Why Choose Markets.com for Trading Online?
If you’re wondering whether Markets.com is the right broker for your forex or CFD trading, read on to discover the pros and cons of trading with this online broker.
What makes Markets.com a Good Choice for Trading Online?
- Trade over 2,200 products via its multi-asset trading platform
- Share dealing on the world’s biggest stock exchanges
- Build investment portfolios with no intermediaries
- Regulated by CySEC and FSCA
- Trade using proprietary MarketsX platform or MetaTrader 4 and 5
- A ‘low margins, higher returns’ commitment
- 24-hour customer support
Is Markets.com Safe?
The number of unregulated online forex brokers is on the rise. Therefore, choosing a brokerage you can trust with your hard-earned money is one of the first steps to trading the markets freely. When it comes to Markets.com, you can be sure of the reputability of this company. It is a subsidiary of the TradeTech Group, which is a listed FTSE 250 corporation and a constituent of the Playtech conglomerate.
Its trading operations are also licensed and regulated by both the Cyprus Securities and Exchange Commission (CySEC) and the British Virgin Islands Financial Services Commission (FSCA). Part of licensing conditions with both CySEC and FSCA is that Markets.com must segregate your capital from their own operating funds. Meanwhile the CySEC and FSCA ensures client funds up to €20,000 and £85,000 respectively are protected in the event of the broker’s closure.
Trading Online with Markets.com
With more than 2,200 trading instruments at your fingertips on Markets.com, let’s delve deeper to explore the types of CFDs you can buy and sell with this broker:
Forex
Open a CFD account with Markets.com and you will get immediate access to 67 major, minor and exotic forex pairs. The easiest way to trade forex with Markets.com is via their proprietary trading platform – MarketsX. Utilising cutting-edge functionality, it’s possible to take advantage of professional charting to monitor positions, compare and contrast pairs and forecast price moves. It also incorporates a string of technical indicators including Fibonacci retracement and Elliott wave to give users a competitive edge in the markets.
Crypto
There are two ways to trade the price action of the leading cryptocurrencies at Markets.com. First and foremost, you can use the same CFD account to trade cryptos as well as forex pairs. Alternatively, you can open a spread betting account and buy and sell on a per-point basis that’s free from capital gains tax and stamp duty.
At the time of writing, it’s possible to trade six of the leading cryptocurrencies including Bitcoin, Ripple and Ethereum. Alternatively, Markets.com allows crypto investors to trade the cryptocurrency market as a whole using their unique CryptoBlend instrument to diversify risk.
Blends
Ideal for investors keen to take positions on multiple stocks within a single instrument, Markets.com offers dozens of ‘blends’ that can expand a trader’s reach and exposure. Whether it’s stocks relating to geopolitical issues like the China-US trade war or simply a host of low-risk shares hand-picked by the biggest trading gurus such as George Soros and Warren Buffett, blends can do a lot of the legwork for your financial trading.
Indices
Available 24/7, five days a week, it’s possible to trade the major indices across the US, Europe and Far East with spreads starting from 0.8 points. Over 30 indices can be traded using either CFDs or spread betting accounts at Markets.com.
Bonds
It’s also possible to trade the movement of government bond prices, based on rising or falling interest rates in the UK, US and Germany. Using MarketX, it’s possible to trade bonds using CFDs or as exchange-traded funds (ETFs).
Opening a Markets.com Account
Interested in setting up your own Markets.com CFD or spread betting account? Read on to discover whether you are eligible to become a Markets.com customer.
Can I Open an Account at Markets.com?
If you live in the UK, Europe or Australia, it’s very straightforward to set up a Markets.com brokerage account. You will also be able to utilise electronic verification for prompt approval, allowing you to start placing trades as soon as possible.
What are the Different Types of Account?
There are four different types of trading accounts you can choose at Markets.com:
Demo
Free demo trading accounts are offered by Markets.com, allowing newcomers to familiarise themselves with the MarketsX platform or the dynamics of the markets in general using practice money.
Retail
The standard live trading account at Markets.com, retail accounts give you access to the full array of 2,200+ instruments, with flexible leverage and competitive spreads.
Professional
The professional trading account targets professional trades planning to invest a minimum of £500,000, with additional leverage structures offered.
Islamic
Traders seeking an interest-free account that’s aligned to the principles of Islamic Sharia law should open an Islamic-friendly account.
How to Open an Account at Markets.com
Those looking to open a basic retail trading account with Markets.com can head to the top right-hand corner of the homepage and click ‘Create Account’.
You’ll be taken to a new landing page, where you must fill in your email address and password, following by your preferred trading currency. In order to comply with AML/KYC rules, account verification is required. You must upload a copy of your ID and proof of address to gain full access to the Markets.com platform.
Markets.com Fees
The Markets.com platform is fully transparent about its brokerage fees, giving traders the chance to calculate how much their trades will cost before they execute them:
Trading Fees
Depending on the type of trading you pursue at Markets.com, you may incur fees. In the below section, we’ll take a look at the spreads for different kinds of trading assets.
Forex
Minimum spreads for major forex pairs like the EUR/USD start at 1.90 pips. This is on the MarketsX platform. If you prefer using MetaTrade 4 or 5, be prepared to see spreads of three pips. Up to 1:30 leverage is offered across most major and minor forex pairs here.
Cryptocurrency
Minimum spreads in cryptocurrency markets are some of the highest among brokers in the UK and Europe, with Bitcoin set at 140 pips and 15 pips for Ethereum.
Equities
You will tend to find more competitive minimum spreads when trading equity CFDs. For instance, Facebook has a spread of $0.20, while Apple has a spread of $0.29. Leverage of between 1:5 and 1:6 is typically available with equities.
Commodities
Trading commodity CFDs like gold and silver sees minimum spreads of $1.33 and $0.032 respectively. Leverage of 1:20 is offered exclusively on gold and gold futures.
Share Dealing
Although CFD trading is deemed ‘commission-free’ at Markets.com, share dealing does incur fees (once your three-month commission-free plan runs out:
- UK Shares – 0.1% (£8 minimum)
- US Shares – $0.02 ($15 minimum)
- EU Shares – 0.1% (€10 minimum)
- AU Shares – 0.1% (A$10 minimum)
Non-Trading Fees
Although fees for depositing to and withdrawing from your Markets.com brokerage account are nil, it’s important to bear in mind the dormancy charges applied to inactive accounts. Clients will be charged £10 a month after only three months of inactivity, which is one of the stricter approaches to dormant accounts in the industry.
Markets.com Deposits & Withdrawals
There are three main supported base currencies that can be deposited into your Markets.com CFD or spread betting account:
- GBP (£)
- USD ($)
- EUR (€)
Deposit Methods and Fees
There are five payment methods accepted for deposits into CFD and spread betting accounts at Markets.com:
- Credit/debit card (10 USD/GBP/EUR minimum)
- Wire transfer (100 USD/GBP/EUR minimum and 20 EUR within EU)
- Skrill (5 USD/GBP/EUR minimum)
- PayPal (10 USD/GBP/EUR minimum)
- Neteller (5 USD/GBP/EUR minimum)
Additional, lesser-known payment methods accepted include iDeal, Sofort and Fast Bank Transfers.
You will be pleased to read there are no fees incurred for any of the above deposit methods at Markets.com.
What is the Minimum Deposit at Markets.com?
The minimum you can deposit into a Markets.com account is 250 USD/GBP/EUR.
Withdrawal Methods and Fees
- Credit/debit card (10 USD/GBP/EUR minimum)
- Wire transfer (100 USD/GBP/EUR minimum and 20 EUR within EU)
- Skrill (5 USD/GBP/EUR minimum)
- PayPal (10 USD/GBP/EUR minimum)
- Neteller (5 USD/GBP/EUR minimum)
Markets.com Customer Support
As an online broker that prides itself on its customer support, let’s explore just how accessible the Markets.com team is on a day-to-day basis:
Methods of Contact and Availability
Live Chat
It’s possible to speak with a human operator 24/5 via the Markets.com live chat function. This basically means that live chat is available during normal trading hours throughout the weekday.
Prefer to put your queries in writing? Markets.com offers an online enquiry form that you can submit and get a formal response via email.
Phone
A dedicated telephone helpline is also available to all Markets.com clients. Lines open from 10pm UK time on Sunday through to 9pm UK time on Friday.
Markets.com Broker Review – Conclusion
Ultimately, Markets.com works hard to deliver a slick and intuitive trading experience for its clients. By investing heavily in its own proprietary MarketsX trading platform, they have tailored the online trading realm to suit their target demographic, with all the fundamental and technical analysis imaginable at your fingertips to help you make informed trading decisions.
With a host of customer support methods, exceptional customer security protocols including SSL and advanced encryption, Markets.com is a safe and reputable broker for first-time and experienced traders.