Glass forming ability, thermal, electrical and mechanical properties of Cu50Zr40Ti10-xNix (0 <= x <= 4.0 at%) glass forming alloys were systemically investigated. It is found that the critical dimension of the present Cu-based glass forming alloys firstly increases with increasing Ni content, then decreases when Ni >2.0 at%. Ni addition results in the increase of the electrical resistivity and the thermal conductivity. The glass transition temperature increases with increasing Ni content for the present Cu-based BMGs at all studied heating rates. However, there are complex correlations for the other characteristic temperatures, crystallization enthalpy and activation energy with the Ni content and heating rate, respectively. The plastic strain firstly increases with increasing Ni content, then decreases when Ni >2.0 at%. Both yield strength and compression strength nearly increase with increasing Ni content. The plastic strain increases with decreasing m in the range of 0 <= Ni <= 2.0 at% and 2.0 <= Ni <= 4.0 at% for present Cu-based BMGs. The m linearly decreases with increasing d(c) for the present cu-based BMGs. The corresponding mechanisms are also investigated. (C) 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.