Cryptocurrencies, Bonds, ETFs and IPOs.
The ability to trade on a proprietary, custom-built, feature-rich web trading platform and mobile trading app, as well as the popular MetaTrader 4 and MetaTrader 5 platforms.
Access to advanced trading tools in their custom-built platform such as Dow Jones News stream, Thomson Reuters analyst research, Trading Central pattern recognition software, Hedge Fund Confidence tool using data from the SEC and news alerts and sentiment provided by Acuity.
