CMC Markets vs Blockchain.Com: Fees, Security, Features & Which to Choose (2025)

Trying to choose between CMC Markets and Blockchain.Com This side-by-side comparison reveals total cost (fees + spreads), security & licenses, coins/derivatives, deposits/withdrawals, and app quality. In 2 minutes you’ll see who wins for beginners, active traders, and long-term holders. Clear pros/cons, a quick verdict, and safe links to get started.

Last updated on September 3, 2025

CMC Markets

Blockchain.Com

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Available Countries

United States

Europe

Yes

Latin America

India

China

Canada

Yes

United Kingdom

Yes

United States

Yes

Europe

Yes

Latin America

Yes

India

Yes

China

Canada

Yes

United Kingdom

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CMC Markets is ideal if:

Designed for experienced derivative traders, especially those who value advanced customization and powerful analytical tools across multiple platforms.
Ideal if you seek a highly regulated, globally trusted provider with deep sector expertise and mature infrastructure.
Great choice for anyone wanting access to a wide spectrum of tradable instruments and rich educational resources in one robust ecosystem.

Blockchain.Com is ideal if:

Fast & liquid trading for individuals — Built for retail users seeking a slick, high-speed exchange with deep real-time order books and ultra-responsive execution.
Seamless wallet-to-exchange flow — Perfect if you want the flexibility of effortlessly shifting funds between a secure non-custodial wallet and your trading account.
Straightforward tools, not overload — Ideal if you prefer a clean trading experience: just enough assets and order types, enhanced with customizable charts without overwhelming complexity.

CMC Markets isn’t ideal if:

Blockchain.Com isn’t ideal if:

If you need broad crypto access — Not suited for you if you’re after an extensive altcoin lineup, as its asset selection is relatively limited.
If you want round-the-clock live support — Might frustrate you if you rely on phone or email help, because support options are primarily online and can lack responsiveness.
If direct fiat withdrawals are essential — Not ideal if you're aiming to withdraw fiat to a card or e-wallet, as such options are restricted or unavailable.

Fees & Total Costs

Spot Maker/Take

CMC Markets does not operate a traditional maker/taker fee structure or tiered volume discounts and does not offer any cost reductions tied to a native token.

Blockchain.com applies a tiered maker-taker model for spot trading; maker fees decrease from around 0.40% down to 0% and taker fees from approximately 0.45% down to 0.06%, depending on your 30-day trading volume—there are no explicit discounts tied to holding a native token.

Futures/Derivatives

CMC Markets provides CFDs and spread bets on derivatives, but it does not publish distinct maker/taker pricing or funding rates as you’d find on crypto futures exchanges.

Blockchain.com offers margin trading (not full perpetual futures) with a recurring margin fee of around 0.02% every 4 hours, applied alongside the usual maker/taker structure when applicable.

Average Spreads on Liquid Pairs

For major crypto pairs like Bitcoin and Ethereum, the platform offers relatively tight spreads—even for top-tier tokens—thanks to aggregated pricing feeds and fast execution.

While the platform doesn’t publish exact spread figures, liquid pairs like BTC/USDT and ETH/USDT generally trade at tightly competitive spreads comparable to other major retail exchanges, especially during normal market conditions.

Fiat Deposits & Withdrawals

Users can fund their account via bank transfers or cards; processing times vary by method, and while there may be standard processing delays, no explicit deposit or withdrawal fees are highlighted.

You can deposit fiat via methods like ACH, SEPA, wire transfers, or faster local systems—with deposits typically free or carrying a small fixed fee, and funds arriving in 1–5 business days depending on the method; withdrawals to bank via ACH/SEPA are usually free or low-fee, while wire transfers may carry a modest flat charge and take a few business days.

On-chain Withdrawals

CMC Markets does not support direct withdrawals to crypto wallets, so there are no on-chain network fees—either fixed or dynamic—to consider.

Deposit to the exchange is free aside from network fees, and withdrawals incur a processing fee plus the variable on-chain network fee, which is displayed before you confirm; the network component is dynamic per blockchain (e.g., BTC, ETH, TRX).

Hidden Costs

While the platform primarily centers on spreads and overnight costs, indirect expenses may include currency conversion margins or potential costs if accounts go dormant, though these are not prominently marketed.

Some indirect costs include holding-period delays for card or ACH purchases, currency conversion margins if your currency differs from supported ones, and fees or delays tied to express KYC or expedited verification.

Real-World Cost Example: “€500 BTC

If you purchased €500 worth of Bitcoin through CMC Markets via CFDs, your effective cost would stem from the spread on the BTC position; since direct crypto ownership and withdrawals aren’t offered, you wouldn’t incur any separate withdrawal costs—just the cost implied by spread and position closure.

You’d pay a maker/taker trading fee on the €500 trade (depending on order type and volume tier), plus the spread embedded in the rate, and if you then withdraw on-chain, you’d also pay the dynamic network fee and the small processing charge before the BTC reaches your wallet.

Crypto Offering & Trading Features

Number of Coins & Pairs

CMC Markets offers CFDs on more than 35 cryptocurrencies—including Bitcoin, Ethereum, Litecoin, XRP, meme coins, and newly added altcoins—though it doesn’t show distinct listings for “top 20 by volume.” Their platform also provides indices that bundle both major and emerging crypto for broader exposure.

The platform offers 26–30 cryptocurrencies and 50–80+ trading pairs overall, with the top 20 pairs dominated by major markets like BTC/USDT, ETH/USDT, and top altcoin combinations.

Product Range

All crypto offerings come exclusively as leveraged derivative CFDs or spread bets; there’s no true spot crypto, no futures/perps, options, ETFs, staking, lending, copy-trading, grid bots, or automated DCA tools available.

Supports spot trading, selective margin (up to 5× on certain USD/USDT pairs), and lending/borrowing via institutional OTC, but does not offer perpetuals, options, crypto ETFs, staking/earn, or copy-trading and advanced automation natively.

Liquidity

While CMC doesn’t disclose specific 24-hour volumes or depth metrics, its aggregated pricing across multiple sources ensures consistently deep, responsive liquidity, especially for BTC and ETH.

While exact figures aren’t published, BTC and ETH pairs enjoy robust liquidity, with substantial 24-hour trading volumes and deep order books in core markets.

Tools

The platform supports advanced trading features, including limit, stop, and OCO orders, real-time alerts, rich charting tools (including native TradingView integration), and robust API and WebSocket access for automated trading.

Offers standard limit and stop orders, but lacks OCO functionality; provides live price charts, basic alerts, and supports both REST API and WebSocket access, though it does not embed a native TradingView charting interface.

Geographic Restrictions by Product

Certain products like CFDs and spread bets are unavailable in jurisdictions that ban them—such as the U.S.—meaning crypto derivatives are accessible only in regions where CFD trading is permitted under local regulation.

Margin trading is blocked in several jurisdictions, including the US, Canada, Japan, Germany, the Netherlands, Italy, and sanctioned nations, while spot services remain available more broadly.

Innovation

CMC Markets does not offer crypto-focused innovation services like launchpads, launchpools, or flexible/locked staking; its emphasis remains on delivering traditional CFD-based trading experiences rather than DeFi-style earn mechanisms.

The platform lacks features like launchpads or pools. It also does not offer flexible vs. locked earn options, limiting its appeal for users looking for innovative passive-income tools.

Security, Regulation & Custody

Operating Entity & Jurisdiction

CMC Markets plc, founded in 1989 and headquartered in London, operates globally with regional subsidiaries under local regulatory oversight.

Blockchain.com originated in 2011 in the UK and is now structured under entities including Blockchain (LT), UAB (Lithuania) and other legal arms in Ireland and the BVI, with its main headquarters in Luxembourg.

Licenses/Registration

The firm holds multiple high-tier licenses—including from the UK’s FCA, Germany’s BaFin, Australia’s ASIC, Singapore’s MAS, and Canada’s CIRO—providing broad regulatory coverage.

It operates under Lithuanian corporate registration, and in the UK it acts through a regulated partner for financial promotions—no publicly highlighted MiCA or EU-wide license is cited.

Custody

Client deposits are segregated in reputable banks and undergo daily reconciliations and annual audits, though no public proof-of-reserves or cold storage percentages are provided.

Custody is centralized (Blockchain holds assets); there’s no visible Proof-of-Reserves report or cold storage ratio publicly declared via their site.

Insurance & Protection Funds

Eligible retail clients benefit from compensation schemes such as the UK’s FSCS and Canada’s CIPF, alongside negative balance protection, where applicable.

There’s no explicit mention of insurance policies or protected fund schemes designed for user asset safety listed on the platform.

Incident History

CMC Markets has a clean cybersecurity record with no reported hacks or major incidents, though it faced legal scrutiny over CFD practices in Australia and regulatory breaches in past years.

The platform has not publicized hacks, service suspensions, or regulatory fines, suggesting a relatively clean public incident record to date.

Risk Controls

The platform offers strong security features including two-factor authentication (via app or SMS, required for withdrawals), encrypted data, anti-fraud mechanisms, and secure API access.

Security features include user-enabled 2FA, support for whitelisting withdrawal addresses, anti-phishing alerts, plus REST and WebSocket API access, though fine-grained sub-account roles aren’t promoted.

Transparency

CMC Markets provides regular reporting on execution quality and fund segregation, but does not publish public wallet addresses or formal SLA guarantees.

There are no publicly available regular solvency reports, on-chain wallet data, or service-level commitments for transparency, at least not in an openly accessible format.

Deposits, Withdrawals, KYC & Support

Fiat Deposit Methods

CMC Markets accepts deposits via bank transfer, credit/debit cards, and sometimes e-wallets; card deposits can go up to around $50,000 per transaction (depending on card issuer), while bank limits depend on your bank, and funds are typically available almost instantly for cards or on the next business day for bank transfers.

You can deposit fiat via bank wire, ACH, SEPA, or card payments, with typical minimums and maximums set per method (e.g. cards around €5, wires higher), and processing times ranging from instant up to several business days, depending on the method and region.

Supported Fiat Currencies & Conversion

KYC (Verification Levels)

You must complete identity verification before trading; while CMC does not publish tiered verification levels or trading limits, verification is mandatory for full access and withdrawal capabilities.

Verification follows tiered access—unverified users have limited functionality, while Full Access requires identity verification, unlocking higher transaction limits and broader features; exact thresholds depend on your country and payment methods.

Withdrawals

Withdrawals are possible via card, bank transfer, or PayPal (where available); there’s a daily cap (e.g., ~$40,000 to card, up to €10,000 to PayPal), unlimited withdrawals to registered bank accounts, and typical processing ranges from same-day to a few business days; direct crypto withdrawals (TRC20/ERC20/BEP20) are not supported.

Withdrawal limits are roughly $100,000 daily, with individual transaction caps by method (e.g. cards ~$1,200, ACH/wire $25,000), and withdrawals process in hours to a few days; crypto withdrawals are supported over common networks like ERC-20, TRC-20, and options depend on token.

Customer Support

CMC Markets provides support through email, phone, and live chat (operating during business hours), supported by a rich knowledge base—response times vary but generally align with office hours.

Support is available 24/7 via ticket and email, there’s no phone line; response times vary (sometimes slow), and there’s an extensive knowledge base and FAQ for self-help.

Languages & Localization

Services are localized across regions—platforms often display in local languages (including native Spanish where available), show pricing in local fiat (€, etc.), and operate under applicable local regulations.

Blockchain.com supports multiple interface languages, including Spanish, and automatically displays balances and fees in your local fiat currency when possible; regulatory coverage adapts per country, using local entity registrations or partner arrangements where applicable.

App Quality & Stability

The mobile and desktop apps are regularly updated and known for robust stability, with very low crash rates reported, though exact metrics aren’t published—users generally report smooth and reliable performance.

The mobile app is noted for being fast and stable with low crash rates, regularly updated; it supports multiple languages including Spanish, displays fees in relevant local currencies, and adapts some features based on your location.

Experience, Performance & Ecosystem

UX/UI

CMC Markets’ flagship interface, Next Generation, is feature-rich and award-winning, offering saved layouts and module linking for efficient navigation; while there’s no explicit “Lite” mode, their platforms cater to both seasoned traders (via advanced tools and customizable dashboards) and those who prefer a streamlined setup.

The interface is clean and intuitive, with a consistent layout that’s easy to navigate for new users—but there’s no explicit “Lite” or “Pro” toggle; advanced settings emerge as you explore deeper into the trading view, offering a seamless learning curve rather than separate modes.

Performance

Their co-located London data centers and proprietary API connectivity deliver low-latency order execution—even under high loads—though occasional freezing or slippage can happen during peak volatility; KYC processing tends to follow regular timing without widespread reports of long queues during market surges.

Order execution is generally swift and reliable, though during high-volatility spikes the platform can experience minor latency; KYC verification speeds have notably improved with recent integrations, limiting wait times even when demand surges.

Education

CMC Markets offers a rich education suite including video guides, platform tutorials, webinars, and articles, plus a risk-free demo account that stays active indefinitely and supports strategy testing—with materials often localized, including Spanish-language versions in select regions.

Blockchain.com offers a robust free Learning Portal filled with beginner-friendly guides, explainer videos, podcasts, and deep dives—you can absorb knowledge at your own pace directly from the platform, although dedicated simulators or demo accounts aren’t currently part of the suite.

Community

The platform includes an integrated trading forum where users can share strategies and sentiment, however CMC does not officially promote Discord or Telegram channels, and while referral programs may exist regionally, they’re not prominently advertised.

The exchange supports an official referral program—recently rewarding users with token-based bonuses under defined conditions—and encourages participation through social channels, but there’s no dedicated Blockchain.com Discord or forum hosted by the platform.

Integrations

Users benefit from native TradingView-grade charting and pattern tools, plus API/WebSocket access for third-party automation, although there’s no direct integration with tax-reporting or portfolio accounting platforms.

The platform includes integrated TradingView charts for in-platform technical analysis and provides API and WebSocket access for connecting external tools, although automated bots, tax-tracking suites, or accounting integrations are not formally embedded.

Who Each One Is Best For

The platform is ideal for analytical, advanced traders who value deep charting tools, customization, and learning resources; it may be less suited to those seeking social trading, mobile-first simplification, or integrated accounting and bot ecosystems.

Blockchain.com works best for users who value a streamlined, educational experience, combined with solid trading tools and direct learning resources—but it may be less suitable for traders seeking ultra-custom interfaces or multi-tool automation.