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Head to head

HYCM vs Tickmill

HYCM is licensed by FCA in the United Kingdom and DFSA in the United Arab Emirates (DIFC). Tickmill is licensed by FCA in the United Kingdom, CySEC in the European Union, FSCA in South Africa and DFSA in the United Arab Emirates (DIFC), and also has an offshore registration. The licence that applies to you depends on where you live, so check which company you would contract with before comparing anything else.

Minimum deposits start at $20 at HYCM and $100 at Tickmill. Only HYCM offers negative balance protection. Both offer segregated client money.

Facts last checked: HYCM on 20 October 2026, Tickmill on 20 October 2026.

HYCM profileTickmill profile
Broker 1
Broker 2
Broker 3

Monthly cost uses the account chosen in each slot: cost per lot × your lots. Swap and other fees are extra. The lowest monthly cost is highlighted only as a fact about cost, not as a recommendation.

Broker
HYCMStrictly regulatedRead the profile
TickmillStrictly regulatedRead the profile
Comparing
HYCMUnited Kingdom
TickmillUnited Kingdom

Overview

Founded
Not yet checked
Not yet checked
Headquarters
London, United Kingdom
Not yet checked
Official websites
  • hycm.com
  • hycm.co.uk
  • tickmill.com
Facts last checked
20 October 2026
20 October 2026

Regulation and protection

Company you would contract with
HYCM Capital Markets (UK) Limited
Tickmill UK Ltd
Regulator
FCA
United Kingdom
FCA
United Kingdom
Regulation level
Strictly regulated
Strictly regulated
Licence number
186171
Check the register
717270
Check the register
Clients this company serves
UK residents
UK residents
All licences held
  • FCA (United Kingdom)
  • DFSA (United Arab Emirates (DIFC))
  • FCA (United Kingdom)
  • CySEC (European Union)
  • FSCA (South Africa)
  • DFSA (United Arab Emirates (DIFC))
  • FSA Seychelles (Seychelles)
Segregated client money
Yes
Yes
Negative balance protection
Yes
No
Compensation scheme
FSCS for eligible clients of HYCM Capital Markets (UK) Limited only
FSCS (UK, Tickmill UK Ltd clients); ICF (Cyprus, Tickmill Europe Ltd clients); none named for Tickmill Ltd (Seychelles)

Costs

Your monthly cost
No accounts listed
No accounts listed
Cost per lot (EUR/USD)
No accounts listed
No accounts listed
Spread from
No accounts listed
No accounts listed
Typical EUR/USD spread
No accounts listed
No accounts listed
Commission per lot (round turn)
No accounts listed
No accounts listed
Typical GBP/USD spread
Not yet checked
Not yet checked
Typical USD/JPY spread
Not yet checked
Not yet checked
Typical XAU/USD spread
Not yet checked
Not yet checked
Swap-free account
Yes
Yes

Leverage and margin

Maximum retail leverage
1:30 on major pairs for FCA retail clients; up to 1:500 at the Costa Rica company
Up to 1:1000 on selected symbols, 1:500 by default on forex (Tickmill Ltd, Seychelles); 1:30 on major pairs for UK and EU retail clients
Retail leverage by asset class
  • Major currency pairs: 1:30 (FCA); up to 1:500 (Costa Rica)
  • Bitcoin CFDs: 1:5 (Costa Rica company only)
  • Major and minor currency pairs: 1:500 (global site)
  • Selected forex symbols: 1:1000 (global site)
Margin call level
Not yet checked
Not yet checked
Stop-out level
50% (HYCM may start closing positions from 55%)
Not yet checked

Account

Minimum deposit (this account)
No accounts listed
No accounts listed
Base currencies
No accounts listed
No accounts listed
Execution
No accounts listed
No accounts listed

Platforms and features

Platforms
  • MetaTrader 4
  • MetaTrader 5
  • HYCM Trader app
  • Web Trader
  • MetaTrader 4
  • MetaTrader 5
  • Tickmill Trader
  • TradingView
  • MetaTrader WebTrader
  • Tickmill mobile app
Markets
300+ CFDs on forex, metals, indices, commodities, shares and cryptocurrencies, plus US stocks
Currency pairs, indices, commodities, cryptocurrencies and other CFDs; futures accounts
Demo account
Yes
Yes
Copy trading
Not yet checked
Not yet checked
Expert advisors (automated trading)
Yes
Yes
News trading allowed
Not yet checked
Not yet checked
Guaranteed stops
Not yet checked
Not yet checked

Deposits and withdrawals

Deposit methods
  • Bank wire
  • Visa card
  • Cryptocurrency
  • Card
  • Bank transfer
Withdrawal fee
No HYCM fee; your bank may charge. Profits are withdrawn by wire transfer only
No withdrawal fees from Tickmill; bank fees on single wire deposits of $5,000 or more are covered
Inactivity fee
Not yet checked
Not yet checked

Support

Customer support
Live chat and online help centre
Not yet checked

Our notes

Strengths
  • UK company authorised by the FCA since 2001 and allowed to hold client money
  • Client money kept in segregated accounts, with negative balance protection
  • Low $20 minimum deposit on every account type
  • UK and EU companies licensed by the FCA (717270) and CySEC (278/15), with FSCS and ICF cover for eligible clients
  • Raw account with spreads from 0.0 pips and a $3 commission per lot per side
  • No withdrawal fees from Tickmill and a $100 minimum deposit on Classic and Raw
Watch out for
  • The international website (hycm.com) signs clients up with HYCM Capital Markets S.R.L., a Costa Rica company with no financial licence
  • Leverage of up to 1:500 at the Costa Rica company, against 1:30 for FCA retail clients
  • The FCA has warned about many clone firms using HYCM's name, including hycmarkets.net and hycmarket.com
  • Spreads are published only as "from" figures, so typical costs are hard to compare
  • Clients of the global site join Tickmill Ltd, which holds only an offshore licence from the FSA Seychelles
  • The global site's risk warning says losses can exceed the initial investment; negative balance protection is a rule for UK and EU retail clients, not stated for the Seychelles company
  • The FCA has warned about clone firms using Tickmill UK's details (FX Profit Broker / FXPB / Armada Markets UK LTD and FxoptionTrade Limited)

Risk warnings

The buttons to a broker’s website above the table are partner links: we may earn a commission if you open an account through them. That never changes the facts shown here. Trading leveraged products such as forex and CFDs carries a high risk of losing money rapidly, and most retail accounts lose money. Each broker’s own warning:

  • HYCM: Contracts for Difference (‘CFDs’) are complex financial products that are traded on margin. Trading CFDs carries a high degree of risk. It is possible to lose all your capital. These products may not be suitable for everyone and you should ensure that you understand the risks involved. Seek independent expert advice if necessary and speculate only with funds that you can afford to lose. Please think carefully whether such trading suits you, taking into consideration all the relevant circumstances as well as your personal resources. We do not recommend clients posting their entire account balance to meet margin requirements. Clients can minimise their level of exposure by requesting a change in leverage limit. For more information please refer to HYCM’s Risk Disclosure.
  • Tickmill: Risk Warning: Trading financial products on margin carries a high degree of risk and is not suitable for all investors. Losses can exceed the initial investment. Please ensure you fully understand the risks and take appropriate care to manage your risk.

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Other head-to-head pages

Cost per lot is the typical EUR/USD spread in busy hours × $10, plus any round-turn commission, for one standard lot. “Not yet checked” means we have not confirmed that fact yet. This page compares facts; it does not rank the brokers or recommend either. Confirm costs and licences on each broker’s site and the regulator’s public register before opening an account: see how we review brokers and check a broker yourself.

Nothing on this page is financial advice. Read the full disclaimer.

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