A method of recovering nickel ions from a nickel electroplating bath or an electroless nickel plating bath or a nickel rinse water containing the nickel ions, the method comprising: a) loading the nickel ions, in a loading step, to at least one cation exchange material forming at least one sorption bed (SB) having a sorption bed volume which is comprised in at least one container (C) by bringing the nickel electroplating bath or electroless nickel plating bath or nickel rinse water containing the nickel ions into contact with the at least one cation exchange material, wherein said sorption bed (SB) has a sorption bed height and a sorption bed width, wherein an aspect ratio of said sorption bed width to said sorption bed height is at most 1:10; and b) unloading the nickel ions, in a regenerating step, from the at least one cation exchange material ,to yield nickel regenerate fractions leaving the sorption bed (SB) and having a pH > 1, by bringing an acid as a regenerant fluid into contact with the at least one cation exchange material which is loaded with the nickel ions and loading the nickel ions to the acid, wherein the acid is passed through the at least one sorption bed (SB) in the regenerating step in a regenerating direction (RD), wherein the regenerating direction (RD) is a downward direction; wherein the nickel electroplating bath or electroless nickel plating bath or nickel rinse water is passed through the at least one sorption bed (SB) in the loading step in a loading direction (LD) and the loading and regenerating directions are opposite to each other; and wherein the nickel electroplating bath or electroless nickel plating bath or nickel rinse water is passed through the at least one sorption bed (SB) in the loading step at a loading mass flow rate, wherein further the acid is passed through the at least one sorption bed (SB) in the regenerating step at a regenerating mass flow rate and wherein the loading mass flow rate is larger than the regenerating mass flow rate, and wherein the loading mass flow rate is equal to or lower than 10 sorption bed volumes per hour. a) loading the nickel ions, in a loading step, to at least one cation exchange material forming at least one sorption bed (SB) having a sorption bed volume which is comprised in at least one container (C) by bringing the nickel electroplating bath or electroless nickel plating bath or nickel rinse water containing the nickel ions into contact with the at least one cation exchange material, wherein said sorption bed (SB) has a sorption bed height and a sorption bed width, wherein an aspect ratio of said sorption bed width to said sorption bed height is at most 1:10; and b) unloading the nickel ions, in a regenerating step, from the at least one cation exchange material ,to yield nickel regenerate fractions leaving the sorption bed (SB) and having a pH > 1, by bringing an acid as a regenerant fluid into contact with the at least one cation exchange material which is loaded with the nickel ions and loading the nickel ions to the acid, wherein the acid is passed through the at least one sorption bed (SB) in the regenerating step in a regenerating direction (RD), wherein the regenerating direction (RD) is a downward direction; <EOS>