Tickmill pairs raw spreads from 0.0 pips with low commissions, but international clients contract with its Seychelles entity, which offers weaker protection than its UK and EU arms.
Spreads from
1.6 pips
Commission
$3 per lot per side
Min deposit
$100
Established
2014
Regulated by
FCA · CySEC · FSCA (South Africa) · DFSA (Dubai, representative office) · FSA Seychelles
Written byLaverlane Team·Updated12 Oct 2026
Researched with AI assistance and verified by our editors
Regulation
Tickmill holds tier-1 and tier-2 licences, but the entity you contract with decides your protection.
Tickmill runs several regulated companies, and the one you sign up with depends on where you live. If you’re in the UK, you’ll sign with Tickmill UK Ltd, which the Financial Conduct Authority regulates and which comes with FSCS compensation cover. European traders onboard under CySEC supervision via Tickmill Europe Ltd, under the EU’s Markets in Financial Instruments Directive (MiFID). International clients outside these regions contract with Tickmill Ltd, regulated by the Seychelles Financial Services Authority. tickmill.com is operated within the Tickmill Group, and its footer shows the FCA licence alongside the group’s other entities. Because the licence advertised is not the one covering most international clients, this category loses points.
Tickmill South Africa (Pty) Ltd is authorised by the FSCA (FSP 49464), and Tickmill UK Ltd runs a DIFC representative office registered with the DFSA (F007663).
Key facts
Tickmill provides access to global derivative markets with low capital entry requirements.
Client-facing entity
Tickmill Ltd (Seychelles)
Regulators
FCA, CySEC, FSCA (South Africa), DFSA (Dubai, representative office), FSA Seychelles
Restricted countries
US, JP, IN, IR, SG
Negative-balance protection
Yes
Minimum deposit
$100
Max leverage (UK/EU retail)
1:30
Max leverage (offshore entity)
1:1000
Typical EUR/USD spread
0.1 pips
Platforms
MT4, MT5, TradingView, Proprietary
Account currencies
USD, EUR, GBP, ZAR
Founded in 2014 according to third-party sources (its UK entity, Tickmill UK Ltd, was incorporated in 2015), the broker maintains a baseline deposit threshold of $100 across all three account types. The company focuses on low-cost execution for currency pairs, commodities and index derivatives. It is privately held and operates through entities in the UK, Cyprus, South Africa and Seychelles, with a representative office in Dubai.
Best for
Pros & cons
Fund safety
Client funds are segregated, but compensation cover and loss protection depend on the entity.
The broker keeps client money in segregated bank accounts, separate from corporate funds, and states that client funds are also insured by Lloyd's of London with coverage ranging from $20,000 to $1,000,000. Tickmill’s help centre states that it grants negative balance protection to all clients, except where a negative balance results from fraud or market abuse. Its Client Service Agreement for Tickmill Ltd, however, still requires clients to clear any debit balance on their account, so if you’d be with the Seychelles entity, ask Tickmill to confirm in writing how the two apply.
European client accounts operated under Tickmill Europe Ltd benefit from Investor Compensation Fund coverage of 90% of a claim up to 20,000 EUR. UK accounts registered under Tickmill UK Ltd are covered by the Financial Services Compensation Scheme, which protects investments up to £85,000 per eligible person if the firm fails. However, traders contracting under the Seychelles offshore entity have no statutory compensation scheme, and private insurance is not a substitute for one. This category loses points because international clients have no statutory compensation scheme.
Account terms
Tickmill’s account terms don’t include the aggressive clauses some brokers use to cancel profits
Its terms of business are clear, and there’s nothing that lets it seize profits from normal trading. Automated strategies, scalping, and news trading are permitted across the Classic and Raw accounts. Tickmill reserves the right to charge an inactivity fee under its Terms & Conditions where there is a lack of trading activity, so dormant accounts should be checked against the current terms.
Costs
Tickmill pairs raw spreads with a per-lot commission on its Raw account, which keeps all-in transaction costs low for active forex traders.
Tickmill publishes a typical EUR/USD spread of 0.1 pips, the median over the last 30 days of main trading hours. Add the Raw account’s $3 per lot per side commission and you’re paying roughly 0.7 pips all-in per round turn. This structure suits active currency strategies, though low-volume traders see limited cost savings. Overnight financing costs follow the published swap rates for each instrument. The broker charges no commission on deposits or withdrawals and covers bank fees on single wire deposits above $5,000. Its client agreement sets out an inactivity fee of $10 per quarter, which applies only to dormant accounts with a balance of 50 USD or less after 12 months without activity.
| Instrument | Asset class | Typical spread | Unit |
|---|---|---|---|
| EUR/USD | Forex CFD | 0.1 | pips |
| GBP/USD | Forex CFD | 0.3 | pips |
| USD/JPY | Forex CFD | 0.1 | pips |
| US 100 (Nasdaq) | Index CFD | 1.93 | points |
| US 500 (S&P 500) | Index CFD | 0.39 | points |
| XAU/USD (Gold) | Commodity CFD | 0.09 | $ / oz |
| US Crude Oil | Commodity CFD | 0.04 | $ / bbl |
| BTC/USD | Crypto CFD | 24.9 | $ |
Spreads shown are typical, not guaranteed, and widen during volatile sessions or outside main market hours. Figures reflect the broker's standard retail account.
Markets
Tickmill covers forex, indices, commodities, stocks and crypto, all as CFDs.
Forex CFD
62 pairs
Index CFD
19 indices
Commodity CFD
Metals, energies, softs
Single-Stock CFD
500 shares
Crypto CFD
Available ✓
Real ownership: Stocks / ETFs
N/A for this broker, CFDs only
It lists 62 currency pairs, 19 stock indices including the US500, USTEC and DE40, and 20 commodities spanning metals, energies and agricultural contracts such as wheat, cocoa and coffee. Around 500 stock CFDs are available on MT5, and 15 crypto CFDs range from Bitcoin and Ethereum to smaller coins such as Solana and XRP, although crypto CFDs are not available to UK retail clients. Every product is a CFD, so traders who want to own real shares, ETFs or coins will need to look elsewhere.
Platforms
You can trade on MetaTrader 4, MetaTrader 5, TradingView or Tickmill’s own Tickmill Trader platform.
Traders can choose between MetaTrader 4 and MetaTrader 5 on the Classic and Raw accounts, or the Tickmill Trader and TradingView platforms on the TradingView Raw account. MetaTrader platforms support automated trading through Expert Advisors, while Expert Advisors are not allowed on the TradingView Raw account. The charting suite includes technical indicators and flexible timeframe selections for technical analysis.
Execution
Tickmill describes no-requote execution, but publishes no execution statistics we could verify.
Tickmill states that it executes orders in 0.15 seconds on average with no requotes, and third-party sources describe its model as Straight Through Processing. We could not find execution quality statistics or a detailed dealing-model disclosure on its website, so these claims are reported rather than verified, and this category loses points. An order execution policy is published within its legal documents.
Leverage
Leverage depends on your entity, and offshore retail clients can reach 1:1000.
Retail accounts managed under UK FCA and European CySEC regulations are capped at 1:30 leverage for major currency pairs. Conversely, international accounts under the Seychelles entity offer forex leverage of up to 1:500 on MT4 and up to 1:1000 on selected symbols through dynamic leverage on MT5, Tickmill Trader and TradingView. Retail leverage above 1:500 is a red flag in our method, and the website does not publish a margin call or stop-out level, so this category loses points. Leverage can be reduced during periods of high volatility.
Account types
You can pay through the spread alone on Classic, or take raw spreads and pay a commission on Raw and TradingView Raw
| Account | Min deposit | Commission | Swap | Spread | Demo | Islamic |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Classic | $100 | Spread-only | Standard swap rates apply | From 1.6 pips · Variable | Yes | Yes |
| Raw | $100 | $3 per lot per side | Standard swap rates apply | From 0 pips · Variable | Yes | Yes |
| TradingView Raw | $100 | $3.5 per lot per side | Standard swap rates apply | From 0 pips · Variable | Yes | Yes |
The Classic account offers commission-free trading with spreads starting from 1.6 pips, suited for casual traders. The Raw account charges a 3 USD commission per lot per side with spreads from 0.0 pips, and the TradingView Raw account charges 3.5 USD per lot per side. All three accounts start at $100, and swap-free Islamic accounts are available for eligible clients.
Funding
Deposit and withdrawal options cover traditional bank wires, payment cards, and e-wallets.
Withdrawals are processed within 1 working day without a withdrawal commission, although the money can take longer to arrive: up to 7 working days by bank wire and up to 8 working days by card, while Skrill and Neteller withdrawals are instant. Funding channels include cards, Skrill, Neteller, crypto payments, UnionPay and international bank wire transfers. The minimum withdrawal is $25, and traders should verify third-party intermediary bank fees when processing wire payments.
Support
Customer support operates 24 hours a day, five days a week through multiple digital channels.
Tickmill’s support team works 24/5 by email (support@tickmill.com, with replies within 24 hours on business days) and by phone (Monday to Friday, 07:00–16:00 GMT), and its AI chatbot, Millie, answers questions 24/7. The website is available in 16 languages, including Thai, and Tickmill says its support team is multilingual, but it doesn’t say how many languages support covers. Educational materials include regular market webinars, ebooks, and technical research articles. Daily market analysis tools help traders analyse market shifts across major currency pairs and commodities. The extensive online help centre offers clear answers to account management queries.
Availability
Services cover global jurisdictions while excluding restricted territories like the US and Japan.
Tickmill accepts traders from most European, Asian, African, and Latin American jurisdictions. However, regulatory restrictions block onboarding for residents of the United States, Japan, India, Iran and Singapore. Traders should verify their contracting entity during registration to understand applicable regulatory protections. Global users access trading services via international corporate entities.
Verdict
Tickmill's trading conditions are strong: raw spreads from 0.0 pips, a $3 per side commission, no funding fees and a wide choice of platforms. Its regulation score is held back, however, because the global site places international clients with Tickmill Ltd, regulated only by the Seychelles FSA, while the FCA and CySEC licences cover UK and EU clients alone. Clients of the offshore entity also face leverage of up to 1:1000 and have no compensation scheme, relying instead on segregated funds, Lloyd’s insurance and the negative balance protection Tickmill’s help centre describes, although the client agreement for that entity still asks clients to clear any debit balance. The protections are considerably stronger where you can open your account with the UK or EU entity; elsewhere, weigh the low costs against the offshore contract.
Tickmill makes sense if low trading costs drive your strategy, such as scalping, automated trading or high FX volumes, and you can contract with its UK or EU entity. If you would be placed with the Seychelles entity, weigh those low costs against offshore regulation, leverage of up to 1:1000 and the absence of a compensation scheme.
Active forex traders and EA users in the UK or EU, who get raw pricing alongside FCA or CySEC protection. International clients get the same pricing but a weaker regulatory setup.
FAQ
Tickmill is an international financial brokerage offering margin trading across currency pairs, stock indices, precious metals, and energy commodities. Operating since 2014, it delivers multi-asset derivative execution through global entities including Tickmill UK Ltd and Tickmill Ltd. Regional branches structure regulatory coverage across European and international jurisdictions.
No. Tickmill does not offer its services to residents of the United States, and it also excludes Singapore, Iran, India and Japan. Where it does accept clients, the Tickmill entity you contract with, and the protections that come with it, depends on your country of residence.
Tickmill processes withdrawal requests within 1 working day, with no withdrawal commission. Arrival times then depend on the method: Skrill and Neteller are instant, while bank wires can take 2-7 working days and cards up to 8 working days. The minimum withdrawal is $25.
Tickmill sets its minimum deposit at $100 for all trading accounts, although the starting amount can vary with the chosen base currency. The Classic, Raw and TradingView Raw accounts all start at this level and work across desktop and mobile. Tickmill charges no deposit fees and covers bank fees on single wire deposits of $5,000 or more.
Yes, but your protection depends on the Tickmill entity you join. Tickmill UK Ltd is authorised by the FCA (717270) and Tickmill Europe Ltd by CySEC (278/15), with FSCS and ICF compensation cover respectively. Clients outside the UK and EU contract with Tickmill Ltd, a Seychelles FSA-licensed securities dealer (SD008) with no statutory compensation scheme.
Yes, but only on dormant accounts. Under its client agreement, Tickmill Ltd treats an account as dormant after 12 months and 10 days without trading, deposits or withdrawals, where the balance is 50 USD, EUR or GBP or less. It then charges 10 USD, EUR, GBP or CHF per quarter and writes off any remaining balance of 10 or less.
Alternatives
Eightcap offers CFDs on 850+ markets through TradingView, MetaTrader 4, MetaTrader 5 and TradeLocker, with a Raw account that starts from 0.0 pips. Clients outside the regulated regions contract with Eightcap Global Limited in The Bahamas, which carries no statutory compensation scheme.
Octa offers swap-free forex and CFD trading on OctaTrader, MetaTrader 4 and MetaTrader 5, with no trading commission and a $25 minimum deposit. Accounts on octabroker.com are with Versustrategy Inc, registered in Saint Lucia, and the legal documents page lists no financial regulator.
JustMarkets offers leverage of up to 1:3000, swap-free trading and MT4, MT5 and its own app, but international clients contract with an offshore Seychelles entity without a statutory compensation scheme.
FXCM offers forex and CFD trading on Trading Station, MetaTrader 4 (MT4) and TradingView. Accounts on the international website are with Stratos Global LLC, an offshore entity in St Vincent and the Grenadines that sits outside the group’s regulated companies.
ThinkMarkets offers ThinkTrader, TradingView, MT4 and MT5 with 4,000+ instruments and leverage of up to 1:500 on Standard and ThinkZero accounts. International clients contract with a Seychelles-licensed entity.
IronFX operates as a retail CFD broker providing high leverage up to 1:1000 on MetaTrader 4, but international clients contract through an offshore entity without statutory compensation protection.
CFI Financial offers MT5, TradingView and its own app with no minimum deposit and leverage of up to 1:500. International clients trade with CFI International Ltd, licensed in Mauritius.
EC Markets offers MT4, MT5 and its own app with a $10 minimum deposit on STD and ECN accounts and leverage of up to 1:1000. International clients trade with the Mauritius-licensed entity.
General CFD risk warning
CFDs are complex leveraged products and carry a high risk of rapid losses. They do not give you ownership of the underlying asset. Depending on your jurisdiction, broker entity and client classification, protections such as leverage limits and negative-balance protection may differ or may not apply. Where negative-balance protection is not provided, losses may exceed the funds you deposit. You should consider whether you understand how CFDs work and whether you can afford the high risk of losing your money.
Disclaimer
This page is provided for general information only. Nothing on this page constitutes investment, tax or trading advice, or a recommendation to open an account or trade with a particular broker. Laverlane does not provide personalised investment advice. We are not a broker or financial institution, we do not arrange or execute trades, and we do not hold client funds.
Broker availability, spreads, fees, leverage, products and legal protections, including compensation schemes and negative-balance protection, vary by the broker’s legal entity, your country of residence and your client classification, and may change over time. Where a broker is required to publish its retail CFD loss rate, that figure is shown on its review page. Spreads shown are typical figures as at our verification date; they are not guaranteed and may widen, particularly during volatile market conditions.
Laverlane Scores reflect the information available at our most recent review. They are editorial assessments, not guarantees of a broker’s financial strength, reliability or future performance. Where we report a regulator warning or enforcement notice, it reflects the official public information available at the time of our review.
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