CMC Markets was founded by Peter Cruddas in 1989. There have been numerous milestones for the Group since then, and the company has grown to become a global leader in online retail trading.
When “Currency Management Corporation”, later abbreviated to CMC, first began trading in London as an FX broker, the office contained one desk, one telephone and one highly ambitious trader and entrepreneur. The company grew rapidly, and in 1996 it launched the world’s first online retail FX trading platform, allowing its clients to take advantage of markets previously only accessible to institutional traders.
In 2000, CMC Markets expanded its business to become a CFD broker and in 2001 launched an online financial spread betting service, becoming the first spread betting company to launch the daily rolling cash®Bet. This concept subsequently became an industry benchmark.
In 2002, CMC Markets opened its first overseas office in Sydney. By 2007 the company had expanded, with additional offices in New Zealand, Germany, Canada, Singapore and Sweden, and had sold a 10% equity stake to Goldman Sachs. Further global growth followed over the next few years, with offices opened in Norway, Spain, Italy and France, taking the number of offices around the world to 12.
CMC Markets launched its award-winning Next Generation platform* in 2010. Since then it has been rolled out across all the regions in which the Group operates, frequently adding new tools, features and enhancements.
In 2014 the Group celebrated its 25th anniversary and received a record number of awards in the UK in recognition of the quality of its Next Generation trading platform and associated service.
In 2015, CMC Markets announced a 61% increase in underlying profit before tax to £51.9 million. The Group also extended into eastern Europe with the launch of a Warsaw office, bringing the total number of offices up to 14.
In 2016, CMC Markets listed on the London Stock Exchange trading as CMCX, with an initial market capitalisation of £693m. CMC Markets plc was included as a constituent of the FTSE 250 index for the first time on 20 June 2016.
CMC Markets released Prime FX functionality as part of its growing institutional arm in May 2017, and in October, a new education office was opened in Shanghai.
Timeline
| 1989 |
- Peter Cruddas starts CMC Markets in the UK as an FX broker.
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| 1996 |
- CMC Markets launches the world’s first online retail FX trading platform, allowing clients to take advantage of markets previously only accessible to institutional traders.
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| 2000 |
- The company expands to become a CFD broker, underlining a commitment to offering the most competitive and innovative trading products available to retail clients globally.
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| 2001 |
- CMC Markets launches an online spread betting offering.
- CMC Markets becomes the first spread betting company to launch the daily rolling cash bet®, which becomes an industry benchmark.
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| 2002 |
- CMC Markets opens an office in Sydney, Australia, becoming an online CFD and FX trading provider in the Australian market.
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| 2005 |
- In August, the CMC Group rebrands globally as CMC Markets.
- CMC Markets launches one-click dealing and becomes one of the first spread betting firms to launch mobile trading. CMC Markets opens an office in Germany.
- CMC Markets further expands its presence with the establishment of an office in Toronto, Canada.
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| 2006 |
- CMC Markets opens an office in Auckland, New Zealand CMC Markets wins Best Active Trading Service from Digital Look, Best Spread Betting Service from Shares Magazine and Best Spread Betting Firm from Investors Chronicle for the third consecutive year.
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| 2007 |
- CMC Markets opens offices in Singapore and Stockholm.
- The 50 millionth client trade milestone is reached.
- Goldman Sachs purchases a 10% equity stake in CMC Markets.
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| 2008 |
- CMC Markets continues its expansion and opens offices in Oslo and Madrid.
- CMC Markets Australia successfully completes negotiations to acquire leading non-advisory
- Australian stockbroker Andrew West & Co. to establish CMC Markets Stockbroking.
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| 2009 |
- CMC Markets celebrates its 20th Anniversary.
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| 2010 |
- CMC Markets opens offices in Paris and Milan.
- CMC Markets launches the Next Generation spread betting platform in the UK.
- CMC Markets unveils its spread betting iPhone app in the UK.
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| 2011 |
- CMC Markets launches CFD iPhone and iPad apps.
- CMC Markets Stockbroking’s online platform wins Australia’s Best Value, awarded by CANSTAR CANNEX.
- CMC Markets wins Financial Provider of the Year (Shares magazine).
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| 2012 |
- CMC Markets upgrades the Next Generation platform, introducing boundary orders, where traders can control order execution by specifying a price range, and the pattern recognition scanner, with full back-testing functionality.
- CMC Markets launches a spread bet app for Android devices.
- CMC Markets’ CFD mobile app is recognised as Best Mobile Trading App (Investment Trends 2012 UK CFD, FX and Spread Betting report).
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| 2013 |
- CMC Markets launches one of its biggest platform upgrades.
- CMC Markets wins Best Forex Spread Betting Company at the UK Forex Awards 2013.
- CMC Markets wins Best CFD Provider, Best Online Trading Platform and Financial Services Provider of the Year at the 2013 Shares Awards.
- CMC Markets awarded Best Spread Betting App by the Financial Times and Investors Chronicle Investment Awards 2013.
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| 2014 |
- CMC Markets celebrates its 25th anniversary.
- CMC Markets receives 12 awards from the Investment Trends 2014 UK Leveraged Trading Report, including Highest Overall Client Satisfaction, Best Mobile Trading, Best Trading Platform features Best Value for Money, Best Education Materials and Best Research Tools.
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| 2015 |
- CMC Markets expands into Poland as it opens an office in Warsaw.
- Over 3,000 CFD and spread betting shares are added to the Next Generation platform.
- CMC Markets sponsors JazzFM's Business Breakfast, with CMC Markets' global analysts providing regular market commentary.
- CMC Markets joins Land Rover BAR (Ben Ainslie Racing) as an official partner.
- CMC Markets’ CFD mobile app is awarded Best Mobile Trading in the Investment Trends 2015 France CFD and FX Report.
- CMC Markets Australia wins the award for Service Excellence at the 2015 Australian Business Awards.
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| 2016 |
- CMC Markets lists on the London Stock Exchange trading as CMCX, with an initial market capitalisation of £693m.
- CMC Markets launches Knock-Outs in Germany.
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| 2017 |
- CMC Markets launches its new limited-risk CFD account in France.
- CMC Markets announces a stockbroking partnership with the Australia and New Zealand Banking Group (ANZ).
- CMC Markets Institutional releases Prime FX functionality.
- CMC Markets opens an education office in Shanghai.
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| 2018 |
- CMC Markets launches its cryptocurrency CFD and spread betting offering.
- CMC Markets introduces a professional trading offering: CMC Pro.
- CMC Markets launches OPTO, a new trading magazine.
- Implementation of ANZ Bank stockbroking white label partnership, including the migration of 500,000+ clients.
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*Awarded No.1 Platform Technology, ForexBrokers.com Awards 2022
