ThinkMarkets Review 2023

Trust

ThinkMarkets Regulations

In our reviews, we examine the licenses and regulations of each entity operated by a broker. This allows us to compare their different levels of protection. We rank licenses by various regulatory bodies on a three-tier system, where Tier-1 licensing indicates the highest level of regulation.

Here is what we found concerning the 7 entities operated by ThinkMarkets:

• TF Global Markets Int Limited is authorized and regulated by the Financial Services Authority (FSA) of Seychelles. The FSA ranks as a Tier-3 regulator on our system.
• TF Global Markets (Aust) Pty Ltd is authorized and licensed by the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC). ASIC ranks as a Tier-1 regulator on our system.
• TF Global Markets (Europe) Ltd is authorized and regulated by the Cyprus Securities and Exchange Commission (CySEC). CySEC ranks as a Tier-1 regulator on our system.
• TF Global Markets (UK) Ltd is authorized and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) in the UK. The FCA ranks as a Tier-1 regulator on our system.
• TF Global Markets Japan Co. Ltd is licensed by Japan’s Financial Services Authority (JFSA) as a Financial Instruments Business Operator. The JFSA ranks as a Tier-1 regulator on our system.
• TF Global Markets (South Africa) (Pty) Ltd is authorized and regulated by the Financial Services Commission Authority (FSCA) in South Africa. The FSCA ranks as a Tier-2 regulator on our system.
• TF Global Markets (International) Limited is authorized and regulated by the Cayman Island Monetary Authority (CIMA) and the Financial Services Commission (FSC) of Mauritius. Both the FSC and CIMA are ranked as Tier-3 regulators on our system.

We have summarized the most essential aspects of ThinkMarkets in terms of regulation and safety in the table below:

*In addition to FSCS coverage of up to GBP 85,000, clients are also insured of up to $1 million by Lloyds private indemnity insurance

Why is it Important to Know Where Your Broker’s Subsidiaries are Regulated?

Brokers operate multiple entities because it allows them to serve clients worldwide. But licenses by different regulators do not always entail the same degree of protection. Some regulators mandate compliance with the strictest financial frameworks, whereas others have much more relaxed requirements for brokers. That is why traders need to familiarize themselves with the safety mechanisms ensured by the entity they want to open an account with beforehand.

In other words, it is important to know your rights as a trader with the broker subsidiary you choose to start with, which institution enforces them, and how.

Here is a rundown of the most important protections to look for in a broker:

• Segregation of client funds. Most regulators mandate brokers to keep their clients’ funds in separate bank accounts from the ones they use for their corporate capital. This negates the risk of accounting errors. All of ThinkMarkets’ seven entities comply with his requirement.
• Negative balance protection. Negative balance protection is a safety mechanism that removes the risk of a trader’s losses exceeding their account balance. This is especially important in volatile markets. Three of ThinkMarkets’ entities do not ensure negative balance protection.
• Compensation scheme. A compensation scheme protects traders against the broker’s liabilities in the unlikely event that the company should become insolvent. ThinkMarkets has issued private indemnity insurance, covering traders’ losses up to a maximum of USD 1 million (depending on the country of residence). Additionally, clients of the FCA-regulated entity are protected under the Financial Services Compensation Scheme (FSCS) by up to a maximum of GBP 85,000.
• Maximum leverage. Capping the maximum leverage limits the maximum market exposure to retail traders. Top-tier regulators usually allow a maximum leverage of 1:30, while offshore brokers can allow a maximum leverage of anywhere between 1:500 to 1:2000.

Is ThinkMarkets Safe to Trade With?

ThinkMarkets is indeed very safe to trade with. Even though some of its entities are regulated by weaker offshore regulators (FSA and CIMA), the licenses by CySEC, ASIC, FCA, and JFSA indicate the broker’s high reliability.

ThinkMarkets should also be praised for issuing private indemnity insurance on its own initiative and for having a ‘best execution policy’. The latter ensures that the broker stays committed to supplying traders with the best price quotes under the prevailing market conditions. This is crucial for ensuring fast and precise order execution, decreasing the risk of negative slippage.

Stability and Transparency

In our tests for the Trust category, we also cover factors relating to stability and transparency. Here, we focus on how long the broker has been in business, how big the company is, and how transparent it is in terms of readily available information.

ThinkMarkets was established in 2010, and since then, it has grown into a widely trusted broker with global exposure. We’ve reviewed its T&Cs, legal documents, platforms, and fees and found them all to be quite transparent.

One example of ThinkMarkets’s attention to detail is that live spread info is shown on the platform for each instrument, thus saving traders time and effort in calculating the spread for themselves. While not unique to ThinkMarkets, this is quite an important feature as it can also save traders money in volatile markets. For example, while we were conducting our review, the spread of the GBPJPY pair fluctuated by 0.6-0.8 pips in the span of several seconds.

ThinkMarkets is also quite thorough when it comes to presenting readily available information. Traders can easily find their way around the website, check the broker entities’ different licenses and safety policies, and familiarize themselves with the differences in spreads and commissions on the two separate account types.

In summary, our findings indicate that ThinkMarkets can be regarded as having a very good level of trust and stability due to the following factors:

• Most of its entities are authorized by top-tier regulators.
• The broker has issued private indemnity insurance for FCA-regulated entity.
• It is fairly transparent and pays attention to small details.

Fees

ThinkMarkets Trading Fees

ThinkMarkets’ Spreads

We tested ThinkMarkets’ spreads during the most actively traded times – the London open at 8:00 a.m. GMT and just after the U.S. open at 2:45 p.m. GMT. The test was conducted on 16 March 2023.

Based on our research throughout the day, we found that ThinkMarkets’ spreads on instruments from different asset classes are mostly low. The only exceptions were crude oil and Bitcoin, which met the industry average.

What is also worth pointing out is that there are no major discrepancies in the recorded spreads between the AM and PM sessions. This is significant because it indicates that ThinkMarkets has access to deep liquidity that is crucial for precise order execution.

ThinkMarkets’ Swap Rates

A swap fee is a trader’s cost for holding an open position overnight because of changing interest rates. Swap long refers to the charge deductible or credit receivable for holding a buy position open overnight. In turn, swap short relates to the charges/credits deductible or receivable for holding a selling position open overnight.

The values listed below are for one full contract (100,000 units) of the base currency.

The swap charges we recorded are generally elevated, though this is because of external factors (changing interest levels at the interbank level).

It is always worth checking the swap charges before opening a position because it can save you a lot of money, especially if you are uncertain as to which instrument to trade next. As an example from the above table, if you believe that the EUR is likely to appreciate against the USD and the GBP against the JPY, it will be better to go long the GBPJPY rather than the EURUSD.

ThinkMarkets’ Commissions

The ThinkMarkets Standard account affords commission-free trading, except for South African CFD shares. In comparison, the ThinkZero account has a $3.5 per side commission per traded lot. This means you will be charged $7 for opening and then closing a position worth 100,000 units.

Commission-free accounts are suitable for high-frequency trading – getting in and out of trades within a relatively short period of time. Most intraday trading strategies, such as scalping, usually involve the execution of multiple positions. Accordingly, fixed commission accounts with raw spreads (from 0.0 pips) are better suited for high-volume trading, which usually requires the execution of fewer trades (e.g., in day and position trading).

Think Markets’ Non-Trading Fees

ThinkMarkets does not charge a handling fee for deposits and withdrawals. It also does not charge dormant accounts with an inactivity fee.

Are ThinkMarkets’ Fees Competitive?

As a whole, we assessed that ThinkMarkets’ fees are very competitive. They are suitable for implementing a wide selection of trading strategies – both short-term and long-term.

Platforms and Tools

We reviewed the ThinkTrader platform and found it very practical. It has a broad range of technical indicators and drawing tools that are several times more numerous than MT4 and MT5. ThinkTrader has a sleeker design compared to the other two, is easier to navigate, and affords a more detailed outlook into price action behavior.

ThinkTrader is the better choice for many reasons. It has a two-factor authentication, making it safer. It also allows searching for instruments by asset class, which is very helpful given ThinkMarkets’s broad range of over 4000 CFDs. Moreover, ThinkTrader can be run on multiple screens simultaneously. In addition to one-click trading, it also supports one-click closing, which allows instantaneous termination of all trades on a single instrument. The one disadvantage is that ThinkTrader is only available on Standard accounts.

The mobile app version of ThinkTrader is equally as sophisticated. It is light, versatile, and helps traders stay connected to the market on the go. It provides plenty of information concerning developing trading setups without getting too cramped. Most trading apps find it difficult to illustrate a lot of information while maintaining clarity on low-resolution devices.

ThinkMarkets does not support social trading, though automated trading is available on MetaTrader via its Expert Advisors (EAs) feature. This is enhanced by the broker’s offering of free VPS hosting. Another supporting tool incorporated by ThinkMarkets is Myfxbook (a social community platform for Forex traders), which is available to MT4 accounts with a minimum balance of $1000.

ThinkTrader’s Desktop Platform

General Ease of Use

ThinkTrader has a familiar design. A watchlist of selected instruments can be seen on the left, a news feed with information about currently unfolding trading opportunities on the top, and account info at the bottom of the screen. It is highly intuitive and easy to navigate, and even beginners can get used to it fairly quickly. And most importantly, price action is illustrated clearly and with attention to detail, affording traders a penetrating outlook into price action behavior.

TrendRisk Scanner

The defining feature of the platform, arguably, is the TrendRisk scanner. While most brokers offer trading ideas in one way or another, ThinkMarkets has managed to integrate a tool that presents traders with relevant and concise information directly on the platform, helping them make informed and timely decisions.

The scanner monitors currently unfolding setups on various instruments, helping traders save time when looking for trading opportunities. They are given a possible entry price, stop-loss level, and target level. And most significantly, a calculation of the risk/reward ratio.

At the time of our review, we checked one such suggestion – on the hourly GBPJPY chart – and found it quite compelling. It forecasted a reversal from a previous resistance level, which is quite common. Ultimately, the projection was not realized, but the logic behind it was sound, and the setup was well executed.

Charts

Arguably, the most important component of a platform is its charts screen. Price action must be represented clearly and concisely so that traders can observe even the most minute details in its behavior. Also, a platform needs to include multiple technical indicators and drawing tools so that traders can make sense of the underlying price movements. And after testing the ThinkTrader platform, we assessed that it excels in both aspects.

Here are the defining features of its charts:

• 105 Technical indicators. Traders can choose from hundreds of oscillators, range-based and trend-based indicators, volume indicators, and more. This diversity allows traders to conduct multifaceted technical analyses. Think Markets should also be praised for explaining in detail how to use these.
• 57 Drawing tools. The platform also supports a vast amount of drawing tools, such as trend lines, regression channels, and Fibonacci retracement levels, which are used for determining major support and resistance levels, potential breakouts and breakdowns, and other repeatable price patterns. Unlike MetaTrader 4&5, ThinkTrader also has 11 Elliott wave and harmonic patterns. These are very practical and are usually used to study the cyclical nature of price action, thus allowing traders to forecast potential rebounds and reversals.
• 12 Chart types. Possibly the biggest difference between MT4&5 and ThinkTrader lies in the number of chart types they support. While MT4&5 sport only 3 chart types, ThinkTrader has 12. Representing price action in different ways is important because it allows the trader to examine it from different angles and possibly spot new trading opportunities.
• 15 Timeframes. ThinkTrader has 15 different timeframes – more than MT4 but less than MT5. Generally speaking, the greater the number of timeframes available to traders, the better they can understand subtle changes in price action behavior in the short and long term.

Orders

The three most common order types available to traders include

• Market orders. Market orders are used for immediate entry at the best possible price. If triggered, they guarantee volume filling, though there could be a discrepancy between the requested price and the price where the order actually gets filled.
• Limit orders. Unlike market orders, limit orders guarantee exact price execution. However, a limit order will not be filled if the price action does not reach the pre-determined execution price.
• Stop loss orders. They are used to support open positions by limiting the maximum loss that can be incurred if the market turns in the opposite direction. A stop-loss order is placed at a fixed price below or above the spot price. If the market does indeed turn and triggers the stop-loss, it will transform into a market order and get filled at the best possible price.

ThinkTrader’s Mobile App Version

Even though the app is not ideal for conducting complex technical analyses because it has to be run on low-resolution devices, a problem that is inherent to most trading apps, it excels in other ways. What we found particularly useful is all the information made readily available before placing an order. As shown below, you can swiftly check such vital information as the pip cost of the trade, estimated margin usage, spread and swap costs, and others.

General Ease of Use

The ThinkTrader app has a very straightforward design, and traders can learn it without much effort. It has a chart window where price action is represented as clearly as possible, though, unlike the desktop version, it lacks any drawing tools. In addition to monitoring the market, traders can also use the app to monitor their account performance. The possibility to make swift course corrections to open trades is probably the biggest advantage of any trading app.

Charts

Here is a list of the chart features available on the ThinkTrader app:

• 105 trading indicators. The ThinkTrader app has an impressive collection of over 100 oscillators, trend-based, range-based, and volume-based indicators. They are used to study different aspects of price action behavior, such as trending, consolidating in a range, attempting breakouts, or reversals from major supports and resistance levels.
• 15 timeframes. The app also consists of a sufficient number of timeframes, allowing traders the opportunity to observe short-term and long-term trading opportunities.
• 12 chart types. ThinkTrader also has one of the industry’s biggest assortments of chart types, which can be used to represent price action in different ways. This versatility is significant because traders can use it to observe price action behavior from multiple angles.

Orders

Similarly to ThinkTrader’s desktop and web versions, the app also supports the three major order types:

• Market orders. Market orders are used for immediate entry at the best possible price. If triggered, they guarantee volume filling, though there could be a discrepancy between the requested price and the price where the order gets actually filled.
• Limit orders. Unlike market orders, limit orders guarantee exact price execution. However, a limit order will not be filled if the price action does not reach the pre-determined execution price.
• Stop loss orders. They are used to support open positions by limiting the maximum loss that can be incurred if the market turns in the opposite direction. A stop-loss order is placed at a fixed price below or above the spot price.

Tradable Instruments

What we found particularly useful in ThinkMarkets’ offering is that traders have ample choices of both lower-risk securities and higher-risk assets. This diversity caters to the needs of conservative traders and those who are less risk-averse, allowing both to take advantage of various trading opportunities.

What are CFDs?

Contracts for difference (CFDs) are derivatives used to speculate on the price of the underlying without physical delivery. For example, a long position on gold would generate a profit as the price rises or incur a loss as it falls. This is achieved without having to purchase actual bars of gold. One of the biggest advantages of trading CFDs is that traders can get in and out of the market almost instantaneously, thereby catching even minute changes in the price of the derivative.

What Can You Trade With ThinkMarkets?

We have broken down ThinkMarkets’ offering of instruments by asset class below:

• 48 Currency Pairs
  • Major, Minor, and Exotic
• 15 Commodities
  • Metals, Energy, and Agriculture
• 3548 CFD Shares
  • Europe, US, UK, Australia, Hong Kong, South Africa
• 22 Indices
  • Financial, Tech, U.S., Europe, Asia
• 27 Cryptocurrencies
  • Major and Minor
• 359 CFD ETFs
  • Tech, Financial, Retail, Agriculture, and others.

ThinkMarkets offers an average amount of FX pairs and an above-average amount of commodities, indices, and cryptocurrencies. It also has a high number of CFD ETFs and an especially broad range of CFD shares.

Regarding CFD shares, in particular, clients of the broker are allowed to trade on global markets – from the U.S. and Europe to Hong Kong. This variety underscores ThinkMarkets’ global presence as it allows traders to trade during all major sessions throughout the day – from the opening of the Asian session to the close of the U.S.

Customer Support

For general questions, such as how to open an account or how long it takes for a withdrawal request to clear, clients of ThinkMarkets can turn to the dedicated FAQ section of the website. Though, we found it to be somewhat lacking depth. And for more specific questions, you can turn to one of the other channels. Help is available in 15 different languages, including English, German, Spanish, Japanese, Thai, and Chinese.

ThinkMarkets’ Customer Support Test

When we test a broker’s customer support team, we evaluate the agent’s knowledge of their own website, how long it takes them to respond to questions, and how detailed their answers are.

We conducted our test of ThinkMarkets on 20 March at 4:00 pm CET via live chat inquiring into the differences in safety mechanisms afforded by each of the broker’s entities. An agent connected to the chat just seconds afterward. His answers were adequate and straight to the point.

You can contact the support team by clicking the live chat button at the bottom-right corner of the main page. In addition to the built-in chat option, you can text them on Messenger and Telegram. Before getting connected to an agent, you must fill in your name, email address, and country of residence.

Deposit and Withdrawal

ThinkMarkets Deposit Methods

*ThinkMarkets does not typically charge any internal handling fees for deposits and withdrawals, though third-party banking fees may be applied.

ThinkMarkets Withdrawal Methods

*ThinkMarkets does not typically charge any internal handling fees for deposits and withdrawals, though third-party banking fees may be applied.

ThinkMarkets usually processes withdrawal requests within 24 hours, though it may take between 1 and 7 business days for the funds to be transferred. It depends on the chosen payment method.

The broker does not charge deposits or withdrawals, though you might have to pay any third-party banking fees. For instance, international bank transfers cost $25 on a minimum withdrawal amount of $100.

Account Types and Terms

Traders can choose between several base currencies for their accounts – EUR, USD, GBP, SGD, CHF, and AUD. Both account types afford free VPS hosting, though users are required to trade at least 15 lots per month. Additionally, the client portal is protected by a two-step authentication.

Why is Choosing the Right Account Type Important?

Your account should reflect your goals, needs, and ambitions on the market. If you have modest means and plan to be opening smaller-sized positions more frequently, then you should better choose an account that does not have any fixed commissions per traded volume. In contrast, if you expect to be placing much larger orders less frequently, then you should be more preoccupied with finding an account with tighter spreads and be less concerned with fixed commissions.

What Account Types Does ThinkMarkets Offer?

*Except for South African CFD shares

In addition to the fee differences between the two accounts mentioned above, it is also worth considering that the ThinkZero account charges a commission only on FX pairs and metals. Hence, it is by far the better choice for those interested in trading other markets because of the raw spreads. However, the one major drawback of the ThinkZero account is that it does not support the ThinkTrader platform.

Most importantly, the two account types have no minimum stop-loss/take-profit requirements. That means that traders can place extremely tight stop-loss and take profit orders (close to the entry price), allowing them to cap their trading risk more effectively.

What is CFD Leverage?

The leverage determines a trader’s overall market exposure. When trading Contracts for Difference (CFDs), positions can be opened for a fraction of their value because of the leverage. Essentially, the broker lends the trader money so that the latter can open bigger-sized positions. The leverage multiplies the profits a trader generates from winning positions but also the losses incurred from failed trades.

ThinkMarkets Account Opening Process

We have broken down the account registration process with ThinkMarkets below:

• Step 1. Click the ‘Create Account’ button at the top-right corner of the main page and then ‘Create live account’.
• Step 2. Fill in your personal information, including your nationality, country of residence, name, etc.
• Step 3. Fill in the confirmation code you receive in your email.
• Step 4. Fill in your address info.
• Step 5. Select your preferred trading platform, account type, base currency, and maximum leverage.
• Step 6. Fill in your financial information, such as your employment status, annual income, and trading experience.
• Step 7. Verify your identity by uploading copies of your passport or driver’s license (back and forward sides).

Why is a Demo Account Important?

Demo accounts serve a twofold purpose. They introduce traders to a broker’s services and allow them to tweak their strategies in a risk-free environment. The market is continually evolving and never static, so it is important to hone your skills in a safe environment afforded by your demo account.

ThinkMarkets Supported Countries

The services provided by TF Global Markets Int Limited are not directed to traders from the United States, Canada, the European Union, Australia, the United Kingdom, and Japan. If you are a resident of either of these jurisdictions, please refer to one of the other entities operated by ThinkMarkets.

Research

The bulk of ThinkMarkets’ research content is published in a video format on the broker’s YouTube channel. This makes it easily accessible even to newbie traders. Most attention is given to the technical side of things, which has to do with examining price action behavior.

ThinkMarkets’ analysts also review the fundamental and psychological sides of trading, which is important for providing the reader with a comprehensive breakdown of the underlying trading opportunity, including an explanation of what causes it and what the main associated risks are.

Research Tools

We have broken down ThinkMarkets’ research content by category:

• Economic calendar. The economic calendar is a trader’s bread and butter when it comes to research content. Traders refer to a broker’s calendar to inform themselves about upcoming market events, such as economic releases and policy decisions. These can cause a significant market reaction, providing a good trading opportunity.
• Market news and analyses. ThinkMarkets’ contributors provide regular market breakdowns and more sophisticated analyses. These are helpful as they inform traders of current trading opportunities by underscoring their technical, fundamental, and psychological aspects.
• TrendRisk scanner. This tool was mentioned in the Platforms segment of this review. Unlike conventional trading ideas-type content, the scanner is incorporated directly into the ThinkTrader platform so that traders can test the suggestions right away. The scanner tracks multiple instruments and provides information, such as where to enter into a trade, where to place a stop-loss, and where to close the position. But even more importantly, the TrendRisk scanner calculates the suggested trades’ underlying risk/reward ratio.
• Myfxbook. This third-party tool is only available to clients of ThinkMarkets who have MT4 accounts with a minimum balance of $1000. Myfxbook is one of the biggest social trading networks for forex traders. Traders can exchange ideas, copy others’ positions, and much more on the platform.

Education

In addition to the more than 50 educational videos that can be accessed via ThinkMarkets’ YouTube channel, we found the ‘Indicators & Chart Patterns’ section of the website to be especially useful for beginner traders. It contains information about more than 50 indicators and patterns, including what they mean, how they are used, and more. These descriptions are supported by images and practical examples.

The collection perfectly suits chart artists wanting to master technical analysis and combines with the ThinkTrader platform’s vast array of technical indicators.

The Bottom Line

ThinkMarkets is a very well-balanced Over-the-Counter (OTC) derivatives broker with licenses by some of the most trusted financial regulators in the industry and services catering to the needs of all kinds of traders. Since its establishment in 2010, the broker has grown into a globally recognized brand with few shortcomings and many benefits.

ThinkMarkets offers over 4000 tradable instruments at generally low costs. We checked the combinations of spreads and commissions on its two account types – Standard and ThinkZero – and found them very competitive and below the industry average. The broker should also be praised for its excellent ThinkTrader platform, which offers an impressive amount of tools and features that can satisfy every taste.

The one area in Think Markets’ service that can still be improved upon is its educational content. The broker offers very diverse and highly informative materials on technical analysis, but not many materials are dedicated to studying fundamental analysis or the psychology of training.

Overall, ThinkMarkets’ offering is very sophisticated and caters to the needs of beginners and advanced traders alike. It accommodates both high-frequency and high-volume trading and a wide variety of strategies falling under these two categories.

FAQ