Markets.com is a power player in the CFD and currency trading arena. Traders can enjoy a free demo account and a real money account. A wide range of tools is offered to make it easy to trade indices, stocks, commodities and currency pairs in multiple formats.
Overview/Background
Markets.com is a brand and trademark operated by Safecap Investments Limited among other entities within the Finalto Group, a subsidiary of the software giant Playtech PLC, a company traded on the London Stock Exchange’s Main Market and a constituent of the FTSE 250 index. Among others, CFD traders can enjoy the Android and iOS compatibility and a web-based trading platform at Markets.com. There are many benefits to trading at Markets.com including a $10,000 Demo Trading Account, advanced charting capabilities, real-time quotes, 24/5 trading options, leveraged trading and access to live expert market overview.
The education section and the trading technical section provide options to enhance your trades, and your understanding of the financial markets. The Knowledge Centre features webinars where you can join a team of professional financial traders and analysts with years of experience in global financial markets. Markets.com is available in 128 countries. Traders in the USA, Canada, Belgium and Japan are not allowed to trade at Markets.com.
Account Types
Traders have access to a real money account and a demo-trading account. The demo trading account is free. The real-money trading account features a selection of unique trading tools.
Trading Platform/Software
Trading CFDs at Markets.com is an exciting experience. Traders are fortunate in that there is an iOS app, an Android app and Web Trader available. Downloading apps is a breeze and you can trade for real money on the go. The trading platforms at Markets.com include the Markets.com App and Markets.com Web Trader.
The benefits of using the app include the following:
- Proprietary technology designed for the ultimate trading experience.
- Ideally suited to all makes of iOS smartphones and tablets and Android smartphones and tablets.
- Wide range of trading tools and cutting-edge technology available at Google Play Store or App Store.
When it comes to the Markets.com Web Trader Platform, many benefits are available. These include advanced trading and research tools, no-download platform and a wide range of trading features. Traders can rest assured that security, transparency and credibility are guaranteed at Markets.com. Compared to other brokers, Markets.com is a cut above the rest.
What Are the Deposit Options?
In terms of deposits, the payments processing options include wire transfers, local payment methods, credit cards, debit cards and e-Wallets, such as Neteller and Skrill. Unlike many other brokerages, Markets.com does not levy any commissions on deposits. When you’re ready to withdraw your funds, the same payments processing method will be used when you made your deposit. Banking options are processed as quickly as possible, with various deposit methods. Withdrawals may take longer, since verification of client ID is essential.
Markets
The trading platform provides access to over 2,200 instruments including shares, commodities, indices and forex. It is free to set up a demo trading account, and it offers unlimited trading opportunities. Traders can enjoy CFD trading on multiple instruments including the following:
- CFD currencies – major currency pairs, minor currency pairs and exotic currency pairs
- Bonds – US TNOTE 10Y, US TBOND 30Y, Gilt10Y, GER10YBond etc.
- Indices – Hong Kong 45, India 50 – Futures, Japan 225, Amsterdam 25 – Futures, Australia 200, UK 100, USA 2000 – Future, USA 30, USA 500, US Tech 100, Swiss 20 – Futures, etc.
- Commodities – Brent Crude Oil, Cocoa, Coffee, Copper, Corn, Cotton, Gold, Heating Oil, Natural Gas, Platinum, Soybean, Sugar, Palladium, Wheat and Others.
- Exchange Traded Funds (ETFs) – ETFs include ACWI, AGQ, China CSI 300, DBC, DEM, DIA, EWT, EWY, FAZ, FXE, SPY, SSO, TBT, TWM, TZA, QID, XLY, XLU, XLP, VTI and others.
- Cryptocurrencies* – including Bitcoin, Bitcoin Cash, Ethereum, Litecoin and more (where available, subject to regulation).
*Cryptocurrency CFDs are not offered to retail clients in the United Kingdom.
CFD trading, otherwise known as Contracts for Difference does not require traders to own an underlying asset. In other words, it is a speculative proposition on the future price of the instrument. As opposed to purchasing 1000 x FB (Facebook) shares from a stockbroker, traders can simply purchase 1000 x FB CFDs on site. If the price of the asset drops by $5 per share, the trader would incur a $5000 loss, while a $5 per share appreciation in the stock price would result in a $5000 profit. With CFD trading, profits can be generated with rising or falling markets. You can go short or you can go long and profit accordingly. Competitive spreads are available and traders can engage in small/odd-sized lots of trading. At Markets.com CFD trading is commission free.
Trading Tools
Markets.com offers a variety of “Unique Trading Tools” which allow clients to make more educated and knowledgeable decisions about what to trade. Some of these tools are:
- Insider Trades – the latest transactions made by over 36,000 corporate insiders.
- Advanced Charting – allows traders to get a deeper view of their trades and assets and includes dozens of indicators and oscillators.
- Hedge Funds Confidence – See the sentiment of fund managers towards a stock, based upon the combined purchases of multiple funds.
Customer Support
An online contact form is available by clicking on the contact us tab. Clients simply need to enter their name, type of query, email address, telephone number, subject of the query and a description. If there is an accompanying document, it can be uploaded. A series of international phone numbers are available including the UK, Australia and Cyprus. The UK telephone number is +44-20-3150-0380. The Cyprus telephone number for European based clients is +357 2222 2121. In addition to phone support, live chat is also available for immediate assistance. The complaints department requires a complaint form to be completed by clients. In all instances, customer support is courteous, professional and highly responsive.
Safety
Clients can enjoy complete peace of mind, since the site is secured by SSL technology (secure socket layer). Markets.com also adheres to strict financial guidelines and regulations as security is a top priority. Clients’ funds are kept in segregated bank accounts from operational funds and are monitored. This ensures that traders’ funds will be kept safe, regardless of what happens with Markets.com. Any queries about safety can easily be directed at customer support.
Ease-of-use
The Markets.com trading platform is user friendly, it is easy to navigate and there are a variety of in-platform tools available. The registration process is very straightforward to complete and validate, and multiple languages are available including English, Arabic, Italian, German, French, Dutch, and many others. Customer support groups are accessible 24/5, making it much more convenient to trade at Markets.com. Markets.com is available as a web platform and on Android and iOS, the MT4 and MT5 platforms are also offered as alternatives. The education resources are also easy to access and 100% free to traders. With Markets.com it’s a breeze to research the latest market news and trade with precision.
Final Thoughts
Markets.com is a leader in CFD trading and forex trading. A wide range of payment processing options are available, including Wire Transfer, Neteller, Skrill, Credit Cards and Debit Cards such as MasterCard, Visa and others. The educational tools are useful and include forex education, CFD education, technical and fundamental analysis & webinars. Various research tools boost the appeal of this trading platform. Clients have access to cutting-edge technology at all times. The trading platforms include mobile trading, web-based trading, and MetaTrader. Overall, traders will be well pleased with the user-friendly interface and the innovative nature of the trading platforms.
CFDs are complex instruments and come with a high risk of losing money rapidly due to leverage. 67% of retail investor accounts lose money when trading CFDs with this provider. You should consider whether you understand how CFDs work and whether you can afford to take the high risk of losing your money.
Pros
- Regulated by CySEC, FCA, ASIC, FSCA & BVI FSC
- Unique Trading Tools
- Over 13 years of experience (established 2008)
- Client funds are held in segregated bank accounts
- Tight spreads
- Multiple languages and swap-free accounts
- Practice Account available to traders
- Multiple platforms to choose from including MetaTrader 4 and 5
Cons
- They charge an inactivity fee
- They don’t offer DMA/ECN/STP Accounts