Markets.com

Introduction

Traders who wish to trade in an alternative way have many options available to them. New and experienced traders should find a broker that fits their style and is reputable in the fast-paced world of online trading. Markets.com has built a highly regarded name in both the FX and CFD brokerage worlds by providing clients with a strong mix of trading technology, multiple asset classes, and a robust compliance framework that is tailored to where a client resides and the registration entity they use for their account.

When creating Markets.com, every aspect of the Platform was developed with their Clients in mind. Markets.com has made it a priority to provide every client with access to their trading platform(s), along with stellar customer service and extensive educational resources to support different trading styles and client types. The purpose of this article is to provide potential clients with an overview of Markets.com’s background, major offerings, regulatory status, trading conditions, pricing, and user experiences.

Overview

Originally, Markets.com was tied to GFC Markets, which was rebranded to Markets.com in 2010. The Markets.com brand is frequently represented by various regulated entities in each market jurisdiction within the group structure (for example, in Europe through the Cyprus Securities and Exchange Commission).

A single “headquarters” should not be used to establish the Markets.com brand as a global broker; however, the best way to view Markets.com is as a multi-jurisdictional group of regulated entities with clients having access to different levels of client experience and protection depending on the jurisdiction and account registration parties involved in the client’s onboarding.

Major Features and Offerings

Trading Platforms

Markets.com has several ways to trade. In addition to offering an online/proprietary and app platform experience, Markets.com also provides support for MT4 and MT5 on its website. The region and account registration entity will determine what platforms you will have access to.

Types of Accounts/ Intra Markets

Markets.com provides access to an extensive range of CFD instruments, including all FX pairs, Equities/Stocks, Commodities, Indices, ETFs, and Cryptocurrencies.

While the original text indicated that Markets.com offered a Standard Account as the primary means for clients to open trading accounts, today Markets.com provides additional account types for clients in many areas (Standard / Raw/ Micro) with varying spread/commission structures.

Other Features

Markets.com provides multiple education sources (analyses, tutorials, and platform training), as well as a multilingual support team, by providing their clients access to information in multiple languages. As with any broker, clients’ educational resources' value depends on the individual client's needs, the client's region or location, and/or the registration entity used for account onboarding.

Regulatory Status and Licensing

MMarkets.com operates through regulated entities determined by client location, such as the CySEC-regulated European entity and the FSCA-regulated South African entity.

The frameworks mostly address how a client is to be protected through compliance with client protection standards (e.g., Segregated funds regulations), but the types of regulations and protections differ widely depending on the country/jurisdiction you're in and the company providing funds to or doing business with you.

Trading conditions & technology platform

Trading Conditions

Markets.com offers several account types with different trading conditions. In the original text it stated that the 'spreads could be as low as 0.0 pips' on all account types; however, in a published document (account type comparison) we found display examples where raw spreads could have been on an average of 0.1 pips and Standard/Micro spreads could be higher depending upon each account tier(s) with commission charges applicable to some account tiers.
Leverage is also dependent on jurisdictional limitations and client classification; therefore, even though Markets.com is advertising leverage ratios of up to 1:500 for certain account types, factors will determine whether clients actually receive these ratios.
In the original text, it stated that minimum deposits were not documented. However, upon reviewing the Frequently Asked Questions section of their website, we found that they do require a minimum deposit of $100 in USD/EUR/GBP.

Platform Technology

Markets.com supports multiple platforms (proprietary/web/app and MetaTrader). Mobile access is offered via apps, allowing monitoring and trade execution on Android/iOS (availability can vary by region).

Cost of Trading

Markets.com presents a fee approach where some costs are embedded in spreads and/or commissions depending on account type. Importantly, the original text said withdrawal fees were “not explicitly detailed,” but Markets.com’s FAQ states that markets.com does not charge withdrawal fees, while banks/payment providers may charge their own fees.

User Experience and Market Reputation

The Trustpilot website states Markets.com had an average user rating of 3.6 from approximately 1,257 users at the time this report was written. Comments on the site are very mixed. Some comment positively on the helpfulness of company staff and the ease of the onboarding process, while others have noted major problems, particularly the difficulty of withdrawing funds.
There is also an important distinction between the posted risk warnings at Markets.com. For example, one warning states that 77.3% percent (Based on October 2023) of small retail investors lose money when trading CFDs. Similar disclaimers can also be found within their onboarding processes on various country-specific pages.
• Advantages: Multi-asset CFD offering via many different platform options from legally recognized entities, depending on where the customer trades.
Disadvantages: CFD trading is high-risk. According to the risk disclaimers, a large percentage of small retail investor accounts lose money when trading with each dealer, as specifically disclosed in Markets.com warnings.

Recent Changes

No particular “must-mention” change related to any products was derived solely from the text; however, Markets.com is still actively publishing resources on its platform and support, and confirming regulatory obligations through publicly available legal documents.

Conclusion

There is a long history of Markets.com operating as a Forex/CFD trading brand under many regulatory jurisdictions. There are many government-regulated entities worldwide that trade CFDs (including countries such as South Africa and Europe that have approved regulatory bodies). The trading environments available to the trader are diverse, and they include access to multiple types of assets and platforms (including ****MetaTrader Online).

In addition, Agent Pricing Organization may vary depending on the trader’s chosen entity and the region selected for trading. However, due to various factors, there is still a substantial risk in trading CFDs; moreover, Markets.com reports that many retail traders in certain geographic areas lose a high percentage of their capital.

As such, all traders should verify which Regulated Entity they are opening an account with; read any and all relevant legal documentation, and understand any and all related costs and restrictions within their trading area before funding their trading account.