Exness vs Tickmill for Malta Traders (2026 Comparison)
Which broker is better for Malta traders in 2026? Expert analysis across 12 categories.
For Malta-based retail traders comparing forex brokers, Exness and Tickmill are two highly regulated options operating under the Malta Financial Services Authority (MFSA). Exness holds a strong 4.8/5 rating and is known for its ultra-low spreads, instant local payments via Skrill, Neteller, and USDT TRC20, and flexible leverage up to 1:2000 for retail clients. Tickmill, with a 4/5 score, appeals to traders who prefer raw spreads and transparent commission structures, especially on the popular EUR/USD pair. Both brokers support Bank Transfer deposits from Maltese banks, but Exness offers faster e-wallet processing and more crypto-friendly options. This comparison explores which broker better suits Malta traders based on costs, regulation, deposit methods, and local support.
| Instrument | Exness | Tickmill | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| EUR/USD avg spread | 0.09 pips + $3.5/lot | 0.0 pips + $3.5/lot | Tickmill |
| XAU/USD (Gold) | $0.14 typical | $0.12 typical | Tickmill |
| GBP/USD avg spread | 0.29 pips | 0.23 pips | Tickmill |
| Standard acc spread | from 1.0 pips | from 0.8 pips | Tickmill |
| ECN commission | $3.5/lot/side | $3.5/lot/side | Tie |
| Min deposit | $10 | $100 | Exness |
| Inactivity fee | ✓ | ✓ | Tie |
For Malta traders, trading costs are a key differentiator between Exness and Tickmill. Exness offers spreads from 0.1 pips on its Zero account with no commission, making it ideal for frequent scalpers. Tickmill’s raw spread account starts from 0.0 pips but charges a $3 commission per lot per side. For a Malta trader executing 10 standard lots per month on EUR/USD, Exness costs around $10 in spreads (at 0.1 pips), while Tickmill costs about $6 in spreads plus $60 in commissions, totaling $66. However, Tickmill’s lower spreads benefit high-volume traders. Exness also provides a free VPS for active traders, which is valuable for Malta-based scalpers seeking low latency.
| Account Type | Exness | Tickmill |
|---|---|---|
| Standard account | ✓ | ✓ |
| ECN / Raw spread | ✓ | ✓ |
| Islamic (swap-free) | ✓ | ✓ |
| Demo account | ✓ | ✓ |
| PAMM / MAM account | ✗ | ✗ |
| Zero spread account | ✓ | ✓ |
| Copy trading | ✗ | ✗ |
| VPS trading | ✓ | ✓ |
| Min deposit | $10 | $100 |
| Neg. balance protection | ✓ | ✓ |
| Entity / Asset | Exness | Tickmill |
|---|---|---|
| Malta (offshore) | Up to 1:2000 | Up to 1:500 |
| Forex major pairs | 1:2000 | 1:500 |
| Gold (XAU/USD) | 1:200 | 1:200 |
| Indices | 1:100 | 1:100 |
| Cryptocurrencies | 1:2 to 1:10 | 1:2 to 1:10 |
| Margin call level | 80% | 80% |
| Stop out level | 50% | 50% |
| Asset Class | Exness | Tickmill | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forex pairs | 90+ | 65+ | Exness |
| Gold (XAU/USD) | ✓ | ✓ | Tie |
| Oil (WTI/Brent) | ✓ | ✓ | Tie |
| Stock indices | 25+ indices | 20+ indices | Exness |
| Crypto CFDs | 30+ | ✗ | Exness |
| Stocks / Share CFDs | ✗ | ✗ | Tickmill |
| ETFs | ✗ | ✗ | Tie |
| Options | ✗ | ✗ | Tie |
| Futures | ✗ | ✗ | Tie |
| Platform | Exness | Tickmill |
|---|---|---|
| MetaTrader 4 (MT4) | ✓ | ✓ |
| MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | ✓ | ✓ |
| cTrader | ✗ | ✗ |
| TradingView | ✗ | ✗ |
| Expert Advisors (EAs) | ✓ | ✓ |
| Scalping allowed | ✓ | ✓ |
| Hedging allowed | ✓ | ✓ |
| Fixed spreads | ✗ | ✗ |
| Variable spreads | ✓ | ✓ |
Both Exness and Tickmill offer MetaTrader 4 and MetaTrader 5, the most popular platforms among Malta retail traders. Exness also provides its proprietary WebTerminal and mobile apps with advanced charting and one-click trading. Tickmill focuses on MT4/MT5 but adds TradingView integration for chart analysis. For Malta traders who value flexibility, Exness’s multi-platform support (including cTrader on some accounts) is a plus. Tickmill’s platforms are stable and fast, but lack the variety of Exness. Both brokers offer demo accounts, which are useful for Malta beginners to test strategies before depositing via Bank Transfer or Skrill.
| Factor | Exness | Tickmill | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Execution model | ECN/STP | True ECN | Tickmill |
| Avg execution speed | ~30ms | ~40ms | Exness |
| Slippage | Very low | Very low | Tie |
| Requotes | Very rare | Very rare | Tie |
| Dealing desk | ✗ | ✗ | Tie |
| Scalping allowed | ✓ | ✓ | Tie |
| News trading | ✓ | ✓ | Tie |
| EA / Bot trading | ✓ | ✓ | Tie |
Exness offers NDD (No Dealing Desk) execution with average order execution speeds of 0.1 seconds, making it suitable for Malta scalpers and algorithmic traders. Tickmill also uses NDD execution with speeds around 0.2 seconds, which is competitive but slightly slower. Exness provides a free VPS for traders with an account balance above $500, reducing latency for Malta traders connecting to London or New York servers. Tickmill’s VPS is free for traders with 10+ lots per month. Both brokers have no requotes or slippage under normal market conditions, but Exness’s infrastructure is more robust for high-frequency trading.
| Safety Factor | Exness | Tickmill |
|---|---|---|
| Primary regulator | FCA | FCA |
| Reg number | #730729 | #717270 |
| Verify registration | Verify ↗ | Verify ↗ |
| Top-tier regulated | ✓ | ✓ |
| Investor protection | ✓ | ✓ |
| Segregated funds | ✓ | ✓ |
| Neg. balance protection | ✓ | ✓ |
Exness and Tickmill are both regulated by the Malta Financial Services Authority (MFSA), the primary financial regulator in Malta. This means Malta traders benefit from local oversight, negative balance protection, and access to the Financial Ombudsman Service. Exness also holds licenses from the FCA (UK) and CySEC, adding extra layers of security. Tickmill is regulated by the MFSA and FCA as well, but its European entity (Tickmill Europe Ltd) is purely MFSA-regulated. For Malta traders, both brokers offer segregated client funds and investor compensation schemes under MFSA rules. Always verify the entity you trade with to ensure local protection applies.
| Payment Method | Exness | Tickmill |
|---|---|---|
| Bank Wire Transfer | ✓ | ✓ |
| Visa / Mastercard | ✓ | ✓ |
| Skrill | ✓ | ✓ |
| Neteller | ✓ | ✓ |
| USDT / Crypto | ✓ | ✗ |
| Deposit fee | None | None |
| Withdrawal time | 24/7 automated; 98% instant to 24hrs; mobile money often instant; bank transfer 1-3 days | Most withdrawals 1 business day; bank wire 1-3 days |
| Min withdrawal | $50 | $50 |
Malta traders can fund their accounts at Exness and Tickmill using Bank Transfer, Skrill, Neteller, and USDT TRC20. Exness processes deposits instantly for e-wallets and USDT, with no fees, and bank transfers typically clear within 1-2 business days. Tickmill also supports these methods but may take 1-3 hours for USDT and up to 2 days for bank transfers. Withdrawals at Exness are processed within 24 hours for e-wallets, while Tickmill can take 1-2 business days. For Malta traders preferring crypto, Exness’s USDT TRC20 option is faster and more reliable. Both brokers support EUR and USD accounts, but Exness offers more currency flexibility. Minimum deposits start at $10 for Exness and $100 for Tickmill, making Exness more accessible for small retail traders.
| Islamic Account Feature | Exness | Tickmill |
|---|---|---|
| Swap-free available | ✓ | ✓ |
| Admin fee instead of swap | On some instruments | On some instruments |
| MT4 / MT5 supported | ✓ | ✓ |
| Gold swap-free | ✓ | ✓ |
| Crypto swap-free | ✓ | — |
| How to apply | Contact support | Contact support |
Both Exness and Tickmill offer Islamic (swap-free) accounts for Malta Muslim traders who require Sharia-compliant trading. Exness provides swap-free accounts on all account types with no additional fees, and the swap-free status is maintained indefinitely as long as no swaps are charged. Tickmill also offers Islamic accounts but requires a formal request and may apply an administrative fee after 30 days for positions held overnight. Malta traders should compare these conditions: Exness is more accommodating for long-term holders, while Tickmill is better for short-term traders who rarely keep positions open beyond a day. Both brokers ensure no interest is charged or credited on overnight positions.
| Support Feature | Exness | Tickmill | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Live chat | ✓ | ✓ | Tie |
| Phone support | ✓ | ✓ | Tie |
| Email support | ✓ | ✓ | Tie |
| 24/7 support | ✓ | ✗ | Exness |
| 24/5 support | ✓ | ✓ | Tie |
| Response time (chat) | <2 minutes | <3 minutes | Exness |
Exness offers 24/7 multilingual customer support via live chat, email, and phone, with a dedicated Maltese-language team available during local business hours. Tickmill provides support 24/5 via live chat and email, with phone support limited to business hours. For Malta traders, Exness’s 24/7 availability is a clear advantage, especially for those trading volatile sessions. Tickmill’s response times are generally fast but may lag during weekends. Both brokers have extensive FAQ sections on their websites, but Exness’s local presence in Malta (via its MFSA office) ensures quicker resolution of regulatory queries.
| Mobile Feature | Exness | Tickmill | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| iOS App Store rating | 4.5★ | 4.3★ | Exness |
| Google Play rating | 4.3★ | 4.2★ | Exness |
| Biometric login | ✓ | ✓ | Tie |
| Push notifications | ✓ | ✓ | Tie |
| Full charting on mobile | ✓ | ✓ | Tie |
| Mobile deposit/withdrawal | ✓ | ✓ | Tie |
| TradingView mobile | ✗ | ✗ | Tie |
| Dark mode | ✓ | ✓ | Tie |
| Resource | Exness | Tickmill | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Video tutorials | 100+ videos | 50+ videos | Exness |
| Webinars (live) | ✗ | ✗ | Tie |
| Economic calendar | ✓ | ✓ | Tie |
| Market analysis | Daily | Basic | Exness |
| Beginner resources | Excellent | Basic | Exness |
Choose Exness if you...
- Want ultra-low spreads with no commission on standard accounts
- Prefer instant deposits via Skrill, Neteller, or USDT TRC20
- Need 24/7 customer support in Maltese or English
- Are a beginner or small retail trader with a low minimum deposit ($10)
Choose Tickmill if you...
- Trade high volumes and prefer raw spreads with low commissions
- Want a simple, no-frills platform focused on MT4/MT5
- Value a strong regulatory reputation with MFSA and FCA
- Are an experienced trader who needs TradingView integration
For Malta retail traders, Exness is the better overall choice due to its higher score (4.8/5), lower minimum deposit, tighter spreads on standard accounts, and faster deposit/withdrawal via local methods like Bank Transfer, Skrill, Neteller, and USDT TRC20. Its 24/7 support and swap-free account options further cater to Maltese traders’ needs. Tickmill (4/5) remains a solid alternative for high-volume traders who can benefit from raw spreads and low commissions, but its higher minimum deposit and slower payment processing limit its appeal for smaller retail clients. Both brokers are regulated by the Malta Financial Services Authority (MFSA), ensuring safety and local oversight. Ultimately, Exness offers a more complete package for most Malta traders, especially those starting out or preferring flexible funding options.