Tickmill is an online FX/CFD provider, launched in 2014, which currently offers services in an impressive number of countries as a fully regulated brokerage.
Indeed, Tickmill regulation is one of the aspects of this broker that make it attractive to traders across the globe. While its parent company is based in the Seychelles and regulated by the Seychelles FSA, there are a couple of subsidiaries based in the UK and also in Cyprus too, which are regulated by the local financial authorities. Tickmill UK Ltd, for example, is regulated by the FCA, FSCA and the Labuan FSA.
The broker has secured the kind of global reach that is — without a doubt — the envy of its peers. Above and beyond that, it offers a number of other features, which are also integral to its success.
Reputation is yet another of Tickmill’s strengths, with many traders agreeing that the broker’s policies and actions make Tickmill trustworthy and reliable. We are not talking about the sort of artificially generated reputation either that reviewers mostly disseminate. We are talking about actual user feedback posted at sites such as Trustpilot, where actual traders share their experiences. This sort of raw feedback is never short on complaints, mostly concerning spread manipulation and withdrawal issues, and Tickmill is no exception in this regard. That said, many Tickmill reviews from customers are positive, and the big picture feedback-wise is still very much in favour of the broker.
As mentioned above, the corporate background of the operator is a rather intricate one.
The parent operation is located in the Seychelles, represented by Tickmill Ltd.
The exact address of the company is 3, F28-F29 Eden Plaza, Eden Island, Mahé, Seychelles. As the Seychelles is an African country, you may hear this branch of the brokerage referred to as Tickmill Africa. The regulator behind the Seychelles branch is the local Financial Services Authority, which has granted the broker a license too (no. SD 008).
While the broker does offer a rather impressive selection of promotions (some of which do indeed carry real value), only traders using the Seychelles-based side of the business can take advantage of these deals. The requirements of the other regulators Tickmill are involved with, forbid the offering of such promotions, especially of the type that encourages more trading and larger deposits. So you will not receive a Tickmill bonus if you are trading in the EU or UK.
The UK side of the operation is operated by Tickmill UK Ltd. Based at 3rd Floor, 27 – 32 Old Jewry London EC2R 8DQ. This branch of the broker is regulated and licensed by the FCA. Its FCA license number is 717270.
The Cyprus-based company is Tickmill Europe Ltd, and it is licensed by CySEC. Besides being a CIF (Cyprus Investment Firm), Tickmill is also MiFID II-compliant. Its license number is 278/15.
Tickmill does not accept traders from the USA.
While it is always good for a broker to be properly regulated, good trading conditions are equally important. Tickmill has a very solid offer going in this regard too. The different Tickmill account types cater for traders and all levels, and some feature spreads starts from 0 pips.
Other unique selling points are the ultra-fast execution offered, as well as the fact that the broker allows all trading strategies. Coupled with the unrestricted use of EAs, this is indeed quite an asset.
Tickmill Account Types
The brokerage has gone overboard in this regard — it offers no three trading account types. On top of that, high volume traders are treated preferentially — provided they do indeed fulfil the required conditions. For those who wish to try out their strategies risk-free, there is also a Tickmill demo account.
The Classic Account is for beginners. With a minimum deposit requirement of just $100, the account is indeed very affordable. While no commissions are charged on this account, the spreads start from 1.6 pips.
The Pro Account brings a twist to the table, it reduces the spreads to 0.0 pips, but it charges commissions. The commissions are said to be competitive, and the other trading conditions are indeed the same as with the Classic Account. The execution type is NDD and the average execution speed is 0.20 seconds. The Tickmill minimum deposit on both the Classic and Pro account is just $100.
The VIP account is for traders who are very serious indeed. The minimum balance requirement on this one is $50,000.
The spreads start from 0 pips and the commissions are much better than with the Pro Account.
As said, high volume traders who placed at least 10 substantial trades per quarter for at least the last four quarters, can become Professional Clients. This is provided they have a portfolio the value of which is at least 500,000 euros, or they worked in the finance industry, in a professional position, for at least a year.
On all accounts, Tickmill leverage is very generous. The maximum leverage is 1:500 but this will only apply in some jurisdictions, due to local regulations. For traders in the UK and EU 1:30 is the maximum leverage allowed by law.
In addition to the above, an Islamic Account option is available too. This is basically the swap-free version of any of the above-detailed account types. All account holders have access to the popular and versatile Tickmill MT4 platform.
Promotions
Tickmill offers a number of promotions, including the Trader of the Month promotion, which is in effect a trading contest, handing out a $1,000 prize to the winner (the one who accrues the most profits during the promotional period).
It is important to note that only those trading on the Seychelles-regulated side of the brokerage benefit from the promotions. This is not a Tickmill scam or due to any unfairness or bias on the part of the broker. It is due to regulations preventing trading incentives in most jurisdictions.
The $30 welcome deal is the most interesting promotion, allowing those who open a new account to get some free money with which to trade. What’s more important still, they get to keep the profits they realise with this free money, so it basically amounts to a Tickmill sign up bonus.
Those who like to trade the news will certainly appreciate the NFP Machine. This promotion is a prediction game, which requires traders to try to predict the price of a randomly picked asset 30 minutes after the release of the NFP. The trader who gets it right is rewarded with $500. If no one gets it right, the person with the closest guess is rewarded with $200.
Deposit and Withdrawal Methods
The broker supports an impressive number of Deposit/Withdrawal methods. To make a deposit at Tickmill sign in to your account, and go to the funding section. Bank transfer and credit cards such as VISA and MasterCard are supported, along with scores of other electronic money transfer methods. To mention just a few of these — Neteller, Skrill, FasaPay, UnionPay, Qiwi and STICPAY are all available.
In order to withdraw money, go to your Tickmill login page, make sure you are signed into your account and request a withdrawal.
Most of the above methods are commission-free on deposits. While Bank Wire is an exception in this regard, those who deposit more than $5,000 through this method get to deposit commission-free as well.
Withdrawals are processed within one working day and no commissions are charged on any of the supported payment methods.
Support
Tickmill support staff can be contacted through the live chat feature at the official site in 16 languages. There’s a dedicated email address available too ([email protected]) and a phone number: +852 5808 2921.
The support staff seem knowledgeable, although some users have complained about the quality of support delivered through the live chat feature. All support options are available on the Tickmill contact page.
Conclusion
Tickmill certainly looks good — there’s no better way to put it really.
Its regulatory status is impressive and its trading platform selection is good too. Besides MT4 — the strengths of which are well known to all more or less experienced traders — the broker also offers a WebTrader, which is aimed at those who want to jump into the action right away. Tickmill fees and spreads are competitive, and there are plenty of funding options.
The trading conditions are great, and the featured account types truly do fulfil all needs.
*66% of retail CFD accounts lose money