Our editorial team compared every key metric — fees, rules, profit split, payouts — so you can pick the right firm.
| Feature | Hantec Trader | City Traders Imperium |
|---|---|---|
| Payout | ||
| Profit Split | 90% (up to 95%) | 80% (up to 100%) |
| First Payout | On demand | On demand (after 7 profitable days) |
| Payout Frequency | 14-day (7-day with add-on) | Monthly (1-Step/2-Step); Bi-weekly (Instant) |
| Max Account Size | $200,000 | $100,000 |
Winner: Hantec Trader
In this independent head-to-head comparison of Hantec Trader 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.
Hantec Trader: Hantec Group (35+ Years). 90-95% Split All Programs. 24h Payout Guarantee.
City Traders Imperium: Est. 2018. No Daily Loss Limit on 1-Step. Monthly Salary. Scales to $4M.
Based on our independent scoring methodology, Hantec Trader scores 8.7/10 overall — but the best choice depends on your specific needs. Read the full comparison below.
BestProp Score: Hantec Trader scores 8.7/10 vs City Traders Imperium at 8.6/10.
Minimum Fee: Hantec Trader starts from $17; City Traders Imperium starts from $29. Hantec Trader is cheaper at entry level.
Profit Split: Hantec Trader offers 90% (up to 95%); City Traders Imperium offers 80% (up to 100%). City Traders Imperium has the higher split.
Platforms: Hantec Trader supports MT4, MT5; City Traders Imperium is on MT5, Match Trader.
Tradeable Markets: Hantec Trader covers Forex, Metals, Indices, Crypto; 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 Hantec Trader and City Traders Imperium compare on pricing.
Hantec Trader challenge fees start from $17.
City Traders Imperium challenge fees start from $29. The firm has operated since 2018.
On entry-level pricing, Hantec Trader offers a lower starting fee — an important factor if you are testing with a smaller account first.
Hantec Trader profit split: 90% (up to 95%). City Traders Imperium profit split: 80% (up to 100%). City Traders Imperium delivers the higher cut to traders.
Payout frequency: Hantec Trader pays 14-day (7-day with add-on); 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 Hantec Trader:
Hantec Trader is operated by Hantec Trader Limited (Company No. C191400), incorporated in Mauritius and backed by the Hantec Group — a financial services organisation with 35+ years of trading history. UK-based support services are provided by HM Provider Limited (Company No. 14429485). The prop trading platform is accessible via htrader.hmarkets.com and offers six distinct challenge programs ranging from a 24-hour speedrun to a patient 3-step endurance track. Hantec Trader is an official UFC partner in the APAC region. All accounts operate on MT4 and MT5 with real-time market data from institutional liquidity providers.
The firm offers one of the highest standard profit splits in the industry: 90-95% across all programs. A 24-hour payout guarantee backs every withdrawal — if processing exceeds 24 business hours, the firm doubles the reward up to $1,000.
Instant24 ($13-$299 for $2K-$100K): The fastest path — complete within 24 hours of first trade. No profit target. Daily loss: 2%. Max loss: 3% trailing. 80-95% split. No weekend holding. A 15% trade consistency requirement applies. Restricted to non-UK, non-Mauritius, non-HK, non-Singapore residents.
Express 1-Step ($39-$999 for $2K-$200K): Single phase, 10% profit target. Daily loss: 5%. Max loss: 6% trailing (balance-based). 90-95% split. News trading and weekend holding both permitted. No consistency requirement. First payout on demand; 14-day cycle thereafter (7-day with add-on).
Enhanced 2-Step ($59-$1,169 for $5K-$200K): Phase 1: 8% target. Phase 2: 4% target. Daily loss: 4%. Max loss: 8% static. 90-95% split. News trading and weekend holding permitted. Consistency requirement applies. First payout on demand.
EnhancedX 2-Step ($59-$1,169 for $5K-$200K): Phase 1: 10% target. Phase 2: 5% target. Daily loss: 5%. Max loss: 10% static. 90-95% split. News trading and weekend holding permitted. No consistency requirement — the most permissive of the evaluation programs. First payout on demand.
Endurance 3-Step ($29-$499 for $5K-$200K — coming soon): Three phases at 6% profit each. Daily loss: 4%. Max loss: 8% static. Up to 95% split. Minimum 3 trading days per stage. Weekend holding permitted. Lowest fee entry point at $29 for a $5K account. No consistency requirement.
Instant Lite ($19-$699 for $1K-$100K): No profit target, no evaluation period. Daily loss: 3%. Max loss: 5% trailing. 90-95% split. Consistency required. News trading and weekend holding not permitted on this track.
Instant Funding ($19-$1,069 for $1K-$50K): Immediate funded access, no evaluation. Daily loss: 6%. Max loss: 6% trailing (daily + total identical). 90-95% split. News and weekend holds not permitted.
Hantec Trader’s 24-hour payout guarantee is one of the stronger commitments in the industry: if a withdrawal request is not approved within 24 business hours, the firm doubles the reward amount up to a $1,000 bonus. This is a meaningful accountability mechanism backed by a 35-year-old parent group.
Traders who pass the initial evaluation scale to the next account tier at no extra cost, up to a maximum of $200,000.
Platforms: MetaTrader 4, MetaTrader 5. Instruments: Forex, Metals, Indices, Cryptocurrencies. Tight institutional spreads. EA policy: not explicitly restricted in published rules — confirm with support. News trading: permitted on Express, Enhanced, EnhancedX; prohibited on Instant Lite and Instant Funding.
Restricted jurisdictions (varies by program): USA (all programs), UK, Mauritius, Hong Kong, Singapore (Instant programs). Additional regional restrictions apply — verify at checkout.
Hantec Trader earns a 7.7 BestProp score. The Hantec Group’s 35-year institutional background provides genuine credibility, the 90-95% profit split across all programs is among the highest standard splits in the prop firm industry, and the 24-hour payout guarantee with a doubling penalty is a strong accountability commitment. Six program types including the unique 24-hour Instant24 and the affordable Endurance 3-Step give traders meaningful structural choice. MT4/MT5 compatibility serves the broadest possible trader base.
The main considerations: USA residents are excluded from all programs, Instant programs restrict news trading and weekend holding, and no public Trustpilot score is confirmed. The parent group Hantec Markets adds reputational weight that most standalone prop firms cannot match. Traders willing to work within the restricted-country list and instrument set (Forex, Metals, Indices, Crypto only) will find one of the most structurally generous programs available.
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 Hantec Trader the edge in this 2026 comparison. However, both firms have their merits. If City Traders Imperium 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, Hantec Trader scores higher overall (8.7/10). The best choice depends on your trading style, preferred instruments, and account size.
Hantec Trader 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. Hantec Trader: 90% (up to 95%). City Traders Imperium: 80% (up to 100%).
EA policies: Hantec Trader — check the review. City Traders Imperium — check the review. Always verify the latest policy directly with the firm.
News trading: Hantec Trader — check the review. City Traders Imperium — check the review.
Read the full Hantec Trader review → · Read the full City Traders Imperium review →
Based on our scoring methodology, Hantec Trader 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.
Hantec Trader offers 90% (up to 95%) 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.
Hantec Trader processes first payouts in On demand 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 Hantec Trader 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.
