CMC Markets Adds Fractional Shares as Multi-Asset Integration Accelerates

CMC Markets has launched fractional share and ETF investing on its UK platform, giving retail clients the ability to invest from £1 across ISAs, SIPPs and general investment accounts.

The launch also expands CMC’s multi-asset platform, bringing investing and derivatives products closer together inside a single client experience.

From Diversification to Integration

CMC Invest was launched in 2022 as a way to diversify group revenue beyond CFDs. More recently, the company has been integrating its investing and trading products through a unified multi-asset account.

Fractional shares extend that approach by allowing clients to hold equities and trade derivatives from the same account. They also lower the entry point for retail investors, who can build diversified portfolios without buying whole shares.

The launch coincides with CMC’s decision to remove commissions on UK and European share CFDs, reducing one of the traditional pricing differences between investing and active trading.

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Fractional investing has already become a standard retail feature across parts of the brokerage market. Swissquote added fractional share trading in 2024, while Webull UK introduced fractional access to LSE-listed stocks and ETFs through Upvest in 2025.

Regulators have also started formalising the model: CySEC issued guidance on when fractional exposure to shares should be treated as exposure to shares under MiFID rules.

Using the B2B Engine for Retail Growth

The broader strategy is supported by a strong financial backdrop. CMC recently reported a 20% increase in pre-tax profit to £101.3 million for FY26, with growth driven in part by its B2B and API distribution business.

The same infrastructure now supports a wider retail offering. API partnerships have contributed to higher account openings through neobank integrations, while CMC is rolling out CMC Intelligence, an AI-powered research tool designed to increase engagement across the platform.

CMC’s latest launches illustrate how product boundaries continue to narrow. Investing, derivatives and research tools are increasingly being delivered through a single platform rather than as separate products lowering the entry point for retail investing.