When selecting forex brokers, crucial considerations include regulatory compliance, security measures, and transaction fees. Trading Platform’s implement various security features, such as two-step authentication, to safeguard accounts against potential threats. Markets.com Broker caters to traders of all levels, providing a user-friendly platform known for innovation, reliability, and transparency. Notably, it stands out with no commission fees and competitive spreads.
Established in 2008, Markets.com is a globally recognized Forex and CFD provider. Owned by the Finalto Group, it has garnered over 4.3 million users worldwide and holds multiple regulatory certifications, including ASIC, FCA in the UK, CySEC in Cyprus, FSC in the British Virgin Islands, and FSCA in South Africa.
An in-depth Markets.com review reveals insights into the company’s offerings, pros and cons, leverage, tools, costs, withdrawal policies, minimum deposits, bonuses, security measures, account opening, mobile app, and trading platforms.
Markets.com Overview
| Official Website | https://www.markets.com/ |
| Headquarters | Cyprus |
| Found in | 2008 |
| Regulators | FCA, CySEC, ASIC, FSCA, FSC |
| Products Offered | Stocks, Currency Pairs, ETF, Commodity CFDs, Crypto, Index, Blends, Bonds |
| Minimum Initial Deposit | $100 |
| Maximum Leverage | 30:1 to 300:1 (As per country regulation) |
| Islamic Accounts | Yes |
| Demo Account | Yes |
| MetaTrader 4 (MT4) | Yes |
| MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | Yes |
| Trading Fees | Average |
| Inactivity Fees | $10/month after 3 months of inactivity |
| Withdrawal Fees | $0 |
| Supported Currencies | USD, EUR, GBP, PLN, SEK, DKK, NOK, ZAR, AUD, CHF, CZK |
| Customer Support | 24/5 Phone Support, Live Chat Support |
RISK WARNING: YOUR CAPITAL MIGHT BE AT RISK
About Markets.com
Users on Markets.com can trade on more than 2,200 CFDs with zero commissions. These cover bonds, blends, shares, stocks, indices, cryptocurrencies (cryptocurrency CFDs are not offered to retail clients in the UK), commodities, and ETFs. Traders can invest in fiat shares and stocks through an innovative Investment Strategy Builder tool built in the Markets.com account. European professional accounts offer negative balance protection and segregated bank accounts. It offers a choice of 3 trading platforms for trading forex and other CFDs.
Various other information sources and powerful trading tools are easily available, like the variety of market news, economic calendar, technical analysis, risk management tools, and chart trading tools.
Traders can access the top-of-the-line feature-rich Markets.com mobile app and the web-based trading platforms while keeping options open to trade on the MetaTrader 4 and MetaTrader 5 platforms.
Markets.com offers a wide range of useful trading tools, like Blogger’s Opinions, Hedge Funds Investment Confidence, Trading Analyst Recommendations, Insider Trades, and more. A USP of the broker is to provide round the clock customer support and service over live chat & email five days a week.
History of Markets.com
Markets.com was founded in 2008 as GFC Markets providing service to retail traders. It was rebranded to its present nomenclature trading platforms Matkets.com in 2010, soon after the Safecap Investments merger that owned GFC Markets and TradeFX, a software developer for CFD and Forex operators.
Markets.com partnered with Arsenal FC in 2014 as the football club’s “Official Forex and CFD trading partner” to access its wide-ranging digital channels. Part of the deal was that Markets.com broker provides “Matchday Experience” for the winner of the matches. In 2015, Playtech acquired TradeFX and, thus, by default Markets.com for €458m.
The company was rebranded in 2019 to MarketsX, simultaneously with the launch of Markets in 2020, focusing on investments in traditional stocks and shares.
An analysis of the Markets.com review shows that the platform has always exceeded customer expectations, winning the Best Forex Provider award of 2017 and the Best FX Platform in the same year in the UK Forex Awards.
Markets.com Ratings on Different Parameters
- Overall – 4 Stars
- Trust Score – 97%
- Commission and Fees – 4 Stars
- Offering of Investments – 4 Stars
- Research – 4 Stars
- Mobile Trading – 4 Stars
- Education – 3.5 Stars
- Customer Service – Ratings are not available
Therefore, it is seen that Markets.com broker has been steady on most aspects related to an optimized trading platform.
Markets.com Review – The Trust Factor
Markets.com is acknowledged by two high-trust Tier-1 regulators, two average-trust Tier-2 regulators, and one low-trust Tier-3 regulator.
The Tier-1 regulators are the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) of the UK and the Australian Securities & Investment Commission (ASIC). It is relatively low-risk, with a high Trust Score of 97 out of 99 in financial conduct.
Markets.com is also licensed by the Cyprus Securities and Exchange Commission (CySEC), the Financial Services Commission (BVI FSC) as well as the Financial Sector Conduct Authority (FSCA).
The broker follows MiFID II and European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA) laws that regulate client services, including negative balance protection that saves you from heavy loss during the trade.
The Cyprus Investment Compensation Fund (ICF) caps the broker default compensation at EUR 20,000 without any private or extra insurance coverage. Markets.com – One of the best forex brokers offers no two-tier authentication or assured stop-loss protection beyond the One Time Password (OTPs).
There are certain glitches on the flip side. Site disclosures do not go beyond the minimum spread, and data for the previous month, quarter, or year on average spreads are not available. No mention is also made of the amount that spreads can widen during off-market hours.
This can raise trading costs beyond expectations. This lack of clarity makes it complicated for prospective clients to make a transparent evaluation of the broker’s competitiveness before opening an account.
Experience on the Desktop
The web platform of Markets.com is in direct competition with the standard Metatrader 4/5 because of its high-end features. The broker’s desktop version offers adequate charting, sufficient drawing tools, and a long list of indicators.
There is an impressive lot of educational and research content within the platform that is very useful to beginners and traders with required skill sets. The Trading Central has tutorials, excellent basic research products, and video-on-demand.
However, despite the presence of a “favorites” watch list, there is no way to save them on the platform. Stop loss, limit orders, and take profit are not specific, but generic only as the order management feature is not robust enough.
On the brighter side, a context menu lists overnight lending fees for each instrument and leverage and margin information. While competitors might post margin credits on short sales, a Markets.com review of the desktop experience shows overnight lending fees for long and short positions.
Experience on the Mobile App
Apart from the standard MT4 and MT5 native apps available for mobile, there is also a proprietary trading platform Markets.com app. The Markets.com app is available both on the Android and the IOS platforms.
There are several cutting-edge features of the Markets.com app. First, the flagship platform features have been replicated across the mobile app, too, and hence there is a uniform and consistent look and feel.
Most of the web version’s research and education information and resources have also been integrated into the mobile app under the tab “Trading Tools.” Hence there is not much to choose between the web-based platform and the mobile app for Markets.com.
However, as is seen in many other best forex brokers trading platforms, the Markets.com app falls short in drawing tools and indicators even though the mobile app is above average. The app does sync with the web platform but has limited customization and streaming quotes and slightly weak order management.
Finally, the advantage of any mobile app is that it is tuned to be ready on the go. The app also allows traders to take orders during off-market hours.
Commission and Fees at Markets.com
An analysis of the Markets.com reviews throws up several aspects. Overall it seems that commissions and fees charged are slightly above average compared to a few leaders in this industry, like CMC Markets or IG.
Markets.com trading experience is thus mixed for traders. Here is a breakdown of the critical factors about commissions and fees.
Markets.com Platform
Advertisement
The broker also offers its own proprietary platform. The platform offers educational videos along with research materials, market analysis, webinars, in-depth analysis, advanced charting, technical analysis tools, and low spreads for experienced traders. Traders putting down a minimum deposit of $100 have the benefit of lower spreads than other brokers.
Variable Spreads
For Forex pairs, trading costs are variable and not fixed. This puts Markets.com at par with other brokers providing variable spreads. However, a perusal of the minimum listed spreads of the site shows that it is more than the average.
Average Spreads
The average minimum spread stands at 1.90 pips for the EUR/USD pair on the web platform, whereas it is three pips on the Metatrader 4/5.
In cryptocurrency trades, the average minimum spreads are at 107 pips for Bitcoin and 5 pips for Ethereum.
Full disclosure is found on the Markets.com website under ‘Full CFD Instrument List’.
However, full disclosure is available for overnight lending fees and other info on margins. There is no overnight margin credit for short-sellers, and all trade transactions are done through variable spreads.
Other Fees
Withdrawals on the Markets.com trading platform are free and are usually received within five business days. The minimum withdrawal amount varies depending on the withdrawal method used and ranges between $5 and $100. For a dormant account that has been inactive for three months, a monthly charge of $10 is levied. While shares are traded up to at 5:1 leverage, traders do not have to pay any minimum cost.
The professional account provides commission-free trading, and traders have to pay the spreads and swaps, which vary depending on the platform being used – Markets.com platform, MetaTrader 4, or MetaTrader 5.
Information is provided by the broker about the different fees and commission on their website. While the fees are similar, the trading experience on the Markets.com platform is richer.
Currently, Markets.com offers zero-commission investments on its proprietary share dealing platform account for the initial three months when a share dealing account is opened. After these three months, the commission is charged as follows:
- UK Shares 0.1% (min. 8 GBP)
- EU Shares 0.1% (min. 10 EUR)
- US Shares 2 cents per share (min. 15 USD)
- AU Shares 0.1% (min. 10 AUD)
In all these cases, additional custody fees, as well as conversion fees, are applicable.
Markets.com Leverage Overview
| Asset | FCA & CYSEC Retail Clients (UK & Europe) |
FCA & CYSEC Professional Clients (UK & Europe) |
Max Leaverage ASIC (Australia) |
Max Leaverage FSCA (Africa) |
Max Leaverage(All Other Country) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Major Forex Pairs | 30:1 | 300:1 | 30:1 | 300:1 | 300:1 |
| Minor and Exotic Forex Pairs | 20:1 | 300:1 | 30:1 | 300:1 | 300:1 |
| Cryptocurrencies | 2:1 | 10:1 | 2:1 | 5:1 | 2:1 |
| Major Indices | 20:1 | 200:1 | 20:1 | 200:1 | 20:1 |
| Non-Major Indices | 10:1 | 100:1 | 10:1 | 100:1 | 20:1 |
| Gold, Metal, Crude Oil | 20:1 | 200:1 | 20:1 | 200:1 | 20:1 |
| Commodities | 10:1 | 150:1 | 10:1 | 100:1 | 20:1 |
| Equities | 5:1 | 10:1 | 5:1 | 10:1 | 5:1 |
| Exchange Traded Funds(ETFs) | 5:1 | 100:1 | 5:1 | 100:1 | 5:1 |
Trading Platforms and Tools of Markets.com
Accounts lose money when traders do not have multiple options of trading platforms and trading tools and are forced to restrict their choices regardless of the fees and commissions charged.
Markets.com offers a broad range of tools and platforms that make for a rich trading experience. Markets.com’s offerings are the globally reputed MetaTrader 4 and MetaTrader 5, with a wide range of trading tools.
Given here are the trading platforms and tools of Markets.com.
Markets.com Trading Platform
This platform is considered to be the top of the offerings from Markets.com. The main advantage is that it is entirely browser-based, and no download is required. Traders have access to exclusive technical and fundamental trading tools.
The platform offers opportunities for trading across multiple asset categories and more than 2,200 instruments. Account holders are provided top-notch customer service and customer support and access to experts on the platform in case of any issues.
MetaTrader 4
This desktop-based platform offers four market order execution modes and 24 analytical tools for technical analysis.
Account holders can access a one-click trading interface and use automated trading strategies through expert professionals. Trading in lots as small as 0.01 with unique hedging tools is possible.
MetaTrader 5
Traders can be active in multiple asset classes and have access to more order types and trade management than what is available on MetaTrader 4.
The customer support experience can also be automated with expert advisors without which accounts lose money from lack of round the clock customer service. A range of chart types and timeframes, and technical indicators are available on the platform.
Markets.com Strategy builder
Whether it is London stock or that in South Africa, an in-depth Markets.com review shows that traders can choose specific investment strategies based on the appetite for high risk or otherwise. In-built investing strategies help traders take control and change portfolios based on high risk and specific goals. Trading tools allow filtering by index, sector, market cap, and volume.
Mobile Trading Platform
Markets.com also has a mobile trading app for IOS and Android users and can be downloaded from the respective stores. This mobile trading platform allows users to trade on the go at any time of the day and night.
Markets.com offers access to full dealing tickets and real-time charts as well as trading on multiple asset classes. All this is possible because the desktop version and the mobile application are seamlessly integrated.
A video review of all the platforms, both mobile and desktop, is provided on the Markets.com site.
Account Opening, Deposits, and Withdrawals
Markets.com Account Opening Process :
- Visit the Markets.com homepage.
- Click on the “Sign Up” button.
- In the Login window, select “Create Account.”
- Provide your email and choose a password that meets the specified criteria.
- Indicate your country of residence and click “Continue.”
- Complete your personal information and click “Continue.”
- Specify your residence address, either by searching or entering it manually. Click “Continue” when done.
- Choose your employment status, profession, annual income, savings and investments, intended yearly investment, trading purpose, and the source of funds. Read and confirm the terms and policies. Once confirmed, you are now ready to add funds and start trading with Markets.com.
Markets.com Deposits :
- Markets.com minimum deposit is $100 and accepts various currencies (USD, GBP, EUR) ensuring negative balance protection for live trading.
- Retail and professional traders get a maximum leverage in Markets.com is up to 300:1, though the latter has fewer protections.
- Funding options include credit cards, bank transfers, Neteller, PayPal, and Skrill, with no fees for deposits on the Markets.com platform.
- Traders can avail a £25, Forex broker with no deposit bonus when opening a new account on the Markets.com platform
Markets.com Withdrawals :
- Withdrawals on Markets.com utilize the same methods as deposits, including credit cards, bank transfers, Neteller, PayPal, and Skrill.
- Importantly, there are no fees or commissions for withdrawals on the platform.
Notably, the withdrawal process aligns with the principle of using the same payment method as deposits.
Research and Analysis
Markets.com review has a positive side as the broker provides a good and robust foundation for research and analysis even though it is evaluated that Markets.com trails other forex brokers considered industry leaders like IG and Saxo Bank. In this context, creating content by the broker’s analysts, Forex news videos, and a heat-map tool would ramp up the research tools and put Markets.com up there among the best industry brokers.
Currently, the broker offers forex and CFD traders through third-party and proprietary trading tools, including TipRanks and pattern recognition from Delkos. Further, the Markets.com list of trading features is quite impressive. Access is provided to a variety of technical, basic, and sentiment tools. The following are optimized and very helpful for any trader.
Hedge Funds Investment Confidence
Data from the SEC is used by this tool to track the stocks that the hedge funds are buying or selling. It indicates the popularity and sentiment of a stock.
Insider Trades
It is another tool that ranks high in any markets.com trading review and focuses on the rise and fall in shareholdings of over 36,000 company insiders.
Bloggers Opinions
This sentiment tool is like a third party that considers the opinions of more than 50,000 financial bloggers. Based on them, traders can decide the sentiment prevailing on different assets.
Trends in Trading
This one tool on broker Markets.com allows traders to check the position of thousands of other traders.
Apart from these optimized tools, a quick check of the Markets.com review proves that the broker offers several detailed research reports about its single-share CFDs. Experienced analysts with the required professional expertise on Markets.com beam live webinars. This is a part of the educational video content from Recognia and an X-ray offering.
Customer Support and Service at Markets.com
Brokers have to provide optimized customer service to be ranked high in any review. The support should be round the clock, too, as exchanges function continually in various parts of the world.
In a Markets.com review, an analysis points towards several pros and cons. Markets.com broker provides multiple avenues for customer interaction and support, like Phone Support, Web Query forms, and Live Chat 24 hours a day and 5 days a week. The interaction is across multiple languages such as English, Spanish, Italian, French, German, Bulgarian, and Arabic.
The broker also has a FAQ section on its website for generic questions and covers the following – About Us, Account and Verification, Trading and Platforms, and Deposits and Withdrawals. Although these aspects include most queries about Markets.com, there is also a search bar for specific clarifications. Those logging into the live chat feature of Markets.com have a total waiting time of 2 minutes and have to spend another 3 minutes approximately to get a satisfactory answer. The total of 5 minutes is more than what other forex brokers have to offer in customer support.
The chat button is not updated. A phone number search yields a page with 24/5 local and international phone numbers but nothing else about the timings and the days off.
Finally, the social media handles of Markets.com, like Twitter and Facebook, are non-interactive and contain mainly marketing and commentary posts.
Markets.com forex broker maintains standard trading hours for major FX pairs, spanning from Sunday at 22:05 GMT to Friday at 21:55 GMT. However, it’s worth checking their official website for instrument-specific details and holiday closures.
Markets.com Verdict
Rounding up this Markets.com review, it can be said with an element of certainty that Markets.com offers an innovative interface for trading in a range of instruments, from fiat to crypto. Tight spreads with zero commissions and leverage ratios of up to 1:30 for retail clients and 1:300 for professional clients. The focus of the broker is more oriented to the basic account holders than to technically-oriented traders who would have to pay the added costs of MetaTrader.
The Markets.com website is appealing and functional and comes with various features. One of them is the Markets.com proprietary platform, where users can trade on more than 2,200 plus CFD instruments commission-free. Not many brokers offer the opportunity like Markets.com, i.e., the Investment Strategy Builder tool that helps investors transact in real stocks and shares via a Markets.com account.
RISK WARNING: 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. This content is created for information & educational purposes only and should not be considered investment advice or investment recommendation. Conduct your own research by contacting financial experts before making any investment or trading decisions.
FAQs
Is Markets.com a good broker?
Advertisement
Yes, Markets.com ranks among the best brokers in the industry. Users can trade in more than 2,200 plus CFDs commission-free. Instruments range from shares, stocks, indices, bonds, blends, cryptocurrencies, ETFs and commodities. An innovative Investment Strategy Builder tool built in the Markets.com account helps traders invest wisely in fiat shares and securities.
The broker also allows access to the feature-rich Markets.com mobile app or the web-based platforms while keeping options open to trade on the MetaTrader 4/5 platforms. Markets.com provides robust customer service over live chat and email 24/5. Top-of-the-line tools include Blogger’s Opinion, Hedge Funds Investment Confidence, and Trading Analyst Recommendations.
How to withdraw money from my Markets.com account?
To withdraw money from the Markets.com platform, you need to select the withdrawal method, which is present at the right corner; you can also do it with a mobile app, and your money will be returned with the same method you used to deposit.
Is it safe to use my bank card on Markets.com?
Yes, it is safe to use your bank card on the Markets.com platform, as they have various financial guidelines and regulations. And lastly, security is their top priority.
Is Markets.com scam or real?
Markets.com is a trustworthy platform since 2008 for trading and investing. It provides various trading platforms, so without a second thought, explore it!
What is the best trading market?
The best trading market is Forex for several reasons though various brokers might have a different perspective. The first reason is market volatility as you can acquire an asset at a favorable price and dispose of it quickly at a higher price as the movement in prices is rapid. Next is accessibility, and Forex trading can be started with as little as $100. Online Forex trading has always relied on advanced technologies, and the latest ones are invariably incorporated into various platforms. Finally, Forex trading is heavily monitored by regulatory authorities and, therefore, not prone to fraudulent transactions.
What is the minimum deposit for Markets.com?
Markets.com minimum deposit is 100 USD. Consideration is given to all the regions and entities under which Markets.com conducts trades.
Where is Markets.com located?
The Markets.com Headquarters are located in Miami, East Coast, Florida, Southern United States.
Is the online market legit?
Yes, the online trading market is legit, and most of them are regulated by the laws of the land where they are incorporated. Markets.com is regulated by the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC), the Financial Sector Conduct Authority (FSCA) of South Africa, the Cyprus Securities and Exchange Commission (CySEC), the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) and the BVI Financial Services Commission (FSC).