Skilling Review 2026

Skilling launched in 2016 out of Scandinavia with one clear goal: build a broker for traders who actually care about execution quality. Not the flashiest broker. Not the most features. But when you place a trade, it fills fast and at the price you expected. CySEC and FSA regulated—real European oversight, not some offshore license. The parent company is publicly listed on NASDAQ First North, which means financial transparency most brokers don't have. $100 gets you started on Standard. $5,000 unlocks Premium with genuine 0.0 spreads. I've tested a lot of brokers. Skilling's execution is in the top tier.

Three accounts, each serving different traders. Standard ($100 minimum): Spreads from 0.7 pips on EUR/USD, no commission. Simple pricing, easy math. Good for smaller accounts or traders who don't want to calculate commissions. Premium ($5,000 minimum): Raw spreads from 0.0 pips plus $3.50 per side commission ($7 round trip per standard lot). This is where Skilling shines. For anyone trading more than a few lots per month, Premium costs less despite the commission. cTrader account: Same pricing as Standard but on cTrader platform. If you want cTrader but don't have $5k, this is your option. All accounts get the same leverage (up to 1:30 retail EU, higher for professionals), same assets, same support.

No MT4. No MT5. That's a dealbreaker for some traders. Skilling offers their proprietary web platform and cTrader. Their own platform is genuinely good—not just a reskinned white-label. Clean interface, 70+ technical indicators, drawing tools, multiple chart types. One-click trading works. The layout customizes easily. Mobile-responsive so it works on tablets too. cTrader is the real draw for serious traders. Level II pricing, depth of market, better order types, algorithmic trading capability. If you've never used cTrader, it's what MT4 should have evolved into. Superior charting, faster execution, more transparent. cTrader also has cAlgo for automated strategies. The platform gap only matters if you have MT4 indicators or EAs you can't live without.

iOS and Android apps mirror the web platform. Not a dumbed-down version—same indicators, same order types, same account management. Biometric login (Face ID, fingerprint). Push notifications for price alerts, order fills, margin warnings. The charts are usable on mobile, which isn't true for every broker. Trade from anywhere, check positions, modify orders. Battery usage is reasonable. No constant background drain. App store ratings around 4.5 stars. The Skilling mobile app is in the top 20% of broker apps I've used.

Let's break down actual costs. Standard account: EUR/USD spread averages 0.7-0.9 pips during London/NY sessions. That's roughly $7-9 per standard lot. No commission, so what you see is what you pay. Premium account: 0.0-0.2 pip spread plus $7 commission round trip. Total cost: $7-9 per lot—similar to Standard but execution is better. Premium makes more sense above 10 lots/month. Swap rates are competitive, not the lowest but not punishing either. Published on the platform daily. No deposit fees ever. Withdrawals free above $100. Below $100: $25 fee (don't make tiny withdrawals). Inactivity fee: $10/month after 12 months of zero activity. Easy to avoid—just log in or place one trade per year. Currency conversion: 0.5% if your account currency differs from deposit currency. Keep account in your main trading currency.

Skilling has copy trading. It works. That's about the best I can say. You can browse signal providers, see their stats (returns, drawdown, time trading), and allocate capital. Minimum $100 to copy. Performance fees vary by provider, typically 20-30% of profits. The selection of providers is limited compared to eToro or ZuluTrade. Stats are transparent but the pool is smaller. If copy trading is your main thing, choose eToro. If you're mainly a manual trader who wants to occasionally copy someone, Skilling's feature is fine. It's a checkbox feature, not a competitive advantage.

Funding is straightforward. Minimum $100 first deposit. Methods: Visa, Mastercard, Maestro (instant), bank transfer (1-3 days), Skrill, Neteller, Klarna (for Nordic users). No PayPal. No crypto deposits—if you want to fund from Bitcoin, convert to fiat first. Deposit processing: Cards are instant. E-wallets same day. Bank transfers 1-3 business days depending on your bank. No fees from Skilling's side on any deposit method. Your bank might charge for wire transfers. Account currencies: USD, EUR, GBP, SEK, NOK. Pick the one matching most of your deposits to avoid conversion fees.

E-wallets: 24 hours. Cards: 1-3 business days. Bank transfer: 3-5 business days. Free above $100. Below $100 has $25 fee.

Opening a Skilling account takes about 10 minutes. Step 1: Go to skilling.com and click 'Create Account'. Enter email and create password. Step 2: Fill in personal details—name, date of birth, address, phone number. Answer questions about trading experience and financial situation (regulatory requirement). Step 3: Choose account type. Start with Standard if unsure. You can upgrade later. Step 4: Verify identity. Upload passport/ID and proof of address (utility bill, bank statement). Photo must be clear, all corners visible. Step 5: Wait for approval. Usually within 24 hours, often faster during business hours. Step 6: Fund account. Minimum $100. Pick your method, money arrives, start trading. Pro tip: Have your documents ready before starting. Blurry photos are the main cause of delays.

Depositing money is simple. Login to your Skilling account. Click 'Deposit' in the top menu. Select your payment method. Enter amount ($100 minimum). Confirm the transaction. For cards: Enter card details, 3D Secure verification, done. Instant. For bank transfer: You'll get Skilling's bank details. Transfer from your bank. Include your account reference number. Takes 1-3 days. For e-wallets: Redirects to Skrill/Neteller, login there, confirm, instant. Money appears in your trading account immediately for cards and e-wallets. No delays, no holds. Start trading the moment it arrives.

Withdrawing from Skilling. Click 'Withdraw' in account menu. Select method (must match deposit method). Enter amount. Confirm withdrawal. First-time withdrawals require verified identity. If you deposited $500 by card, you must withdraw up to $500 to that card first. Anything above can go to bank transfer. E-wallet withdrawals process within 24 hours. Card withdrawals 1-3 business days. Bank transfers 3-5 days. Skilling doesn't hold your money hostage. No 'pending review' nonsense that some brokers pull. Request today, get it within the stated timeframe.

Execution type: No dealing desk (NDD). Your orders go straight to liquidity providers. No requotes on Standard accounts. Slippage happens but it's symmetrical—positive and negative. Execution speed: Sub-50ms average. I've seen fills under 20ms during liquid sessions. This matters for scalpers and news traders. Order types: Market, limit, stop, trailing stop, OCO (one-cancels-other). All the standard types work as expected. Leverage: Up to 1:30 for EU retail (majors), 1:20 minors, 1:10 commodities, 1:5 indices, 1:2 crypto. Professional clients get up to 1:500 but you need to qualify. Margin call: 100%. Stop out: 50%. Standard levels, nothing unusual. Available instruments: 70+ forex pairs, major indices, commodities (gold, silver, oil), 900+ stocks CFDs, crypto CFDs. Good selection without being overwhelming.

**CySEC: What It Actually Means** CySEC (Cyprus Securities and Exchange Commission) is Skilling's primary regulator, license number 281/15. Here's what that provides: **Segregated Client Funds** Your money must be held in accounts separate from Skilling's operational funds. If the company faces financial trouble, creditors cannot access your trading capital. This isn't optional—it's legally mandated. **Investor Compensation Fund (ICF)** All CySEC-regulated brokers must participate in the ICF. If Skilling fails and can't return your funds, the ICF covers up to €20,000 per client. This has actually paid out when brokers failed—it's real insurance, not marketing. **Negative Balance Protection** EU regulation requires retail clients cannot lose more than their deposit. Your account cannot go negative, even in flash crash scenarios. This protection is automatic and non-negotiable. **Capital Requirements** Skilling must maintain minimum capital reserves to operate. CySEC monitors this continuously. If reserves drop below requirements, the regulator intervenes before the company can collapse owing money to clients. **Regular Audits** Annual audits by independent firms. Financial statements reviewed. Trading practices examined. CySEC can investigate complaints and impose fines. **MiFID II Compliance** As a CySEC broker, Skilling follows MiFID II (Markets in Financial Instruments Directive). This means: - Clear fee disclosure - Best execution requirements - Appropriateness assessments for retail clients - Leverage limits for retail traders **What CySEC Doesn't Do** - Guarantee you'll make money - Prevent you from making bad trades - Cover unlimited losses (€20,000 cap) - Protect non-EU residents in the same way **The Bottom Line** CySEC regulation puts Skilling in the same regulatory category as major EU brokers. It's not offshore registration—it's real oversight with real teeth. The protection is... <truncated>

CySEC license (Cyprus Securities and Exchange Commission) and FSA (Seychelles, for non-EU clients). CySEC is the one that matters for most readers. What CySEC means: Investor Compensation Fund covers up to €20,000 if Skilling fails. Negative balance protection—you can't lose more than your deposit. Segregated accounts—your money isn't mixed with Skilling's operating funds. Regular audits and financial reporting. The parent company, Skilling Ltd, trades on NASDAQ First North. Public financials, external auditors, regulatory filings. More transparency than 95% of brokers. They can't hide problems as easily as private companies. Two-factor authentication available. Use it. Encrypted connections. Regular third-party security audits. Is Skilling safe? As safe as any EU-regulated broker. If they mess up, real regulators will come after them.