Our editorial team compared every key metric — fees, rules, profit split, payouts — so you can pick the right firm.
| Feature | Funded Trader Markets | City Traders Imperium |
|---|---|---|
| Payout | ||
| Profit Split | Up to 90% | 80% (up to 100%) |
| First Payout | — | On demand (after 7 profitable days) |
| Payout Frequency | On-demand (avg <20 min) | Monthly (1-Step/2-Step); Bi-weekly (Instant) |
| Max Account Size | $300,000 | $100,000 |
It's a Tie!
In this independent head-to-head comparison of Funded Trader Markets vs City Traders Imperium, we break down challenge rules, pricing, profit splits, and payout conditions to help you decide which prop firm is the better fit for your trading style.
Funded Trader Markets: On-Chain Payout Proof. 20-Min Withdrawals. 24h or Double.
City Traders Imperium: Est. 2018. No Daily Loss Limit on 1-Step. Monthly Salary. Scales to $4M.
Both firms score equally in our independent methodology. The best choice depends on which specific features matter most to your trading style.
BestProp Score: Funded Trader Markets scores 8.6/10 vs City Traders Imperium at 8.6/10.
Minimum Fee: Funded Trader Markets starts from $20; City Traders Imperium starts from $29. Funded Trader Markets is cheaper at entry level.
Profit Split: Funded Trader Markets offers Up to 90%; City Traders Imperium offers 80% (up to 100%). City Traders Imperium has the higher split.
Platforms: Funded Trader Markets supports MT5, cTrader, TradeLocker, MatchTrader; City Traders Imperium is on MT5, Match Trader.
Tradeable Markets: Funded Trader Markets covers Forex, Commodities, Crypto, Indices; City Traders Imperium offers Forex (28 pairs), Indices (9), Gold, Silver, Oil, Crypto (BTC, ETH, LTC, ADA, XRP).
Challenge fees are typically the biggest factor when choosing a prop firm. Here is how Funded Trader Markets and City Traders Imperium compare on pricing.
Funded Trader Markets challenge fees start from $20. Total payouts to date: $6,190,000+.
City Traders Imperium challenge fees start from $29. The firm has operated since 2018.
On entry-level pricing, Funded Trader Markets offers a lower starting fee — an important factor if you are testing with a smaller account first.
Funded Trader Markets profit split: Up to 90%. City Traders Imperium profit split: 80% (up to 100%). City Traders Imperium delivers the higher cut to traders.
Payout frequency: Funded Trader Markets pays On-demand (avg <20 min); City Traders Imperium pays Monthly (1-Step/2-Step); Bi-weekly (Instant). Faster payouts are better for cash flow management.
Here is our full independent review of Funded Trader Markets:
Funded Trader Markets (FTM) is a prop firm registered in Cyprus (HE462185) with operational offices in Dubai Digital Park, UAE, and an additional entity in Saint Lucia. CEO Revin Zabala runs a platform that has paid out $6.19M+ to traders across 160+ countries.
The most distinctive feature on the platform is on-chain payout verification: every performance reward is settled via the Arbitrum network and publicly verifiable on Arbiscan. This means any prospective trader can independently audit that withdrawals were actually processed — not just claimed in a PDF screenshot. It is a level of financial transparency that remains rare in the prop firm space.
Payout speed backs this up in practice: most rewards complete in under 20 minutes. The guarantee is one of the strongest available — if any payout takes longer than 24 hours, the delayed amount is doubled.
FTM suits traders who prioritise platform flexibility, payout transparency, and permissive trading rules. Four platforms are supported — MT5, cTrader, TradeLocker, and MatchTrader — giving traders genuine choice in their execution environment. All accounts are swap-free, news trading is permitted, and weekend holding is allowed. For traders who have been restricted on those activities at other firms, FTM’s ruleset is noticeably more permissive.
The 1-Step Nitro path with a 10% target suits confident traders who want a fast route to funding. The 2-Step path suits traders who want lower fees and more time to demonstrate consistency.
All programs are swap-free. News trading and overnight/weekend position holding are permitted across all program types.
Four supported platforms: MetaTrader 5, cTrader, TradeLocker, MatchTrader. Leverage up to 1:100. Instruments: forex pairs, commodities, indices, crypto. US residents are restricted from MT5 and cTrader services specifically (other platforms may be available subject to their jurisdiction — verify directly).
Restricted countries: Cuba, Syria, Iran, Lebanon, Iraq, Yemen, North Korea. Cyprus residents are also excluded from certain services.
Funded Trader Markets earns a 7.6 BestProp score. The on-chain payout verification is a genuine standout — transparent proof of payment that no PDF screenshot can match. The doubled-payout penalty for late settlements is the most aggressive guarantee we have reviewed. Four platform options, permissive trading rules (news, weekends, swap-free), and fees starting at $20 for the 1-Step make the entry barrier low.
The firm is newer and does not yet have a large Trustpilot footprint to assess independently. Max allocation of $300K is solid but trails the $450K–$600K ceiling offered by the largest firms. Overall a strong, transparent option — particularly for traders who want proof, not promises, that their payouts will arrive.
Here is our full independent review of City Traders Imperium:
City Traders Imperium (CTI) was founded in June 2018, making it one of the longest-established prop firms in the world. Operated by CTI FZCO and headquartered at Dubai Silicon Oasis, UAE, with UK phone support, the firm is led by CEO Daniel Martin and co-founder Martin Najat. CTI holds a 4.5/5 Trustpilot rating from 1,150+ reviews. Maximum initial account: $100,000; maximum combined allocation: $440,000; scaling potential to $4,000,000. All accounts operate on MetaTrader 5 or Match Trader.
CTI distinguishes itself on two fronts: the 1-Step challenge carries no daily loss limit — one of very few prop firms to offer this — and traders receive a monthly salary ($12.50-$500 depending on account size and program) in addition to profit splits. The firm also includes trading education (academy access) with all programs.
1-Step Challenge ($29-$469 for $2.5K-$100K): Single phase, 8% profit target. No daily loss limit. Max drawdown: 5% static. Minimum 3 profitable days. First payout on demand after 7 profitable days and 2% net profit (or $100 minimum). Subsequent payouts monthly (last 5 days of month). Up to 100% profit split. No time limit. The absence of a daily loss limit is the defining feature — traders cannot be stopped out by a single volatile session as long as their total equity remains above the 5% threshold. Available from $2,500 (entry fee: $29) up to $100,000 ($469).
2-Step Evaluation ($39-$549 for $2.5K-$100K): Phase 1: 10% target. Phase 2: 5% target. Daily loss: 5%. Max drawdown: 10% static. Minimum 3 profitable days. First payout on demand after 7 profitable days. Subsequent payouts monthly. 80-100% split. No time limit. Standard two-phase structure with the widest max drawdown buffer of any CTI program.
Instant Funding ($69-$1,499 for $2.5K-$80K): No evaluation required. 10% profit target required before scaling. Max drawdown: 6% static. First payout on demand after 5 profitable days and 2% net profit. Bi-weekly payouts (14th/15th and last 2 days of month). Up to 100% split. Leverage 1:10. Suitable for traders who want immediate funded access and are willing to demonstrate a 10% gain before accessing scaling.
Instant Funding Pro ($299-$4,799 for $5K-$80K): Premium instant access tier with the same fundamental structure as Instant Funding but at a higher fee level. Verify full specifications and any additional benefits directly on the CTI website.
CTI pays a monthly salary to all funded traders regardless of trading performance — amounts range from $12.50/month (small 1-Step) to $500/month ($100K 2-Step or Instant accounts). This is a genuinely unusual feature in the prop firm industry: traders receive guaranteed regular income in addition to their profit split. Confirm exact salary amounts per program on the CTI website.
The $5/lot forex commission meaningfully impacts scalpers and high-frequency traders. Factor into target calculations: on 100 round trips/month on a $50K account, that is $500 in commission before profit split.
Platforms: MetaTrader 5, Match Trader. Instruments: 28 Forex pairs, 9 major indices (leverage 1:10), Gold, Silver, Oil (leverage 1:10), Crypto (BTC, ETH, LTC, ADA, XRP — zero commission). Leverage on Forex: 1:30. No restrictions on news or overnight trading on funded accounts.
City Traders Imperium earns a 7.6 BestProp score. Founded in 2018 — over seven years of operation — makes CTI one of the most battle-tested prop firms in existence. The 4.5/5 Trustpilot from 1,150+ reviews reflects a long track record. The no-daily-loss-limit on the 1-Step is a meaningful structural advantage for traders who can manage total drawdown discipline. The monthly salary is a genuinely unique feature that adds a real income floor. Small account sizes from $2,500 at $29 entry fee are accessible. Scales to $4,000,000.
Key trade-offs: the EA restriction (own source code only) makes CTI unsuitable for most algorithmic traders who use commercial tools. The $5/lot forex commission is high and penalises active traders. MT5/Match Trader only limits platform choice. Monthly payouts on 1-Step/2-Step (once per month window) means cash flow is less frequent than bi-weekly or weekly competitors. The 7-profitable-day minimum for first payout also adds waiting time. CTI is best suited to discretionary traders — particularly those with a custom EA — who value longevity and the unique salary feature over faster payouts or EA flexibility.
Both Funded Trader Markets and City Traders Imperium are evenly matched in our scoring. The right choice depends on specific features that matter most to you: pricing, profit split, platforms, or trading conditions.
Use our comparison table above and review the challenge fees at both firms before making your final decision. Both offer risk-free evaluation programs — the challenge fee is the only money at risk.
Based on our independent scoring, both firms score equally. The best choice depends on your trading style, preferred instruments, and account size.
Funded Trader Markets offers a lower entry-level challenge fee. However, always compare the full account sizes you plan to trade before deciding purely on price.
City Traders Imperium offers the higher profit split. Funded Trader Markets: Up to 90%. City Traders Imperium: 80% (up to 100%).
EA policies: Funded Trader Markets — check the review. City Traders Imperium — check the review. Always verify the latest policy directly with the firm.
News trading: Funded Trader Markets — check the review. City Traders Imperium — check the review.
Read the full Funded Trader Markets review → · Read the full City Traders Imperium review →
Both Funded Trader Markets and City Traders Imperium are strong prop firms. The right choice depends on your trading style, preferred platform and rules. Use the side-by-side table above to compare the key metrics.
Funded Trader Markets offers Up to 90% profit split, while City Traders Imperium offers 80% (up to 100%) profit split. Check each firm's current terms as these can change.
Check our offers page for the latest verified deals on both firms.
Funded Trader Markets processes first payouts in a variable timeframe, while City Traders Imperium takes approximately On demand (after 7 profitable days) day(s). Always verify current payout timelines on the firm's website.
Neither Funded Trader Markets nor City Traders Imperium are regulated in the traditional financial sense — prop firms operate as private companies providing traders access to simulated or real capital. Always read the terms and conditions carefully before participating in any prop challenge.
