Tickmill Review

Active forex and CFD traders

FCA CySEC FSCA FSA DFSA

Founded 2014 · United Kingdom

Why investors choose this broker

FCA and CySEC regulation with FSCS protection up to GBP 85,000 for UK clients
Raw account spreads from 0.0 pips with $3 per lot per side commission
No deposit or withdrawal fees
Supports MT4, MT5, TradingView, and proprietary Tickmill Trader

Review summary

Tickmill is a multi-asset CFD and forex broker regulated by the FCA and CySEC, offering Raw and Classic account types with competitive spreads on 600+ instruments.

Pros

FCA and CySEC regulation with FSCS protection up to GBP 85,000 for UK clients
Raw account spreads from 0.0 pips with $3 per lot per side commission
No deposit or withdrawal fees
Supports MT4, MT5, TradingView, and proprietary Tickmill Trader
Futures and options with direct market access (UK entity)
Demo account available on MT4 and MT5
No inactivity fee on accounts with balance above $50
Negative balance protection across all entities

Cons

Classic account spreads of 1.6 pips are not the tightest in the market
Stock and ETF CFD range is limited compared to full-service brokers
No real stocks or ETFs - equity exposure is CFD only
Demo account not available on TradingView or Tickmill Trader
Inactivity fee applies to low-balance dormant accounts
Crypto offering limited to 15 CFDs
Futures and options only available through the UK entity

Company background

Tickmill was founded in 2014 by brothers Ingmar and Illimar Mattus and began retail brokerage services in early 2015. Tickmill UK Ltd obtained its FCA licence in July 2016. The group now serves over 327,000 clients in more than 180 countries through regulated entities in the UK, Cyprus, South Africa, and Seychelles, with a DFSA representative office in Dubai.

Fees and pricing

Tickmill offers two main live account types. The Classic account is commission-free with spreads from 1.6 pips on major forex pairs. The Raw account carries spreads from 0.0 pips and charges $3 per lot per side commission, totalling $6 per standard round-turn lot. Average Raw EUR/USD spreads are approximately 0.1 pips, giving an all-in cost of around 0.7 pips. Both accounts require a $100 minimum deposit.

Non-trading fees are minimal. Tickmill charges no deposit or withdrawal fees and reimburses bank wire transfer fees on deposits of $5,000 or more. A quarterly inactivity fee of $10 applies to accounts dormant for 12 months with a balance of $50 or less. Overnight swap fees apply to positions held past the daily rollover.

Regulation and safety

Tickmill UK Ltd is authorised by the FCA (reference 717270), providing FSCS protection of up to GBP 85,000 per eligible person. Tickmill Europe Ltd is licensed by CySEC (license 278/15), giving EU clients access to the ICF for up to EUR 20,000. Additional entities hold licences from the FSCA in South Africa (FSP 49464) and the FSA in Seychelles (SD008). Client funds are held in segregated accounts at tier-1 banks, and all entities apply negative balance protection.

Platform experience

Tickmill supports MetaTrader 4, MetaTrader 5, TradingView, and its proprietary Tickmill Trader platform on web, iOS, and Android. MT4 and MT5 support algorithmic trading via Expert Advisors and offer the full range of order types and charting tools. TradingView provides advanced charting and community-generated trade ideas. Tickmill Trader is the broker's proprietary interface, though it lacks trailing stops and price alerts found in MT4 and MT5. Demo accounts are available on MT4 and MT5 only.

Pros and cons

Tickmill's main advantages are FCA and CySEC regulation with FSCS protection up to GBP 85,000 for UK clients, competitive Raw account spreads from 0.0 pips, no deposit or withdrawal fees, multi-platform support, and direct market access to futures and options via the UK entity. The main drawbacks are the lack of real stock or ETF ownership, a limited crypto range of 15 CFDs, the Classic account spread of 1.6 pips, demo accounts restricted to MT4 and MT5, and an inactivity fee on low-balance dormant accounts.

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Trading fees & commissions

The Raw account charges $3 per lot per side commission with spreads from 0.0 pips; the Classic account is commission-free with spreads from 1.6 pips. Tickmill charges no deposit or withdrawal fees, though a $10 quarterly inactivity fee applies after 12 months of dormancy.

Fees

Item	Fee
Cfds	Spreads vary by instrument and account type; Raw account commission $3 per lot per side on forex and precious metals
Crypto	Crypto CFDs only; 15 instruments available; spreads vary
Margin	Overnight swap fees apply to positions held beyond the daily rollover; Islamic account holders pay a handling fee instead of swaps after 3 nights
Account	No account opening or management fee
Deposit	No deposit fee; wire transfer fees reimbursed on deposits of $5,000 or more
Futures	Direct market access futures available via Tickmill UK Ltd; fees vary by exchange and instrument
Options	Options available via Tickmill UK Ltd; fees vary by instrument
Inactivity	$10 per quarter after 12 months of inactivity on accounts with balance of $50 or less
Withdrawal	No withdrawal fee; minimum withdrawal $25

Trading platform & features

Platforms

MetaTrader 4
MetaTrader 5
TradingView
Tickmill Trader
Web app
iOS app
Android app

Regulation and investor protection

Tickmill operates through entities regulated by the FCA (UK), CySEC (Cyprus), FSCA (South Africa), and FSA (Seychelles). Client funds are held in segregated accounts at tier-1 banks, and UK clients are covered by the FSCS up to 85,000 GBP per person.

Broker FAQs

Is Tickmill safe?

Tickmill operates through entities regulated by the FCA, CySEC, FSCA, and FSA Seychelles. Client funds are held in segregated accounts at tier-1 banks and all entities apply negative balance protection.

Is Tickmill a scam?

No. Tickmill holds active licences from the FCA in the UK and CySEC in Cyprus, both considered tier-1 regulators, and has operated as a retail broker since 2015.

Is Tickmill regulated and by whom?

Yes. Tickmill entities are regulated by the FCA (UK, reference 717270), CySEC (Cyprus, license 278/15), FSCA (South Africa, FSP 49464), and FSA (Seychelles, SD008). Tickmill UK Ltd also holds a DFSA representative office registration in Dubai.

Does Tickmill keep client funds in segregated accounts?

Yes. Tickmill states that client funds are held separately from the company's operational funds in segregated accounts at tier-1 banks.

What happens to my money if Tickmill goes bankrupt?

UK clients of Tickmill UK Ltd are covered by the FSCS for up to GBP 85,000 per eligible person. EU clients of Tickmill Europe Ltd may access the ICF for up to EUR 20,000. Client funds are held in segregated accounts at tier-1 banks and cannot be mixed with company funds.

What products does Tickmill offer?

Tickmill offers CFDs on forex (60+ pairs), stock indices (20+), shares (490+ symbols), commodities, cryptocurrencies (15 instruments), and bonds. Exchange-traded futures and options with direct market access are available through the UK entity.

Does Tickmill offer forex trading?

Yes. Tickmill offers CFDs on more than 60 currency pairs, including majors, minors, and exotics.

Does Tickmill offer stock CFDs?

Yes. Tickmill offers over 490 share CFDs primarily from US, UK, and European markets. Note that these are CFD instruments, not direct share ownership.

Does Tickmill offer crypto trading?

Yes. Tickmill offers 15 cryptocurrency CFDs. These are derivative contracts and do not involve ownership of the underlying cryptocurrency.

Does Tickmill offer futures and options?

Yes. Exchange-traded futures and options with direct market access are available through Tickmill UK Ltd, covering exchanges including CME, CBOT, NYMEX, EUREX, and ICE Futures Europe.

What does Tickmill charge for forex trading?

The Classic account is commission-free with spreads from 1.6 pips on major forex pairs. The Raw account charges $3 per lot per side commission with spreads from 0.0 pips, giving an all-in cost of approximately 0.7 pips on EUR/USD.

Is there a withdrawal fee at Tickmill?

No. Tickmill charges no withdrawal fees. The minimum withdrawal amount is $25. Intermediary banks or payment providers may apply their own charges outside Tickmill's control.

Does Tickmill charge an inactivity fee?

Yes. A quarterly inactivity fee of $10 (or equivalent) applies to accounts that have been dormant for 12 months and have a balance of $50 or less.

Does Tickmill have a demo account?

Yes. Demo accounts are available on MetaTrader 4 and MetaTrader 5. Demo access is not currently available for the TradingView integration or the Tickmill Trader proprietary platform.

Does Tickmill have a mobile app?

Yes. Tickmill provides mobile access through the MetaTrader 4 and MetaTrader 5 apps and the Tickmill Trader mobile app, available for iOS and Android.

Is Tickmill good for beginners?

Tickmill offers a demo account on MT4 and MT5, a Classic commission-free account, and educational resources. However, the product range is focused on CFDs and forex, which carry higher risk than direct investing products such as stocks or ETFs.

Is Tickmill good for long-term investing?

Tickmill is primarily designed for active trading rather than long-term investing. It does not offer direct ownership of stocks or ETFs, ISAs, or other tax-advantaged accounts, and overnight swap fees can accumulate on positions held for extended periods.

Bottom line

Tickmill suits users who want a low-cost, multi-platform environment for active forex and CFD trading, with strong tier-1 regulation and access to futures and options via the UK entity. It may not suit users who want direct share or ETF ownership, tax-advantaged accounts, a broad crypto range, or a broker optimised for long-term portfolio investing.

Tickmill

Active forex and CFD traders

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Your capital is at risk. Other fees apply.