Our editorial team compared every key metric — fees, rules, profit split, payouts — so you can pick the right firm.
| Feature | City Traders Imperium | FTUK |
|---|---|---|
| Payout | ||
| Profit Split | 80% (up to 100%) | Up to 80% |
| First Payout | On demand (after 7 profitable days) | 14 |
| Payout Frequency | Monthly (1-Step/2-Step); Bi-weekly (Instant) | On Demand (Instant Funding), bi-weekly (Evaluation) |
| Max Account Size | $100,000 | $100,000 |
It's a Tie!
In this independent head-to-head comparison of City Traders Imperium vs FTUK, 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.
City Traders Imperium: Est. 2018. No Daily Loss Limit on 1-Step. Monthly Salary. Scales to $4M.
FTUK: Flexible prop trading with Instant Funding, 1-Step, 2-Step, and a Pay After You Pass Flex model.
Both firms score equally in our independent methodology. The best choice depends on which specific features matter most to your trading style.
BestProp Score: City Traders Imperium scores 8.6/10 vs FTUK at 8.6/10.
Minimum Fee: City Traders Imperium starts from $29; FTUK starts from $99. City Traders Imperium is cheaper at entry level.
Profit Split: City Traders Imperium offers 80% (up to 100%); FTUK offers Up to 80%. City Traders Imperium has the higher split.
Platforms: City Traders Imperium supports MT5, Match Trader; FTUK is on MT5, Match-Trader, TradeLocker, FTUK XT.
Tradeable Markets: City Traders Imperium covers Forex (28 pairs), Indices (9), Gold, Silver, Oil, Crypto (BTC, ETH, LTC, ADA, XRP); FTUK offers Forex, Metals, Indices, Crypto, Commodities.
Challenge fees are typically the biggest factor when choosing a prop firm. Here is how City Traders Imperium and FTUK compare on pricing.
City Traders Imperium challenge fees start from $29. The firm has operated since 2018.
FTUK challenge fees start from $99. The firm has operated since 2021. They have funded over 30,000+ traders. Total payouts to date: $12,000,000+.
On entry-level pricing, City Traders Imperium offers a lower starting fee — an important factor if you are testing with a smaller account first.
City Traders Imperium profit split: 80% (up to 100%). FTUK profit split: Up to 80%. City Traders Imperium delivers the higher cut to traders.
Payout frequency: City Traders Imperium pays Monthly (1-Step/2-Step); Bi-weekly (Instant); FTUK pays On Demand (Instant Funding), bi-weekly (Evaluation). Faster payouts are better for cash flow management.
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.
Here is our full independent review of FTUK:
FTUK (Funded Traders United Kingdom) was founded in December 2021 and has since funded over 30,000 traders globally, paying out $12M+. The firm offers three core evaluation tracks plus a Pay After You Pass Flex model and a newer Futures program. FTUK is notable for broad platform support — MT5, Match-Trader, TradeLocker, and their proprietary FTUK XT platform — though MT5 is unavailable for US-based traders.
Instant Funding provides immediate funded access with no profit target and a trailing drawdown of 6%. The 1-Step Evaluation requires a 10% profit target with an 8% trailing drawdown. The 2-Step Evaluation uses 10%/5% phase targets and an 8% static (balance-based) drawdown. The Flex Challenge allows traders to begin an evaluation at no upfront cost, paying only after passing — a meaningful advantage for risk-averse traders.
Instant Funding and 1-Step accounts use trailing drawdown, which follows equity upward and creates a moving floor. 2-Step accounts use static drawdown based on the initial account balance. News trading is prohibited during all evaluation phases but is permitted on funded accounts. There are no profit targets on funded accounts — traders can manage their funded capital freely.
Martingale, tick scalping, latency arbitrage, reverse arbitrage, hedge arbitrage, and cross-account hedging are all prohibited. HFT is banned. Manual trading strategies are fully supported. Weekend and overnight holding are permitted.
Instant-funded accounts pay on demand. Evaluation-funded accounts have a 14-day waiting period before the first payout. Payments are made via Rise or USDT (TRC20 crypto). FTUK offers scaling potential up to $6.4M for top-performing funded traders.
Both City Traders Imperium and FTUK 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.
City Traders Imperium 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. City Traders Imperium: 80% (up to 100%). FTUK: Up to 80%.
EA policies: City Traders Imperium — check the review. FTUK — check the review. Always verify the latest policy directly with the firm.
News trading: City Traders Imperium — check the review. FTUK — check the review.
Read the full City Traders Imperium review → · Read the full FTUK review →
Both City Traders Imperium and FTUK 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.
City Traders Imperium offers 80% (up to 100%) profit split, while FTUK offers Up to 80% profit split. Check each firm's current terms as these can change.
Check our offers page for the latest verified deals on both firms.
City Traders Imperium processes first payouts in On demand (after 7 profitable days) day(s), while FTUK takes approximately 14 day(s). Always verify current payout timelines on the firm's website.
Neither City Traders Imperium nor FTUK 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.
