CMC Invest Review Australia 2026: Is It the Best Platform for ASX Investors?

Last updated: June 2026 | Reading time: 9 min If you've been comparing investment platforms in Australia lately, CMC Invest keeps showing up at the top of almost every credible comparison list. In 2025 and again in 2026, Finder rated it the overall best trading platform in Australia — ahead of eToro, Stake, Pearler, and the major bank brokers. That's a big claim. So what does CMC Invest actually offer, what does it cost, and is it genuinely the right platform for you? This review covers everything you need to know before opening an account.

What Is CMC Invest?

CMC Invest is the share investing arm of CMC Markets, a global financial services company founded in 1989. CMC Markets has been operating in Australia for over two decades and holds an Australian Financial Services Licence (AFSL) issued by ASIC. It's one of the few platforms in Australia that combines a long operating history with genuinely competitive pricing for retail investors. CMC Invest is distinct from CMC Markets' CFD trading platform — it's designed specifically for long-term investors buying and holding shares and ETFs, not for leveraged or short-term trading.

Who Is CMC Invest Best For?

CMC Invest is built for a specific type of Australian investor:

Regular ASX investors who want to build a portfolio of Australian shares without paying brokerage on smaller purchases
Investors who want CHESS sponsorship — full ownership of their shares registered under their own HIN, not held by a custodian
People building globally diversified portfolios — CMC provides access to 15 international markets alongside ASX
Cost-conscious investors who make frequent trades and want predictable, low fees

It's less suited to complete beginners who want hand-holding, copy trading features, or a simplified "round-up" experience. For those investors, Raiz or eToro might feel more accessible. CMC Invest rewards investors who know what they want to buy and want to execute efficiently at low cost.

CMC Invest Fees: The Detail That Makes It Stand Out

CMC Invest's fee structure is one of the most competitive in Australia — but it's worth understanding exactly how it works.

Australian Share Trades

CMC Invest offers $0 brokerage on your first ASX buy order per stock per day, up to $1,000 AUD. This is genuinely unusual in the Australian market. Most platforms charge a flat fee per trade regardless of size — CMC's zero-brokerage tier means you can build a diversified portfolio in small, regular increments without paying anything on individual purchases. For trades above $1,000 or additional orders in the same stock on the same day, the fee is the greater of AUD $11 or 0.1% of the trade value. That's competitive but no longer exceptional — it's in line with platforms like SelfWealth and Superhero. Practical example: If you invest $500 per month across five ASX ETFs ($100 each), you pay $0 in brokerage. On most other platforms, you'd pay $5–$11 per trade, totalling $25–$55 in fees for the same activity.

International Shares

CMC Invest charges $0 commission on US, UK, Canadian, and Japanese shares. However, a 0.6% foreign exchange spread applies when converting AUD to the relevant currency. This is lower than eToro's 1.5% conversion fee but slightly higher than Interactive Brokers' FX rate. For a $1,000 USD purchase from an AUD account, you'd pay approximately $6 in FX costs. That's reasonable and transparent.

Account and Platform Fees

There are no monthly account fees, no inactivity fees, and no withdrawal fees for standard bank transfers. CMC Invest's fee model is straightforward — you pay when you trade, nothing when you don't.

CHESS Sponsorship: Why It Matters

CMC Invest is a CHESS-sponsored broker. This means every ASX share you buy is registered directly in your name under your Holder Identification Number (HIN) — not held by CMC as a custodian on your behalf. Why does this matter? If a custodian-model broker collapses (as some have in other markets), investors can face delays or complications accessing their holdings. With CHESS sponsorship, your shares are yours independently of CMC Invest's existence — you can transfer them to another broker without selling, and you receive direct communications from company registries. Several popular platforms in Australia — including Raiz, Spaceship, and some tiers of eToro — use a custodial model. For long-term investors building meaningful wealth, CHESS sponsorship is worth having.

What Can You Invest In?

CMC Invest offers access to a wide range of assets:

Australian shares and ETFs — full ASX coverage including individual stocks, ETFs, LICs, and REITs
International shares — 45,000+ securities across 15 markets including the US (NYSE, NASDAQ), UK, Canada, Japan, Hong Kong, Germany, and others
No cryptocurrency — CMC Invest is a shares-only platform

If you want to invest in crypto alongside shares, you'd need a separate platform. For everything else, the asset coverage is among the widest available to Australian retail investors.

The Platform and App Experience

CMC Invest's web platform and mobile app are clean and functional, though they prioritise information density over simplicity. The interface includes:

Real-time quotes included at no extra cost (some brokers charge for live data)
Watchlists, portfolio tracking, and basic charting tools
Research and news integration
Basic screeners for filtering stocks by sector, market cap, and performance metrics

The app has improved significantly in recent years and scores well in user reviews on both the App Store and Google Play. It's not as visually polished as Stake's interface, but it provides more data without requiring paid upgrades. For beginners, the platform can feel slightly more complex than Raiz or Spaceship — there are more options and more data on screen. For investors who've done a bit of reading and know broadly what they want to buy, it's intuitive enough within a session or two.

CMC Invest vs Competitors: How It Stacks Up

vs Stake: CMC's zero-brokerage on small ASX trades is better than Stake's $3 flat fee for small purchases. Stake has a cleaner app. CMC has CHESS sponsorship; Stake's standard tier uses a custodial model. vs Pearler: Both are CHESS-sponsored and designed for long-term investors. Pearler's autoinvest feature is excellent for set-and-forget investors. CMC has lower fees for active investors making regular purchases across multiple stocks. vs CommSec: CommSec charges a minimum of $10 per ASX trade. CMC's zero-brokerage tier is significantly cheaper for regular small investors. vs SelfWealth: SelfWealth charges a flat $9.50 per trade. For purchases under $9,500, CMC's 0.1% fee (minimum $11) is slightly more expensive per trade, but the zero-brokerage tier makes CMC better for small regular purchases. vs eToro: Different platforms for different needs. eToro offers copy trading and crypto; CMC offers CHESS-sponsored ownership and access to 15 global markets without a USD conversion requirement on all trades.

Is CMC Invest Safe?

CMC Invest is regulated by ASIC and holds an AFSL. Client funds are held in a segregated ANZ Client Money Management account — separate from CMC's own operational funds. This structure provides meaningful protection in the event of financial difficulty at CMC. CMC Markets has been operating in Australia since 2002. It's a publicly listed company on the London Stock Exchange (CMCX), which means it's subject to ongoing financial disclosure requirements. This transparency makes it one of the more verifiable platforms available to Australians from a financial stability perspective.

The Verdict: Is CMC Invest Worth It for Australian Investors?

CMC Invest is genuinely one of the best platforms available to Australian investors in 2026 — particularly if you're building a diversified portfolio with regular ASX purchases. The pros:

Zero brokerage on ASX purchases up to $1,000 per stock per day
CHESS sponsorship — direct ownership of your shares
Access to 15 international markets
No account fees, no inactivity fees
Regulated by ASIC, client funds held at ANZ
Real-time data included at no extra cost

The cons:

No crypto
No copy trading or social features
Platform can feel data-heavy for complete beginners
FX fees apply on international trades (0.6% spread)
The $0 brokerage only applies to the first buy per stock per day under $1,000

For most Australians building a long-term share or ETF portfolio, CMC Invest deserves serious consideration. The zero-brokerage tier is genuinely useful — it removes one of the biggest friction points for investors making regular small contributions, and the CHESS sponsorship gives you direct ownership that some competitors don't provide. If you want social trading or crypto alongside your shares, look at eToro instead. If you want the most beginner-friendly experience with automatic round-ups, Raiz or Spaceship might suit you better to start. But if you're ready to pick your own investments and want low fees with direct ownership, CMC Invest is hard to beat in 2026.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is CMC Invest the same as CMC Markets? No — CMC Markets is the broader company, which also operates a separate CFD trading platform. CMC Invest is specifically the share investing product and is designed for long-term investors, not leveraged or short-term traders. Does CMC Invest offer fractional shares? Not currently for ASX shares. Fractional shares are available on some international markets. How long does it take to open an account? Account opening is online and typically takes 10–20 minutes. Identity verification is required under ASIC regulations before you can deposit or trade. What is the minimum investment on CMC Invest? There's no set minimum investment, but practical limits apply — you'll generally need at least $500 to start building a diversified position. Can I transfer existing shares to CMC Invest? Yes — because CMC Invest is CHESS-sponsored, you can transfer your existing HIN holdings from another CHESS broker without selling.