Full FTMO Review
Introduction to FTMO
FTMO is the firm that defined the modern prop trading industry. Founded in January 2015 in the Czech Republic, FTMO pioneered the two-phase evaluation model that dozens of firms have since copied, and remains the benchmark against which every funded trading program is measured. With $500M+ paid out to traders across 140+ countries and a 4.8/5 Trustpilot rating, its track record is unmatched in the space.
The firm operates on simulated capital — funded accounts use fictitious funds that mirror live market conditions, with profits paid as rewards. This structure is explicitly stated and legally compliant across most jurisdictions. For traders who want certainty above all else, FTMO remains the default choice.
Who Is FTMO For?
FTMO suits
professional and semi-professional traders who trade forex, metals, indices, or commodities on MetaTrader, cTrader, or DXtrade. The evaluation process is disciplined and methodical — it rewards consistent traders, not lucky ones.
It is less suitable for traders seeking instant funding, very short payout cycles, or crypto futures trading. FTMO's monthly payout model and 30-day waiting period for the first reward are trade-offs you accept for the credibility and payout certainty that come with the most established name in the industry.
Challenge Programs and Pricing
FTMO offers two evaluation formats, plus a free trial:
- FTMO Challenge (2-Step): Phase 1 targets 10% profit, Phase 2 targets 5%. The most popular path and lowest entry cost. Minimum 4 trading days per phase, no maximum time limit.
- FTMO Challenge (1-Step): Single phase, 10% profit target. No minimum trading days. Includes a Best Day Rule — no single day can account for more than 50% of your total profit. This prevents strategies that rely on one lucky trade.
- Free Trial: Practice the challenge conditions unlimited times at no cost. No reward at the end, but genuinely useful for testing your strategy against FTMO's rules before paying.
Challenge fees are refunded on your first profit reward. Account sizes from $10,000 to $200,000, with scaling up to $400,000 through FTMO's Scaling Plan.
Trading Rules
2-Step Program:
- Phase 1 target: 10% | Phase 2 target: 5%
- Daily loss limit: 5% of initial capital (resets at midnight CE(S)T)
- Maximum loss: 10% of initial capital (static)
- Minimum trading days: 4 per phase
1-Step Program:
- Profit target: 10%
- Daily loss limit: 3% of initial capital (trailing daily basis)
- Maximum loss: 10% of initial capital (trailing end-of-day)
- Best Day Rule: no single trading day may exceed 50% of total profit
- No minimum trading days
News trading is restricted on Standard 2-Step FTMO Accounts but allowed during the evaluation phases. Swing accounts have no such restrictions.
Platforms and Instruments
FTMO supports the widest platform range in the prop firm industry:
- MetaTrader 4 and MetaTrader 5 — the industry standard for forex and CFD trading
- cTrader — advanced order types, Level II pricing
- DXtrade — web-based, no download required
Tradable assets cover forex pairs, metals (gold, silver), indices, commodities, and crypto (CFDs). This is one of the broadest instrument sets in funded trading.
Payouts
- First payout: Available after 30 calendar days on the FTMO Account
- Subsequent payouts: Every 14 days (bi-weekly)
- Profit split: 80%, scaling to 90% through the Scaling Plan
- Scaling Plan: After generating 10% profit over 4 consecutive months, account balance increases by 25% up to a maximum of $400,000
- Methods: Crypto, bank wire transfer
- Fee refund: Challenge fee returned with first profit reward
Our Verdict
FTMO earns a 9.1 BestProp score — the highest we award. It is not the cheapest, fastest, or most flexible prop firm. But it is the most proven, with a decade of operation, $500M+ paid, and a transparent legal structure that has been tested across multiple regulatory environments.
If you are a serious trader looking for a funded account you can build a long-term career on, FTMO is where you start. The 30-day first payout and monthly cycle are the only real trade-offs, and they are worth it for the certainty you get in return.
