New interatomic potentials for the Ti, Ni, and the binary Ti-Ni system developed based on the second nearest-neighbor modified embedded-atom method (2NN-MEAM) formalism. These potentials were fit to melting points, latent heats, the binary phase diagrams for the Ti-rich and Ni-rich regions, and the liquid phase enthalpy of mixing for binary alloys. Therefore they are particularly suited for calculations of crystal-melt (CM) interface thermodynamic and transport properties. The accuracy of the potentials for pure Ti and pure Ni were tested against both 0 K and high-temperature properties by comparing various properties obtained from experiments or density functional theory calculations, including structural properties, elastic constants, point-defect properties, surface energies, temperatures, and enthalpies of phase transformations, and diffusivity and viscosity in the liquid phase. Ti-Ni's fitted binary potential was also tested against various non-fitted properties at 0 K and high temperatures, including lattice parameters, formation energies of different intermetallic compounds, and the temperature dependence of liquid density at various concentrations.