Your capital is at risk Calling Tickmill ‘successful’ at this point is by no means empty hype. Launched in 2014, the brand has since gone on to be a globally recognized one, and it took it only around six short years to get there. What is behind this success?
While we don’t actually know much about the backstage efforts that ended up yielding this impressive result, a couple of things stand out about the broker, even to the casual observer. Tickmill regulation is extensive and impressive, which allows it to operate legally in a huge number of jurisdictions worldwide. The other is the fact that — despite this solid regulatory position — the broker has been able to deliver some extra value to its traders in the shape of a $30 Welcome Bonus, which in effect operates as a Tickmill sign up bonus.
Above and beyond all that, the outstanding trading conditions and the more-than-affordable account types, have certainly also had a part in the success of the brand.
The corporate background of the operation makes it clear why it has been able to secure such impressive regulatory backing. There are no fewer than three companies in the Tickmill fold, focused on different geographic regions, and all five are licensed and regulated by the authorities relevant to their target locations.
Tickmill Africa is based in the East African country of the Seychelles and this seems to be the main branch of the outfit. Tickmill Ltd is the company behind this one, and it is a registered Seychelles Securities Dealer. As such, it is regulated by the local Financial Services Authority. Tickmill is the proud possessor of license SD008.
Tickmill UK Ltd is obviously the UK-based branch of the operation. Registered in England and Wales, the company is licensed by the FCA, its license number being: 717270.
Perhaps the most interesting component of the Tickmill group is Tickmill Europe Ltd though. A registered Cyprus Investment Firm (CIF), the company is licensed by CySEC, and it is indeed MiFID II-compliant. It is also a member of the Investor Compensation Fund, and thus able to provide its traders with some attractive guarantees.
Given its MiFID compliance, the broker is free to advertise and deliver services in most EEA countries.
Jurisdictions where Tickmill does not currently operate are the USA.
As our Tickmill review will demonstrate, besides a great regulatory status, the forex broker also features a number of attractive unique selling points.
It accepts a truly impressive range of deposit/withdrawal methods for instance, and its spreads start from 0 pips (on some of its featured accounts).
Some 85 trading instruments are supported by the broker, among them an impressive number of FX pairs and cryptocurrencies. There’s negative balance protection and no re-quotes, and Tickmill leverage, at its maximum, reaches a generous 1:500.
Some of the trading accounts offered are indeed very affordable, and despite its ‘tender’ age, the broker has already picked up a couple of rather prestigious awards, such as the Best Commodities Broker at the Rankia Markets Experience Expo 2020, and Most Reliable Broker at the Online Personal Wealth Awards 2020. The Tickmill minimum deposit requirement starts at just $100 on some accounts, making it suitable for less-experienced traders.
Perhaps the most interesting and attractive aspect about the broker is that it accepts all EAs and all trading algos. In short: it has no limits on profitability and allows for substantial flexibility in trading strategies.
In addition, the user-friendly interface of the Tickmill MT4 trading platform makes trading easy and intuitive.
That said, traders need to bear in mind that the majority of unskilled traders lose money trading FX and CFDs, regardless of their broker/the services it offers.
What about Tickmill’s reputation though?
Most reviewers sing the broker’s praises, but their assessments are hardly objective, so we’ll look clean past them.
Traders are the ones who deliver a relevant verdict in this regard, through message boards and forums, where those slighted in any shape or form are always quick to voice their grievances.
In Tickmill’s case — despite some complaints about spread-manipulation, stop losses and withdrawal issues — there are very few claims of Tickmill scam attempts or outright dishonest behaviour, and the trader feedback picture is an overwhelmingly favourable one.
Tickmill Promotions
As mentioned above, despite its full regulatory compliance, Tickmill is able to offer its users some rather surprising promotional value.
Its selection of promotions consists of three items, the most interesting of which is a $30 welcome bonus. It is perhaps not at all surprising though that this Tickmill bonus is only available to those trading on the Seychelles-regulated branch of the brokerage. As a matter of fact, the same is true for the other promotions too.
Other promotions include Tickmill’s NFP machine, which has traders guessing the price of a random tradable asset 30 minutes after the NFP release. The trader who gets an exact hit is rewarded with $500. If no one makes an exact guess, the closest one picks up $200.
The Trader of the Month promotion is a trading contest, the winner of which walks away with a $1,000 prize. Go to your Tickmill login page and sign in to your account to see which promotions apply to you.
Market Coverage
The broker offers access to some 85 tradable assets, the majority of which are FX pairs.
Indices and WTI can be traded as well (through CFDs of course) and the same goes for precious metals. Gold and Silver are available.
Interestingly, Tickmill also offers German government bonds, which can be traded with no commissions and attractive spreads.
It should be noted that at Tickmill crypto trading is also available.
Tickmill Account Types
The broker offers no fewer than five real money account options, beginning with the Classic Account.
The Classic Account offers spreads starting from 1.6 pips, and access to all 85 tradable assets. The maximum available leverage is 1:500 (1:30 for UK traders).
The Pro Account raises the stakes somewhat, while doing away with the spread completely on some instruments. Instead, the account charges a commission of two per side per lot. Otherwise, the trading conditions are the same as on the Classic Account. Both of these Tickmill account types have a minimum deposit of $100.
The VIP Account is an entirely different ballgame though. The minimum required balance is $50,000 here, so this is definitely not an option for everyone.
The whales who outgrow even this account can become Professional Clients, who enjoy special benefits, such as even better trading conditions. Professional traders need to fulfil certain conditions though before they qualify for the special status.
The Islamic Account is aimed at traders of the Islamic faith, who need a Sharia-compliant setup. The Islamic Account option is essentially a swap-free account. To secure such an account-type, traders need to create a regular one, after which they can request it to be converted to swap-free.
A Tickmill demo account is also available, to practice risk-free trading.
Support
Tickmill’s support staff are knowledgeable and quite eager to help. Support can be contacted through email ([email protected]), as well as through phone (+852 5808 2921). The official site of the brokerage carries a live chat feature and support in 16 languages.
The support page also offers access to an exhaustive FAQ section, which should always be consulted before requesting actual support. All support options can be accessed on the Tickmill contact page.
Conclusion
Tickmill is an outstanding broker by every measure. Its regulatory status is nothing short of amazing, as is the fact that — to certain traders — it can offer promotional value.
The supported trading platforms of the operation are MT4 and WebTrader, covering the needs of quick, recreational traders as well as those TA-savvy professionals.
Tickmill support is excellent and easy to access, and there is a range of deposit and withdrawal methods available.
Trade execution is great, the accounts are affordable and the trading conditions are flexible and advantageous, with options for traders at all levels.
While there are always pros and cons to every broker, our detailed and extensive review has found many features that make Tickmill trustworthy, reliable and competitive.