IC Markets vs Tickmill: Honest 2026 Comparison
Affiliate disclosure: this article contains partner links. KenMacro may earn a commission when you open an account through these links, at no additional cost to you. The desk only partners with brokers that pass our regulatory and execution-quality screen.
IC Markets and Tickmill both target the FCA-regulated raw-spread Tier-1 archetype but with different trade-offs. IC Markets carries ASIC, CySEC, FSA Seychelles oversight, founded 2007, with tight raw spreads and ctrader native. Tickmill runs FCA, CySEC, FSCA, FSA Seychelles, DFSA, founded 2014, with lowest commission tiers in mid-tier ecn brokers ($2 round-turn on vip), fca and cysec oversight. For the FCA-regulated raw-spread Tier-1 archetype, both qualify and the choice splits on platform fit and account-tier accessibility.
By Ken Chigbo, Founder, KenMacro, 18-plus years in markets, London trading floor and institutional FX. The framework runs daily inside the MACRO MASTERY desk.
Quick verdict
- For ASIC plus CySEC vs FCA plus CySEC, both deliver. IC Markets runs ASIC, CySEC, FSA Seychelles, Tickmill runs FCA, CySEC, FSCA, FSA Seychelles, DFSA.
- For raw spreads plus commission. IC Markets EUR/USD 0.0 to 0.1 pips raw (raw spread), commission $7 round-turn (raw spread). Tickmill EUR/USD 1.6 pips typical (classic), 0.0 pips raw (pro), 0.0 pips raw (vip), commission classic zero, pro $4 round-turn, vip $2 round-turn (qualifying volumes).
- For cTrader vs MetaTrader plus AutoChartist. IC Markets runs mt4, mt5, ctrader. Tickmill runs metatrader 4, metatrader 5, tickmill trader mobile app, autochartist.
- For minimum deposit. IC Markets: $200. Tickmill: $100.
- For Trustpilot 2026. IC Markets: 4.8 / 5. Tickmill: 4.7 / 5.
- For the partner-stack alternative. Vantage Markets is the partner alternative the desk routes to. FCA UK plus ASIC Tier-1 stack with raw-spread economics, plus Lloyd’s of London insurance and the bundled MACRO MASTERY desk overlay.
Open Vantage Markets, the partner alternative →
Capital at risk. CFD and margin trading carry significant risk of loss. Past performance does not guarantee future results.
At a glance
| Variable | IC Markets | Tickmill |
|---|---|---|
| Founded | 2007 | 2014 |
| Regulation | ASIC, CySEC, FSA Seychelles | FCA, CySEC, FSCA, FSA Seychelles, DFSA |
| Min deposit / fee | $200 | $100 |
| EUR/USD spread | 0.0 to 0.1 pips raw (Raw Spread) | 1.6 pips typical (Classic), 0.0 pips raw (Pro), 0.0 pips raw (VIP) |
| Commission | $7 round-turn (Raw Spread) | Classic zero, Pro $4 round-turn, VIP $2 round-turn (qualifying volumes) |
| Max leverage | 1:30 ASIC retail, up to 1:500 FSA offshore | 1:30 FCA, CySEC retail, up to 1:500 FSA Seychelles offshore |
| Platforms | MT4, MT5, cTrader | MetaTrader 4, MetaTrader 5, Tickmill Trader mobile app, AutoChartist |
| Payment / payouts | Bank wire, cards, PayPal, Skrill, Neteller. Free on most methods. | Bank wire, debit and credit cards, Skrill, Neteller, crypto. No broker-side deposit or withdrawal fees. |
| Trustpilot 2026 | 4.8 / 5 | 4.7 / 5 |
| Key strength | Tight raw spreads and cTrader native | Lowest commission tiers in mid-tier ECN brokers ($2 round-turn on VIP), FCA and CySEC oversight |
Regulation and trust
IC Markets carries ASIC Australia licence 335692, CySEC Cyprus licence 362/18, and FSA Seychelles licence SD018. One of the largest retail forex brokers globally by reported trading volume. Tickmill runs Tickmill UK Ltd is FCA-authorised under firm reference 717270. Tickmill Europe Ltd is regulated by CySEC under licence 278/15. Tickmill ZA (Pty) Ltd is FSCA-regulated FSP 49464. Tickmill Ltd is regulated by the FSA Seychelles under licence SD008. Tickmill MENA Ltd is regulated by the DFSA Dubai. Founded 2014, part of the Tmill UK Limited group, headquartered in London. Regulator depth is one of the cleanest filters when picking a broker, the deeper the audited stack the better the recourse if anything goes wrong. Neither broker is in the partner stack the desk runs daily. Vantage Markets is the partner alternative the desk routes to: FCA UK plus ASIC Tier-1 stack with raw-spread economics, plus Lloyd’s of London insurance and the bundled MACRO MASTERY desk overlay.
IC Markets, the regulator footprint runs ASIC Australia licence 335692, CySEC Cyprus licence 362/18, and FSA Seychelles licence SD018. One of the largest retail forex brokers globally by reported trading volume.
Tickmill, by contrast, operates under Tickmill UK Ltd is FCA-authorised under firm reference 717270. Tickmill Europe Ltd is regulated by CySEC under licence 278/15. Tickmill ZA (Pty) Ltd is FSCA-regulated FSP 49464. Tickmill Ltd is regulated by the FSA Seychelles under licence SD008. Tickmill MENA Ltd is regulated by the DFSA Dubai. Founded 2014, part of the Tmill UK Limited group, headquartered in London.
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Spreads and commission
On the headline raw account tier, IC Markets posts 0.0 to 0.1 pips raw (raw spread) on EUR/USD with $7 round-turn (raw spread). Tickmill posts 1.6 pips typical (classic), 0.0 pips raw (pro), 0.0 pips raw (vip) with classic zero, pro $4 round-turn, vip $2 round-turn (qualifying volumes). All-in cost is the relevant comparison rather than the headline raw spread on its own, the commission rate per round-turn lot can flip the verdict for high-frequency traders. Cost differential is marginal across both, the platform and regulator fit decides the verdict.
On the headline raw account tier, IC Markets posts 0.0 to 0.1 pips raw (raw spread) on EUR/USD with $7 round-turn (raw spread). Tickmill posts 1.6 pips typical (classic), 0.0 pips raw (pro), 0.0 pips raw (vip) with classic zero, pro $4 round-turn, vip $2 round-turn (qualifying volumes). Both numbers are sourced from the brokers’ published spread sheets and cross-referenced against live execution windows during NFP and FOMC.
Platforms
IC Markets’s platform stack runs mt4, mt5, ctrader. Tickmill covers metatrader 4, metatrader 5, tickmill trader mobile app, autochartist. Platform fit is rarely the differentiator on its own, the question is which stack lines up with the trader’s existing chartwork and automation. For traders running MetaTrader expert advisors or TradingView native chartwork, both brokers cover the standard set, the differentiator lives in any proprietary platform extension on each side.
IC Markets’s platform stack covers mt4, mt5, ctrader, while Tickmill runs metatrader 4, metatrader 5, tickmill trader mobile app, autochartist. Platform fit is rarely the differentiator on its own, the differentiator is how the platform set lines up with the trader’s existing chartwork and automation set.
Payments and withdrawals
IC Markets: Bank wire, cards, PayPal, Skrill, Neteller. Free on most methods. Tickmill: Bank wire, debit and credit cards, Skrill, Neteller, crypto. No broker-side deposit or withdrawal fees. Withdrawal infrastructure is a quiet but high-impact layer. The cleanest brokers process broker-side withdrawals same-day on most methods with zero broker-side fees, intermediary-bank delays are the variable element on bank-wire withdrawals.
IC Markets: Bank wire, cards, PayPal, Skrill, Neteller. Free on most methods.
Tickmill: Bank wire, debit and credit cards, Skrill, Neteller, crypto. No broker-side deposit or withdrawal fees.
ASIC regulated. Raw-spread ECN execution. Built for active intraday forex and index traders who care about cost per round-turn.
Who should pick IC Markets
Pick IC Markets if you are
Pick IC Markets if you fit the FCA-regulated raw-spread Tier-1 archetype that prioritises tight raw spreads and ctrader native. The headline differentiator is ASIC, CySEC, FSA Seychelles regulator coverage with 0.0 to 0.1 pips raw (raw spread) on EUR/USD. IC Markets is not in the partner stack the desk runs, see the pivot CTA below.
Who should pick Tickmill
Pick Tickmill if you are
Pick Tickmill if you fit the FCA-regulated raw-spread Tier-1 archetype that prioritises lowest commission tiers in mid-tier ecn brokers ($2 round-turn on vip), fca and cysec oversight. The headline differentiator is FCA, CySEC, FSCA, FSA Seychelles, DFSA regulator coverage with 1.6 pips typical (classic), 0.0 pips raw (pro), 0.0 pips raw (vip) on EUR/USD. Tickmill is not in the partner stack the desk runs, see the pivot CTA below.
The desk’s verdict
Desk verdict
IC Markets and Tickmill are both credible options inside the FCA-regulated raw-spread Tier-1 archetype. Tickmill wins on the lowest commission tier in mid-tier ECN brokers ($2 round-turn on VIP) and the FCA UK regulator coverage IC Markets does not match. IC Markets wins on the institutional-volume execution depth, cTrader native, the longer operating history, and the higher Trustpilot rating. Neither broker is in the partner stack. The desk’s preferred alternative is Vantage Markets: FCA UK plus ASIC Tier-1 stack with raw-spread economics, plus Lloyd’s of London insurance and the bundled MACRO MASTERY desk overlay.
Open Vantage Markets, the partner alternative →
Capital at risk. CFD and margin trading carry significant risk of loss. Past performance does not guarantee future results.
ASIC and FSCA regulation. Cent-account option for small balances. Leverage up to 1:1000 on the offshore entity for the high-leverage archetype.
The MACRO MASTERY angle
Broker selection is one piece of the framework. Macro positioning is what compounds across cycles, irrespective of the execution venue. The MACRO MASTERY desk runs daily macro pulses, NFP and FOMC and CPI live coverage, BTC whale-flow signals, weekly performance scorecard, and the live MT5 signal bridge.
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Frequently asked questions
Which is better, IC Markets or Tickmill?
For the FCA-regulated raw-spread Tier-1 archetype: both qualify, the choice splits on platform and account-tier fit. Both are credible options inside their respective regulator stacks.
Is IC Markets safer than Tickmill?
IC Markets runs ASIC, CySEC, FSA Seychelles. Tickmill runs FCA, CySEC, FSCA, FSA Seychelles, DFSA. Both segregate client funds per regulator rules. The deeper the audited stack the cleaner the recourse if anything goes wrong, ASIC plus CySEC vs FCA plus CySEC is the differentiator on this pair.
Are IC Markets spreads tighter than Tickmill?
IC Markets posts 0.0 to 0.1 pips raw (raw spread) with $7 round-turn (raw spread). Tickmill posts 1.6 pips typical (classic), 0.0 pips raw (pro), 0.0 pips raw (vip) with classic zero, pro $4 round-turn, vip $2 round-turn (qualifying volumes). All-in cost is the operationally relevant comparison rather than the headline raw spread on its own.
Which has lower minimum deposit, IC Markets or Tickmill?
IC Markets: $200. Tickmill: $100. The lower minimum is the cleaner door-opener for early-stage traders, but capital should match the trader’s risk-management plan rather than the broker’s floor.
Which has the bundled MACRO MASTERY desk overlay?
Neither broker is in the partner stack the desk runs. Vantage Markets is the partner alternative the desk routes to: FCA UK plus ASIC Tier-1 stack with raw-spread economics, plus Lloyd’s of London insurance and the bundled MACRO MASTERY desk overlay.
Can I run both IC Markets and Tickmill accounts?
Yes. Many traders run more than one broker account in parallel, eg one for ECN raw execution and one for spread-only proprietary platforms. Both brokers segregate client funds per their respective regulator rules, so capital is protected on each entity’s terms even if one entity fails.
Related reading
- Best forex brokers 2026, the institutional verdict
- How to choose a forex broker, the desk’s framework
- Vantage vs Blueberry vs Star Trader, three-way verdict
Educational analysis only. Past performance does not guarantee future results. Manage risk against your own portfolio. CFD and margin trading carry significant risk of loss. Verify current IC Markets and Tickmill terms against each official documentation before opening an account.
Sources cross-referenced for this IC Markets vs Tickmill comparison: https://www.icmarkets.com/global/en/about-us/regulation, https://connectonline.asic.gov.au/RegistrySearch/, https://uk.trustpilot.com/review/icmarkets.com, https://www.tickmill.com/about-us/regulation/, https://register.fca.org.uk/, https://uk.trustpilot.com/review/tickmill.com, Trustpilot aggregations 2026.
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