Our editorial team compared every key metric — fees, rules, profit split, payouts — so you can pick the right firm.
| Feature | Finotive Funding | City Traders Imperium |
|---|---|---|
| Payout | ||
| Profit Split | 75% (up to 90%) | 80% (up to 100%) |
| First Payout | 1 | On demand (after 7 profitable days) |
| Payout Frequency | Weekly (every Friday) | Monthly (1-Step/2-Step); Bi-weekly (Instant) |
| Max Account Size | $200,000 | $100,000 |
Winner: City Traders Imperium
In this independent head-to-head comparison of Finotive Funding 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.
Finotive Funding: Weekly Friday Payouts from Day 1. Pro Salary Model. Est. 2021.
City Traders Imperium: Est. 2018. No Daily Loss Limit on 1-Step. Monthly Salary. Scales to $4M.
Based on our independent scoring methodology, City Traders Imperium scores 8.6/10 overall — but the best choice depends on your specific needs. Read the full comparison below.
BestProp Score: Finotive Funding scores 8.4/10 vs City Traders Imperium at 8.6/10.
Minimum Fee: Finotive Funding starts from -; City Traders Imperium starts from $29.
Profit Split: Finotive Funding offers 75% (up to 90%); City Traders Imperium offers 80% (up to 100%). City Traders Imperium has the higher split.
Platforms: Finotive Funding supports Match Trader, MT5; City Traders Imperium is on MT5, Match Trader.
Tradeable Markets: Finotive Funding covers Forex, Metals, Energy, Indices, Crypto, Stocks; 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 Finotive Funding and City Traders Imperium compare on pricing.
Finotive Funding challenge fees start from –. The firm has operated since 2021. They have funded over 70,000+ traders. Total payouts to date: $20,000,000+.
City Traders Imperium challenge fees start from $29. The firm has operated since 2018.
Finotive Funding profit split: 75% (up to 90%). City Traders Imperium profit split: 80% (up to 100%). City Traders Imperium delivers the higher cut to traders.
Payout frequency: Finotive Funding pays Weekly (every Friday); 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 Finotive Funding:
Finotive Funding was founded in April 2021 and is operated by Finotive Funding Technologies Limited (company number 11088), headquartered at Innovation One Building, Level 2, DIFC, Dubai, UAE. CEO Oliver Newland leads the firm, which is backed by Finotive Markets, an FSC-regulated affiliate broker, and uses Finotive Pay (CY) Limited for payment processing. With $20M+ in total payouts, 70,000+ verified users, and a 4.5/5 Trustpilot score, the firm has a credible multi-year operating record.
Four programs are available: 2-Step Challenge, 1-Step Challenge, Instant Funding, and Finotive Pro (a salary-based model). Maximum combined allocation reaches $1,400,000.
2-Step Challenge ($10K-$200K): Phase 1 requires a 7.5% net profit target. Phase 2 requires 5%. Max drawdown: 8% static. Daily drawdown: 4% (resets at 17:00 New York time). No time limit. Profit split starts at 75%, scaling up to 90% with consistency. Payouts every Friday from day 1 of funding.
1-Step Challenge ($10K-$200K): Single phase requiring a 10% net profit target. Max drawdown: 7.5% static. Daily drawdown: 5%. Profit split: 75-90%. Same weekly Friday payout structure.
Instant Funding ($10K-$200K): No profit target, no evaluation required. Access to funded capital from day 1. Stricter drawdown rules apply. Profit split: 55-80% – notably lower than the challenge programs. Suitable for experienced traders who want immediate access but should factor in the reduced split.
Finotive Pro ($10K-$200K): A unique salary-based model. Traders receive a fixed 1% monthly salary on account balance, plus 100% profit split on gains above that. A 5% net profit quarterly target must be maintained. Designed for traders who want stable income rather than pure profit-share.
Failed Account Policy: If an account is breached and a new account is purchased, the profit split on the new account may be reduced until the previous losses are recovered by the firm. This is an unusual policy not common in the prop firm space – traders who breach accounts should clarify this with support before repurchasing.
Platforms: Match Trader, MetaTrader 5. Instruments span Forex, Metals, Energy, Indices, Cryptocurrencies, and Stocks – one of the broader instrument sets available, including individual equities.
Finotive issues official payout certificates, provides real-time risk calculators, breach alerts, and instant notifications. The Discord community is active, and educational webinars are available. Restricted countries include Iran and North Korea (additional regional restrictions may apply – check at checkout).
Finotive Funding earns a 7.3 BestProp score. Over three years of operation, $20M+ in verified payouts, and a 4.5/5 Trustpilot score confirm this is a genuine, functioning firm. The Finotive Pro salary model is a meaningful differentiator for consistent traders, weekly Friday payouts from day 1 are better than the industry average, and the instrument breadth (including stocks) adds flexibility.
Three rules deserve careful attention before purchasing. First, the starting profit split of 75% is below the 80-90% now standard at comparable firms. Second, the scalping penalty (reduced payout if 50%+ of trades close within 5 minutes) affects a significant portion of trader styles. Third, the failed-account split reduction policy is unusual industry-wide and creates additional downside after a breach. Instant Funding’s 55-80% split makes it less competitive than challenge-based accounts at the same firm. Traders who trade news, use EAs, or hold positions for longer periods will find the best fit here.
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.
Overall, our independent scoring gives City Traders Imperium the edge in this 2026 comparison. However, both firms have their merits. If Finotive Funding better matches your specific trading style, instruments, or preferred platform, it may still be the right choice for you.
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, City Traders Imperium scores higher overall (8.6/10). The best choice depends on your trading style, preferred instruments, and account size.
Both firms have similar entry-level pricing. Compare the full fee schedule for your target account size.
City Traders Imperium offers the higher profit split. Finotive Funding: 75% (up to 90%). City Traders Imperium: 80% (up to 100%).
EA policies: Finotive Funding — check the review. City Traders Imperium — check the review. Always verify the latest policy directly with the firm.
News trading: Finotive Funding — check the review. City Traders Imperium — check the review.
Read the full Finotive Funding review → · Read the full City Traders Imperium review →
Based on our scoring methodology, City Traders Imperium edges ahead in this comparison. However, the best choice depends on your trading style, preferred platform and account size. Read the full breakdown above for a detailed verdict.
Finotive Funding offers 75% (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.
Finotive Funding processes first payouts in 1 day(s), 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 Finotive Funding 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.
