CMC Markets has launched 24/7 cryptocurrency CFD trading as part of a strategic push into Web 3.0 and decentralised finance (DeFi), marking a major milestone in the company’s evolution. However, due to regulatory restrictions, UK retail clients will not yet have access to these crypto products.
The FTSE 250-listed trading platform announced the move alongside strong financial results for FY 2025, including a 12% increase in underlying EBITDA to £103.4 million and a 33% rise in pre-tax profits to £84.5 million.
CEO Lord Peter Cruddas described the shift to crypto as part of a wider transformation aimed at positioning CMC at the forefront of the future of finance.
The new 24/7 crypto offering — already live in CMC Markets Australia — adds 104 additional trading days per year, enabling clients to trade popular cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin and Ethereum around the clock.
CMC also confirmed its acquisition of a 51% stake in blockchain firm StrikeX, bringing native DeFi expertise in-house and accelerating development of new digital asset products, including a multi-asset wallet and tokenised securities.
However, in the UK, CMC is restricted from offering crypto CFDs to retail clients due to a ban introduced by the Financial Conduct Authority in January 2021. These products remain available only to professional clients. Retail traders seeking crypto exposure must look to direct trading platforms or regulated investment products.
CMC’s new DeFi vertical forms the third pillar of its business model, alongside its direct-to-consumer (D2C) trading platform and institutional Platform Technology as a Service (PTAS) division.
With plans to integrate on-chain settlement, tokenisation, and smart contract capabilities, CMC is preparing for a financial future where traditional and decentralised markets increasingly converge.
“Web 3.0 isn’t optional—it’s inevitable,” said Lord Cruddas. “CMC intends to lead that transformation.”
CMC Markets Cryptocurrency Lets Professional Traders Trade Crypto Indices & Coins
Account: CMC Markets Cryptocurrency Trading
Description: CMC markets, offers three proprietary crypto indices including, an All Crypto Index, a Major Crypto Index including bitcoin, ethereal, ripple, bitcoin cash, litecoin and an Emerging Crypto Index with cardamon, dash, EOS, monero, NEO, stellar lumens, tron.
Can you trade cryptocurrency on CMC Markets?
Yes, you can trade cryptocurrencies and crypto indices on CMC Markets, but only if you have a professional trading account with margin rates of around 50%.
According to CMC’s description of the index, Bitcoin will constitute around 12% of the All Crypto Index and 40% of the Major Crypto Index at rebalancing dates. The calculation of these indices appears to be done internally and the calculation methods can be accessed publicly via this document.
The main disadvantage, of course, is that crypto even with 50% margin is extremely volatile and sometimes illiquid. So expect P&L swings to be huge and hard to trade out of in some circumstances.
So depending on your risk appetite, there are now an array of interesting crypto-based indices to be traded on. Again, stop losses are recommended in all positions.
Pros
- LSE listed company
- Cryptocurrency indices
- Tax free spread betting
Cons
- Limited crypto range
- Professional trading accounts only
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Pricing
(4.5)
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Market Access
(4)
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App & Platform
(5)
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Customer Service
(5)
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Research & Analysis
(4.5)
Overall
4.6
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