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What is the CMT designation?
What is the CMT designation?
The CMT (Chartered Market Technician) is an international designation awarded by the CMT Association (formerly the MTA – Market Technicians Association), the world’s largest organisation of professional technical analysts. The CMT designation is awarded to distinguished technical analysts who pass the exams held by the CMT Association.
The CMT is the most prestigious designation in technical analysis of financial markets. It certifies to the investment community and financial trading institutions that CMT charterholders have complete, comprehensive and in-depth knowledge of technical analysis as well as risk management skills in portfolio management.
CMT Association logo
Structure and format of the CMT exams
Like the CFA, the CMT programme has three levels: Level I, II and III.
Level I: This level measures basic knowledge. Candidates sitting the CMT Level I exam need to understand the definitions and have a full awareness of technical analysis, focusing mainly on basic principles and tools.
Content breakdown of the CMT Level I exam
Level II: The CMT Level II exam requires candidates to apply the basic knowledge from Level I and demonstrate the ability to analyse and use technical tools in greater depth. Level II candidates are expected to show they can apply analytical techniques more deeply and have mastered the theories of technical analysis.
Content breakdown of the CMT Level II exam
Level III: Combining the basic knowledge of Level I with the applied skills of Level II, the CMT Level III exam tests candidates on developing logical, consistent research ideas and on portfolio construction and management strategies.
Candidates also need to show they can make trading decisions based on many kinds of charts and technical data, and understand the process of building a complete trading system.
Level III candidates are required to analyse case studies, make recommendations and defend those recommendations based on the market data provided.
The CMT exam programme
| Level | Format | Duration | Number of questions |
| Level I | Multiple choice | 2 hours | 132 questions (120 scored; 12 unscored pilot questions) |
| Level II | Multiple choice | 4 hours | 170 questions (150 scored; 20 unscored pilot questions) |
| Level III | Multiple choice (for the Ethics section only) & essay | 4 hours | About 45–50 questions (varies by exam window) |
CMT exam study materials
As for study materials, since 2025 the CMT Association has bundled the curriculum (digital only, no printed edition) and CMT study materials into the exam registration fee, so you do not need to buy the curriculum elsewhere.
However, the materials provided by the CMT Association do not include a question bank or mock exams, so you still need to obtain these two important resources separately.
Register for the CMT Level 1 course to receive the question bank and mock exams compiled by Green Chart, based on the CMT Association’s official curriculum, HERE.
CMT exam fees and test locations
Each year, the CMT Association holds two exam windows, in June and December, for all levels. As for fees, the earlier you pay, the cheaper the exam fee.
The Association has three fee deadlines: early registration, standard registration and late registration. In addition, candidates must pay a one-time program enrollment fee to take part in the CMT exams.
For more detail on CMT exam fees, see the table below (figures are current for the December 2025 exam; fees for future exams may change):
| Fee type | Amount | Notes |
| Exam fee | Early registration: $875 Standard registration: $1,075 Late registration: $1,475 |
The exam fee includes the latest edition of the curriculum. |
In addition, if you become a member of the CMT Association (annual membership dues of $325), the exam fee is slightly lower and you receive other benefits from the CMT Association.
As for test locations, candidates in Vietnam can only take the CMT exam in person at Prometric Test Centers in Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi. Detailed addresses:
- Ho Chi Minh City: IIG HCM, Floor 1, Tower 1, The Sun Avenue, 28 Mai Chi Tho, Binh Trung Dong Ward, Thu Duc City, Ho Chi Minh City.
- Hanoi: IIG Hanoi, 75 Giang Van Minh, Kim Ma Ward, Ba Dinh District, Hanoi.
The CMT Association also offers exams flexibly through remote proctored online testing (you will receive instructions by email once you have registered successfully).
Are CMT pass rates high each year?
CMT exam pass rates for 2018–2024 are as follows:
| Level | Average pass rate | Trend |
| CMT I | ~58–65% | Slightly lower since 2021 |
| CMT II | ~50–60% | Highly variable; the hardest |
| CMT III | ~65–78% | High and stable |
The statistics show that the rate of passing all three CMT levels is very high once you have passed the Level II exam.
Technical Analysis Course – CMT Level 1
Green Chart designed this course specifically for candidates in Vietnam who want to study and prepare for the CMT Level I exam. The 28-session programme includes theory, practice questions and mock exams. Students also receive the course textbook, question bank and mock exams free of charge for their exam preparation, and can retake the course for free for life.
See more details about the course HERE.
Other articles in the Understanding the CMT designation series include:
Comparing the CMT and CFTe certifications.
What do CMT exam study materials include?
How to create an account and register for the CMT Level I exam.