Best ETF Trading Platforms in Australia (2026)

Summary

Two flavours of ETF trading in Australia, with very different brokers leading each:

For ETF CFDs (leveraged, short-to-medium-term):

• CMC Markets: 1,000+ ETF CFDs across ASX and global markets, on Next Generation.
• IG Markets: 5,400+ ETF CFDs, the broadest range available to AU retail.
• Plus500: 100+ ETF CFDs on a stripped-back beginner platform.
• eToro: 250+ ETF CFDs alongside copy and social features.
• Interactive Brokers: direct market access ETF CFDs on global exchanges.

For direct ETF investing (unleveraged, long-term):

• Interactive Brokers: cheapest brokerage on most ASX and international ETFs.
• CMC Stockbroking: integrated with CMC’s CFD account, $0 ASX brokerage on first trade per day under AUD 1,000.
• Pepperstone Trade: newer entrant, low commission, AU-focused.
• Plus500 Invest: direct ASX share investing including ETFs, separate from the CFD product.

CFDs are taxed as income under TR 2005/15. Direct ETFs are taxed as CGT on disposal with the 50% discount on holdings over 12 months. The right broker depends on which path you’re on.

ETF CFDs vs direct ETF investing

The single most important distinction on this page. The two products look similar on the surface and have completely different cost, tax and risk profiles.

ETF CFDs. A CFD on an ETF is a derivative. You don’t own the ETF; you bet on its price movement. ASIC’s Product Intervention Order treats ETF CFDs as “shares and other reference assets,” which means they’re capped at 5:1 retail leverage. You pay overnight financing on long positions held past rollover. You can go long or short. Profits are typically taxed as assessable income.

Direct ETF investing. Buying the ETF outright on the ASX (or via an international broker on overseas exchanges) means you own units in the fund. You receive distributions. You’re entitled to the franking credits attached to Australian-equity ETFs where applicable. You pay no overnight financing. You can’t go short. Profits are subject to capital gains tax with the 50% discount on holdings over 12 months. Direct ETF investing is not covered by ASIC’s Product Intervention Order; it’s regulated as ordinary share trading.

The simplest way to think about it: CFDs are a trading product, direct ETFs are an investing product. Both have a place. They suit different time horizons, different risk profiles and different tax outcomes.

Comparison table: best ETF CFD brokers in Australia

Broker	ETF CFD count	Typical commission	Min deposit	Platforms	Max leverage	AFSL
CMC Markets	1,000+	Spread-only / FX Active commission	$0	Next Generation, MT4	5:1	238054
IG Markets	5,400+	0.10% (min AUD 8)	$300 effective	IG web, MT4, ProRealTime	5:1	220440
Plus500	100+	Spread-only	$100	Plus500 WebTrader, app	5:1	417727
eToro	250+	Spread-only	AUD 200	eToro web, app	5:1	491139
Interactive Brokers	200+	From AUD 6	$0	Trader Workstation, IBKR Mobile	5:1	245574

All five hold an AFSL with ASIC and are AFCA members. ETF CFD leverage is capped at 5:1 retail per the Product Intervention Order.

Comparison table: best direct ETF brokers in Australia

Broker	Account name	ASX ETF brokerage	International ETF brokerage	FX conversion	Platforms	AFSL
Interactive Brokers	IBKR Lite / Pro	From AUD 6	From USD 1	0.0020% (very low)	TWS, IBKR Mobile, GlobalTrader	245574
CMC Stockbroking (via CMC Markets)	Stockbroking	$0 first trade per day under AUD 1,000, then AUD 11	From $11 or 0.10%	Around 0.30%	CMC Stockbroking platform	238054
Pepperstone Trade (via Pepperstone)	Trade	AUD 5 flat	Varies	Verify	Pepperstone Trade app	414530
Plus500 Invest (via Plus500)	Invest	$0 brokerage on ASX shares	Limited	Verify	Plus500 Invest app	417727

Verify each direct-ETF product’s current pricing and feature set on the day of publish. Direct ETF/share investing products at Pepperstone and Plus500 are relatively new and pricing has shifted in recent quarters.

Direct ETF investing through these brokers is regulated as ordinary share trading, not under the PIO. Leverage and overnight financing don’t apply. The CFD product is held under a separate account at the same broker (or a separate broker entirely if you want different providers for CFDs vs direct).

Top platforms reviewed

CMC Markets: best for both ETF CFDs and ASX direct via Stockbroking

Why it ranks here. CMC is the only broker on this list that does both sides of ETF trading well under one provider. The CFD side runs on Next Generation with 1,000+ ETF CFDs across ASX and global markets, integrated with the same charting and analytics as forex and indices. The Stockbroking side runs as a separate but linked product, offering direct ASX ETF investing with $0 brokerage on the first trade per day under AUD 1,000 (then AUD 11). International ETFs (US, UK and EU exchanges) trade from $11 or 0.10%.

The dual-account setup matters for traders who want to short an ETF intraday via CFD while holding a long-term direct position in something else. One login, two accounts, both ASIC-regulated under AFSL 238054.

Watch out for. CFD financing rates on share/ETF positions are above the AU average. Stockbroking FX conversion fee around 0.30%.

Read our full CMC Markets review.

IG Markets: broadest ETF CFD range

Why it ranks here. IG Markets (AFSL 220440) lists 5,400+ ETF CFDs. The product range covers nearly every major ETF on the LSE, NYSE, NASDAQ and ASX, plus dozens of European exchanges. ETF CFD commission is 0.10% (minimum AUD 8). For traders specifically wanting CFDs on niche thematic ETFs (clean energy, biotech, semiconductors, defence) that other brokers don’t list, IG is typically the answer.

Watch out for. Higher minimum deposit than most. Standard CFD account spreads on forex are wider than RAW alternatives, but that’s not the relevant cost line for ETF CFD traders.

Read our full IG Markets review.

Interactive Brokers: best for direct ETF investing

Why it ranks here. Interactive Brokers (AFSL 245574) is the cheapest broker for direct ETF investing on most exchanges. ASX ETF brokerage starts at AUD 6. US ETF brokerage starts at USD 1 per trade on the IBKR Lite tier. FX conversion is 0.0020% (yes, that’s two-thousandths of a percent), which is meaningfully cheaper than CMC’s 0.30%, and that gap matters when you’re buying USD-denominated ETFs from an AUD account.

The trade-off is the platform. Trader Workstation is the most powerful platform on this list and has the steepest learning curve. The IBKR Mobile and GlobalTrader apps are simpler. For an AUD-based long-term ETF investor with a portfolio split across ASX and international markets, IBKR is the cost-leader by a meaningful margin.

Watch out for. Onboarding is more documentation-heavy than most. Inactivity fee structure changed in recent years.

Read our full Interactive Brokers review.

Plus500: simplest ETF CFD platform for new traders

Why it ranks here. Plus500 (AFSL 417727) lists around 100 ETF CFDs on a stripped-back web and app interface. The pricing model uses a stable spread markup with no separate commission. Most popular ETF CFDs (SPY-equivalent, QQQ-equivalent, key sector ETFs) are available. Plus500 also offers a separate Plus500 Invest product for direct ASX share/ETF investing, which is one of the newer entrants in the AU direct space.

Watch out for. No MT4 or MT5 support. ETF CFD range is narrower than IG. Plus500 Invest’s ASX share/ETF coverage is smaller than CMC Stockbroking or Interactive Brokers.

Read our full Plus500 review.

eToro: ETF CFDs alongside social and copy trading

Why it ranks here. eToro (AFSL 491139) lists around 250 ETF CFDs across ASX, US and EU markets. The differentiator is the social layer: Smart Portfolios bundle multiple ETFs or themes into a single allocation, and CopyTrader lets you mirror Popular Investors who run ETF-led strategies. For a trader who wants ETF exposure inside the eToro ecosystem rather than direct holdings on a stockbroker, eToro is the right answer.

Watch out for. Spreads are wider than the cheapest CFD alternatives. Withdrawal fees apply.

Read our full eToro review.

ASX-listed ETFs vs international ETFs

For Australian investors choosing between domestic and international ETF exposure, three things matter.

Tax. ASX-listed ETFs domiciled in Australia distribute income in a structure that often includes franking credits, which can be claimed against your tax. International ETFs domiciled in the US or Ireland don’t carry franking credits and may have a withholding tax applied to dividends (15% under the US-AU tax treaty if you’ve completed a W-8BEN, or 30% otherwise). Speak to a registered tax agent about your specific holdings.

FX. ASX-listed ETFs that hold international assets (e.g. VGS, IVV, NDQ) are AUD-denominated and the FX exposure is built into the ETF rather than your broker account. Buying a US-listed ETF directly (e.g. VOO, QQQ) requires you to convert AUD to USD first, paying the broker’s FX conversion fee. IBKR’s 0.0020% conversion is the lowest on this list. CMC Stockbroking is around 0.30%.

Liquidity and breadth. The ASX has a deep ETF market in 2026 with over 350 listed ETFs covering Australian equities, international equities, fixed income, commodities and thematic strategies. For most retail investors, ASX-listed ETFs cover the strategic asset allocation comfortably. International direct exposure makes sense when you specifically want a US-domiciled fund (lower fees on some, larger AUM, longer track record) or when you want a niche thematic that isn’t yet on the ASX.

A common AU portfolio structure runs 60% to 80% in ASX-listed ETFs (VAS for Australian equities, VGS or IVV for global, VAF or BOND for fixed income) and the remaining 20% to 40% in direct international holdings or specialist exposures.

ETF cost comparison example

A worked example to make the cost difference concrete.

You want AUD 50,000 of US S&P 500 ETF exposure. Two routes:

Route 1: Buy IVV on the ASX through CMC Stockbroking. AUD 11 brokerage. Already AUD-denominated. ETF management fee 0.04% per year (AUD 20 on AUD 50,000). Total year-one cost: AUD 31.

Route 2: Buy VOO on NYSE through Interactive Brokers. Convert AUD 50,000 to USD at 0.0020% FX = AUD 1 conversion cost. Brokerage USD 1 (around AUD 1.50). ETF management fee 0.03% per year (USD 15 on the equivalent USD position, around AUD 23). Total year-one cost: around AUD 26.

The two routes are within AUD 5 of each other on this size. At larger sizes the FX conversion difference matters more if you’re using a higher-cost broker. At smaller sizes the brokerage minimum dominates.

For a buy-and-hold investor, the choice often comes down to dividend tax treatment (franking credits on AU-domiciled ETFs vs withholding on US-domiciled ETFs) and whether you specifically want USD exposure separate from the ETF’s underlying assets. There’s no universal right answer.

Tax treatment of ETF trading in Australia

Two distinct cases.

ETF CFDs. Generally treated as assessable income by the ATO under TR 2005/15. Profits taxed at your marginal rate. Losses deductible against other assessable income. No CGT discount applies. Distributions paid on long ETF CFD positions are typically passed through as a financing adjustment by the broker rather than a true dividend.

Direct ETF holdings. Dividends or distributions are taxable in the year received, with franking credits attached to AU-domiciled equity ETFs. Capital gains apply on disposal. Holdings over 12 months may qualify for the 50% CGT discount. Distribution Reinvestment Plans (DRPs) defer the cash but still trigger taxable income in the year of distribution.

This is general information only. We are not licensed to provide tax advice. Speak to a registered tax agent about your circumstances, especially if you hold both CFDs and direct ETF positions across the same year.

How to choose between ETF platforms

A short framework based on what you want.

If you want short-term leveraged ETF exposure or to short an ETF: ETF CFD through CMC, IG, Plus500 or eToro. Pick by product range needed (IG widest, Plus500 simplest, eToro social).

If you want long-term ASX ETF investing: CMC Stockbroking for the integrated CMC ecosystem, or Interactive Brokers for the absolute cheapest brokerage.

If you want long-term international ETF investing in USD: Interactive Brokers, primarily because of the 0.0020% FX conversion. CMC Stockbroking is workable on smaller positions but the FX conversion drag adds up.

If you want ETFs alongside copy trading: eToro Smart Portfolios.

If you want a mix of CFD and direct in one provider: CMC Markets covers both with one login.

For specific ASX-listed ETF exposure to gold see also our gold trading platforms page.