Is TIO Markets Safe?
Always up-to-date
Our experts continuously verify broker data to provide the most up-to-date information.
- Best for MENA beginners
- Best for Low min deposit
- Best for MT4 and MT5
- Best for Micro-lot trading
- Min deposit
- $20
- Spread from
- 0.0 pips
- Max leverage
- 1:Unlimited
- Regulation
- FCA · FSA
Quick answer
TIO Markets is a legitimate broker, not a scam. Its UK arm, TIO Markets UK Ltd, is authorised by the FCA (reference 488900) with FSCS investor protection up to £85,000. Most retail accounts open on the offshore Seychelles entity, where funds are segregated but no statutory compensation scheme applies. Check the entity name on your client agreement before depositing.
Is TIO Markets safe and regulated?
Is TIO Markets safe? The short answer is yes, with one important caveat to verify before you fund.
TIO Markets runs two legal entities. I opened a live funded account and cross-checked the structure in 2026.
TIO Markets UK Ltd is authorised by the FCA (the UK financial regulator) under reference 488900, with FSCS (UK investor compensation scheme) investor protection up to £85,000 per client. TIO Markets Ltd is the offshore entity, supervised by the Seychelles FSA (Financial Services Authority), where most retail signups land rather than on the FCA arm.
The distinction between entities determines your protection level:
- FCA entity (TIO Markets UK Ltd): FSCS cover up to £85,000, leverage capped at 1:30 on major pairs, negative balance protection by rule
- Seychelles entity (TIO Markets Ltd): segregated client funds (held separately from company money), no statutory compensation scheme, leverage above 1:30 available
- Both entities: client funds held separately from company operating capital in major banks
The FCA licence for TIO Markets UK Ltd cross-checked cleanly against the public register in July 2026, with no enforcement action recorded. The broker has operated the TIOmarkets brand since 2018 with no material complaint about fund safety.
Trustpilot sits near 4.0 across roughly 710 reviews. Recurring complaints point to the $25 repeat-withdrawal fee and the $30 monthly inactivity fee, not missing or frozen funds.
The honest verdict: TIO Markets is a legitimate broker, not a scam. The risk is entity routing, not fraud.
If your account sits on the offshore Seychelles arm, you have segregated funds but no FSCS backstop. If your account sits on TIO Markets UK Ltd, you have FCA protection and FSCS cover up to £85,000.
Before depositing, open your client agreement and confirm the entity name on the contract. Read the full TIO Markets review for a complete breakdown of fees, spreads and account tiers.
Key facts
| Detail | TIO Markets |
|---|---|
| Regulation | FCA (UK), FSA Seychelles |
| License | FCA reference 488900 (UK entity); see regulator register for offshore |
| Deposit protection | FSCS £85,000 (FCA entity only); no scheme on offshore entity |
| Founded | 2018 |
| Headquarters | London, United Kingdom |
Should you trade with TIO Markets?
TIO Markets suits cost-sensitive beginners who want a $20 starting point on MT4 or MT5. The Islamic swap-free overlay is available on request for GCC clients.
E-wallet withdrawals settled within 24 hours in my testing, and live chat first response averaged under 4 minutes across test contacts.
US and Canada residents cannot open an account on either entity.
The main caveat is entity routing. Most retail accounts sit on the offshore Seychelles arm, which means no FSCS protection and leverage that can exceed 1:30.
If FSCS-grade protection matters, compare against the best regulated forex brokers for brokers that keep retail accounts on an onshore entity by default.
Frequently asked questions
Which TIO Markets entity will hold my account?
Entity routing depends on your country and the account tier you select. TIO Markets UK Ltd, the entity authorised by the FCA (UK financial regulator) under reference 488900, serves clients where the onshore structure is required. In practice, most retail accounts, including many UK signups, are onboarded to TIO Markets Ltd, the offshore entity registered in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines under Seychelles FSA (Financial Services Authority) oversight. The FCA entity carries FSCS (UK investor compensation scheme) investor protection up to £85,000 per client and applies ESMA (EU financial markets regulator) leverage caps at 1:30 on major forex pairs. The offshore entity holds client funds in segregated accounts but offers no statutory compensation scheme and allows leverage well above 1:30. The entity name appears in your client agreement. Confirm it before depositing.
Does TIO Markets protect client funds?
Both entities hold client funds in segregated accounts, kept separate from company operating capital. On the FCA entity, TIO Markets UK Ltd, FSCS investor protection covers up to £85,000 per client in the event of firm failure. On the offshore Seychelles entity, TIO Markets Ltd, there is no statutory compensation scheme. If the offshore entity fails, you recover what is in the segregated pool, but no safety net adds to that. Negative balance protection is a regulatory obligation on the FCA entity and a discretionary policy on the offshore one.
Is TIO Markets a scam?
No. TIO Markets is a legitimate, operating broker. Its UK entity has held FCA authorisation (reference 488900) with no material public enforcement action recorded against it as of 2026. The broker has operated the TIOmarkets brand since 2018. Its Trustpilot profile sits near 4.0 across roughly 710 reviews, with recurring complaints about withdrawal fees rather than missing funds. The dual-entity structure is disclosed in the client documents and is a regulatory arrangement, not fraud.
What is the minimum deposit for TIO Markets?
The Standard and Nano accounts both open at $20, one of the lowest minimum deposits among regulated forex brokers. The Raw account requires $250 and adds a $6 per lot round-turn (combined entry and exit commission) for spreads from 0.0 pips. The VIP Black tier requires roughly $1,000 and prices spreads from 0.3 pips commission-free. E-wallet withdrawals settled within 24 hours in my testing. The first withdrawal each calendar month is free, and a $25 fee applies to each subsequent withdrawal in the same month.
Is TIO Markets available in the US?
No. TIO Markets does not accept residents of the United States or Canada on either entity. US retail forex is restricted to NFA (US futures regulator)-licensed dealers under CFTC (US commodities regulator) rules, and TIO Markets holds no US registration. Traders based in the US should use an NFA-licensed broker such as OANDA or Forex.com. For traders elsewhere who want to compare regulated alternatives, the best regulated forex brokers guide covers options across multiple jurisdictions.