Best for: Advanced Charting • Technical Analysis • 12,000+ Instruments
CFDs and Spread Bets are complex instruments and come with a high risk of losing money rapidly due to leverage. 68% of retail investor accounts lose money when trading spread bets and CFDs with this provider. You should consider whether you understand how they work and whether you can afford to take the high risk of losing your money.
CMC Markets is a veteran of the industry (founded 1989) that has managed to stay at the cutting edge of technology. Their "Next Generation" platform is their crown jewel, offering modular layouts and pattern recognition scanners standard.
The pattern recognition scanner is a standout feature, automatically identifying potential breakout or reversal patterns across hundreds of instruments. Coupled with a built-in news feed and analyst insights, it provides a complete research ecosystem.
Both are ways to trade price movements without owning the underlying asset. Both use leverage (so you can win or lose big with a small deposit). The main difference is how they are structured:
Which is better? Spread Betting is often cheaper for UK traders due to the tax benefit. CFDs are the global standard and often have more professional platforms (Direct Market Access).
The 'Next Generation' platform offers 115+ indicators, 70+ chart patterns, and 12 chart types. It is a charting powerhouse.
The Pattern Recognition Scanner automatically identifies potential trade setups, saving you hours of screen time.
Access over 12,000 instruments including exclusive Share Baskets to trade whole sectors with one click.
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