FTMO was founded in 2015 by a group of Czech traders who saw a gap in the market: talented retail traders who lacked the capital to trade profitably at scale. The company launched with a simple premise — prove your skill through a structured evaluation, and they would provide the capital. Since then, FTMO has grown into one of the largest and most recognized prop firms in the world, with an estimated payout of over $200 million to funded traders as of early 2026.
The firm is registered as FTMO s.r.o. in the Czech Republic and operates globally. They accept traders from most countries (with some exceptions due to regulatory restrictions). FTMO has won multiple industry awards and is frequently cited as the benchmark against which other prop firms are measured.
FTMO uses a two-step evaluation model. The first step is the FTMO Challenge, and the second is the Verification phase. Both must be passed before you receive a funded account.
Phase 1: FTMO Challenge. You must reach a profit target of 10% within 30 calendar days. The maximum daily loss allowed is 5% and the maximum overall loss is 10%. There is a minimum of 4 trading days required — meaning you must trade on at least 4 separate days before being eligible to pass. There is no maximum trading day limit; you have the full 30 days.
Phase 2: Verification. The Verification phase has a reduced profit target of 5%, with 60 calendar days to complete it. The same drawdown rules apply: 5% daily loss limit and 10% maximum loss. Again, a minimum of 4 trading days is required.
Once you pass both phases, you receive an FTMO Account (a funded account) with no profit targets. You simply trade within the drawdown rules and collect your share of the profits. FTMO also offers a free retake of the Challenge if you fail but finished with a positive balance, which is a significant perk compared to most competitors.
FTMO challenge fees are one-time payments. If you pass the evaluation and receive a funded account, your fee is refunded with your first profit split. Prices below are approximate and may vary by currency or promotional period.
- $10,000 account — approximately €155 / $170
- $25,000 account — approximately €250 / $275
- $50,000 account — approximately €345 / $375
- $100,000 account — approximately €540 / $590
- $200,000 account — approximately €1,080 / $1,180
FTMO also offers Aggressive mode (higher leverage, higher targets) and Swing accounts (hold over weekends and news events) at the same base price, making it flexible for different trading styles.
- Daily loss limit: 5% of the initial account balance. Calculated including both realized and unrealized P&L.
- Maximum loss limit: 10% of the initial account balance (trailing during evaluation, static on funded).
- Minimum trading days: 4 days per phase. No minimum on funded accounts.
- No time limit on funded accounts: Trade as long as you want once funded, with no monthly targets.
- News trading: Not allowed during high-impact news events (2 minutes before and after) on the Normal account. Swing accounts allow news trading.
- Weekend/overnight holding: Not permitted on Normal accounts. Swing accounts allow it.
- Lot size limits: Max lots vary by instrument. For forex, the $100K account allows up to ~40 standard lots per position.
- EAs and copy trading: Expert Advisors are allowed. Copy trading from your own accounts is permitted; copying signals from third parties is not.
- Consistency rule: FTMO does not enforce a strict consistency rule, but extremely erratic trading patterns may trigger a review.
FTMO supports three trading platforms: MetaTrader 4 (MT4), MetaTrader 5 (MT5), and cTrader. You select your platform when purchasing a challenge, and can change it later by contacting support. All platforms are available on desktop, web, and mobile.
Tradeable instruments include forex pairs (major, minor, and exotic), stock indices (US30, NAS100, DAX40, etc.), commodities (gold, silver, oil, natural gas), cryptocurrencies (BTC, ETH as CFDs), and individual stocks (via MT5 and cTrader). This is one of the broadest instrument offerings among prop firms.
FTMO offers an 80% profit split by default, increasing to 90% for traders who qualify for the Scaling Plan. Payouts are processed every 14 days from the date of your first trade on the funded account. First payout is available after the initial 14-day period.
Payout methods include bank wire transfer, Skrill, and cryptocurrency (BTC, ETH, USDT, LTC). There is no minimum payout threshold — any profit earned is eligible for withdrawal. Processing typically takes 1-2 business days once initiated.
FTMO offers a Scaling Plan for consistent performers. If you earn at least 10% profit over a rolling 4-month period (not necessarily consecutive) and have at least 2 payouts during that time, your account balance is increased by 25%. This process can repeat, allowing a $200K account to scale to $400K over time. At that point, your profit split also increases from 80% to 90%.
The Scaling Plan is one of FTMO's key differentiators, as it gives a clear pathway to managing larger capital without purchasing a new challenge.
Pros:
- Excellent reputation — consistently rated 4.8/5 on Trustpilot with over 41,000 reviews
- Free retake of the Challenge if you fail with a positive balance
- Support for three platforms (MT4, MT5, cTrader) and a wide range of instruments
- No profit targets on funded accounts — just stay within drawdown limits
- Fast payouts (bi-weekly) with multiple withdrawal methods including crypto
- Transparent rules with no hidden clauses
- Challenge fee refunded with first profit split
Cons:
- Challenge fees are higher than many competitors, especially at the $200K level
- Normal accounts restrict news trading and weekend holding, which limits some strategies
- The 10% profit target in Phase 1 is aggressive for conservative traders within 30 days
- No instant funding option — you must complete both evaluation phases
- Maximum account size caps at $200K (before scaling), lower than some competitors offering $300K-$400K
- Swing accounts have reduced leverage compared to Normal accounts
FTMO is best suited for experienced forex and index traders who have a proven strategy and want a reliable, well-established firm. If you value fast payouts, transparent rules, and platform choice over the cheapest possible evaluation fee, FTMO is a strong choice. It is particularly well-suited for day traders who can comfortably hit a 10% target within a month while maintaining strict risk management.
Swing traders should specifically opt for the Swing account to avoid the news and overnight restrictions. Traders who rely heavily on high-impact news events or who prefer a one-phase evaluation may want to consider alternatives. Beginners with no proven edge may find the challenge fees too expensive for repeated attempts.
★★★★★ 4.8 / 5 — based on 41,521 reviews on Trustpilot.
FTMO has one of the highest Trustpilot ratings in the prop firm industry. Common positive themes include fast payout processing, responsive customer support, and a fair evaluation process. Negative reviews typically mention the strictness of the daily drawdown rule (particularly the inclusion of unrealized P&L) and the restriction on news trading for Normal accounts. Overall, the overwhelming majority of reviews are positive, making FTMO one of the most trusted prop firms available.