Getting started on the CMC Invest app

In this guide you’ll learn how to:

• Add and withdraw money from your CMC Invest General Investment Account.

• Browse shares and ETFs and identify potential investments.

• Upgrade to the CMC Invest Plus plan.

Important: This information is for guidance purposes and may become out of date at any given time. It is not investment advice. Investments can rise and fall in value. We won’t make any assessment of whether the investments you choose are appropriate or suitable for you. If you are unsure of the suitability of any investment, investment service or strategy, you should seek independent financial advice. Past performance does not indicate future results. Tax treatment will depend on your individual circumstances and could potentially change in the future. Capital is at risk.

So, you’ve downloaded the CMC Invest app, provided us with the necessary details and created an account.

It’s likely you’re now eager to get moving on your investing journey. That’s why we’ve put together a few pointers below to help you navigate the app and help you on your way.

Funding your account

On the home screen of the CMC Invest app, you’ll see your accounts listed. If you’ve just completed your registration, then chances are you’ll only see your General Investment Account here.

If you tap on that account, you’ll see your cash balance (which will be £0). To the right of this is a green “Add cash” link.

Selecting this link will take you to a screen asking you how much you’d like to deposit in your account. Enter an amount and select “Continue”.

You’ll then be prompted to enter your debit card details. Once entered, these will be saved for the next time you want to top up your account.

Once you’ve entered your card details, you’ll be asked to confirm your deposit. Select this to complete the transaction. Your bank may ask you to confirm the transaction if you’re enrolled in 3D secure.

Withdrawing cash from your account

In each account screen you’ll see your cash balance displayed. Tapping on this will take you to your wallet screen.

Here, you’ll be able to see how much cash is available to invest and how much is available to withdraw. You can withdraw any cash that has settled following the sale of an investment, or cash that is yet to be invested.

On the right-hand side, below your balances, you’ll see a button to withdraw cash. Once you select this, you’ll be prompted to enter the details of the bank account you want to withdraw cash to.

Once these details have been entered, you’ll be asked to input how much cash you want to withdraw. You’ll then be asked to confirm this amount by selecting the “Withdraw now” button. The cash will be deposited in your bank account following a short processing period (roughly 3-5 business days).

Finding assets to invest in

Once you’ve funded your account you can start putting your money to work.

At the bottom of most screens in the app, you’ll see a “Discover” icon. It looks like a small magnifying glass.

Selecting this will take you to a screen where you can search for shares by entering the company’s name into the search bar. You can also search for Investment Trusts and ETFs.

You’ll also see recent top-moving and most-popular shares. You can also identify potential investments by filtering by sector or ESG score. At the top of the screen, you can toggle between shares and funds, meaning you’ll be able to see top-moving and most popular funds and ETFs.

Once you’ve identified a share you want to buy, select it and hit the “buy” button. You’ll then be asked to enter either the number of shares you’d like to buy or the value of the shares you’d like to buy – you can toggle between these options at the top of the screen.

If the market for the stock is open you’ll be able to buy it there and then. If it’s closed, you can place a limit order.

All the assets you’ve invested in will be listed under the “Your holdings” tab on the account screen.

Upgrading to Plus

If you want to open a Flexible Stocks & Shares ISA or access additional assets, you’ll need to upgrade to the CMC Invest Plus plan.

To do this, just go to your profile in the app by tapping on the icon in the top-left of the home screen. Then select “Your subscription plan”, swipe right to Plus plan, tap on the “Upgrade to Plus” button and follow the instructions. You’ll see the details relating to your new plan, including information about any fees.

Once you’ve confirmed you’d like to go ahead, we’ll send you a confirmation in the message centre. It’s as simple as that. 

Ready for the next steps? Why not find out about transferring accounts, using limit orders or accessing ESG data in the CMC Invest app?