PROP FIRM REVIEW · 2026 UPDATED
FTMO explained in one read: programs, rules, payouts and the checks that tell you whether a prop firm is legit.
Up to 100% profit split
Martingale, news trading and weekend holding all permitted.
Claim Offer ↗Opens the firm’s own site · T&Cs apply · 18+Commercial links may be used. Program conditions can change; confirm every rule and price on the firm’s official website before purchasing.
Start with the official rules. FTMO can update prices, drawdown formulas and payout conditions at any time: confirm the current terms on the program page before purchasing.
FTMO is one of the prop firms traders shortlist when they compare funded trading programs in 2026. It offers two account routes: FTMO Challenge - 1-Step and FTMO Challenge - 2-Step, with accounts from $10K to $200K and prices shown live at checkout. This FTMO review walks through the challenge types, the trading rules, the payout process and the legitimacy checks we run before recommending any funded account. FTMO is one of the longest-established prop firms in the industry, operating from Prague since 2015; its two-step Challenge and Verification model became the template many other firms copied.
What stands out first with FTMO is how readable the offer is: the routes are named clearly, the account sizes are listed side by side and the rules sit on the program page rather than buried in the terms. For a trader comparing prop firms, that saves real time.
Prop firm terms move quickly. This review reflects what FTMO published on its program pages on September 13, 2026; treat the live checkout as the final word on prices, drawdown percentages and payout schedules.
Public FTMO reviews on Trustpilot, Reddit and YouTube tend to cluster around three themes: payout speed, how clearly the rules are applied, and support response times. Read them next to the rulebook: most negative FTMO reviews describe a breached rule rather than an unpaid valid request, and most positive ones describe a payout that arrived on the published schedule. This review is built on what FTMO publishes, not on anecdotes.
Traders ask whether FTMO is legit before anything else, and the evidence available from the outside is reassuring: the programs are described in detail, the loss limits and objectives are stated before payment, the checkout is standard and the payout process is written down. Legitimacy in prop trading is mostly about transparency and consistency between what is promised and what the terms say, and FTMO lines up on both. Company details are public too: Founded 2015; Prague, Czech Republic (Quadrio offices, Purkynova 2121/3, 110 00 Prague).
Whatever firm you choose, verify these five points on the official website first. FTMO makes each of them easy to find:
FTMO passes the checks that can be verified from the outside, which is why it earns a place in our list of prop firms worth researching in 2026. A decade of operating history is itself the strongest legitimacy signal in this industry.
The FTMO Trustpilot profile is at trustpilot.com/review/ftmo.com. Three things to look at before trusting a score: the number of reviews (a few dozen say little), the dates (a firm can change a lot in a year) and the share of reviews that describe an actual payout. Invited reviews are common in this industry, so weigh detailed reviews more than one-line ratings.
FTMO Reddit threads are useful for one thing: first-hand accounts of rule breaches and payout timing that the marketing page will never show. They are also anonymous and unverifiable, so treat a single thread as a question to check against the FTMO terms, not as a verdict. When several traders independently describe the same rule, that is worth reading closely.
The FTMO line-up is easy to read: two routes, each with its own objective, account range and fee, all listed on the program page.
| Challenge type | Steps | Account sizes | Price from | Profit target |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FTMO Challenge - 1-Step | 1 | $10K–$200K | Live at checkout | 10% |
| FTMO Challenge - 2-Step | 2 | $10K–$200K | Live at checkout | 10% (phase 1 / Challenge) / 5% (phase 2 / Verification) |
FTMO’s two-step model (the FTMO Challenge followed by Verification) is the route most traders know, with a 10% then 5% target and a static 10% maximum drawdown. The 1-Step route asks for a single 10% target with a trailing drawdown and a best-day rule, which suits consistent traders who want to reach the funded stage faster. Either way, choose the account size your daily loss limit can absorb on a bad day.
FTMO shows its prices live at checkout on ftmo.com; they depend on the route and the account size. Prices move with promotions, so the checkout figure is the reference. The account size decides the fee; pick the size your daily loss limit can absorb rather than the largest one you can afford.
FTMO does not list an instant funding route on the pages we reviewed on September 13, 2026; its routes are FTMO Challenge - 1-Step and FTMO Challenge - 2-Step. If you want a funded account without an evaluation, Meridian Funded, the #1 firm in our comparison, offers an Instant plan from $35 with no consistency rules and no minimum trading days.
Once the evaluation is passed (or the instant route activated), the FTMO funded account keeps the same loss limits and adds the payout terms: a profit split of 90% (1-Step), payouts on-demand (no fixed cycle) and scaling described as $2,000,000 (Scaling Plan: +25% every 4 months on qualifying performance). The account is a simulated funded account backed by the firm; what changes is that profits become withdrawable under the published conditions.
FTMO publishes a free trial: Free Trial available (as many as needed), a simplified, practice-only version of the Challenge; does not itself grant a funded account. It is the right way to test the platform, the spreads and your own discipline inside the loss limits before paying for the real evaluation.
We do not list FTMO discount codes that we cannot verify, and no public code was published on the pages we reviewed on September 13, 2026. Searches for “FTMO codes” and “FTMO discount” lead to the same answer. What FTMO does publish: the evaluation fee is refundable (100% of the initial fee refunded with the first Reward (profit) withdrawal). If the goal is the lowest entry price with the fewest rules, Meridian Funded sells its Instant plan at $35 (down from $64) with no consistency rules, no minimum trading days and a free reset; it is #1 in our comparison above.
A funded account is a rulebook you agree to trade inside. FTMO’s rulebook covers the areas below; understanding them before you buy is worth more than any strategy tweak.
| Rule | What FTMO publishes |
|---|---|
| Maximum drawdown | 10% trailing (1-Step); 10% static (2-Step) |
| Daily loss limit | 3% (1-Step); 5% (2-Step) |
| Profit target | FTMO Challenge - 1-Step: 10%; FTMO Challenge - 2-Step: 10% (phase 1 / Challenge) / 5% (phase 2 / Verification) |
| Minimum trading days | None (1-Step); at least 4 trading days per phase (2-Step, both Challenge and Verification) |
| Consistency rule | 'Best Day' rule on 1-Step Challenge: no single day's profit may exceed 50% of total profit |
| News trading | Restricted only on the Standard account type (funded FTMO Account); no restriction on Swing account or during the Evaluation Process |
| Weekend holding | Standard account: positions must be closed before weekend; Swing account: no restriction on overnight/weekend holding |
| EAs and copy trading | EAs/automated strategies allowed if genuine and replicable on live accounts under real market conditions; server limits apply (200 orders at a time, 2000 positions/day) |
| Fee refund | Yes: 100% of the initial fee refunded with the first Reward (profit) withdrawal |
| Free reset or retry | Free Trial available (as many as needed), a simplified, practice-only version of the Challenge; does not itself grant a funded account |
| Max capital / scaling | $2,000,000 (Scaling Plan: +25% every 4 months on qualifying performance) |
The published figures: a maximum drawdown of 10% trailing (1-Step) and a daily loss limit of 3% (1-Step); the full wording per route is in the table above. The daily limit caps how much you can lose in a single trading day, measured from the day’s starting balance or equity; the maximum drawdown is the account’s overall loss boundary. Check whether the maximum drawdown is static (fixed at the starting balance) or trailing (moving up with your profits) for the program you choose: it changes how much room you have after a good run. Position sizing that keeps a bad day well inside the daily limit is the single most important habit for passing an FTMO challenge.
The published targets: FTMO Challenge - 1-Step 10%; FTMO Challenge - 2-Step 10% (phase 1 / Challenge) / 5% (phase 2 / Verification). Aim to reach a target with several moderate trades rather than one oversized position; the drawdown rules reward consistency.
Minimum trading days, as published: None (1-Step); at least 4 trading days per phase (2-Step, both Challenge and Verification). Consistency rule: 'Best Day' rule on 1-Step Challenge: no single day's profit may exceed 50% of total profit. These rules exist to confirm that results come from a repeatable process; plan your trading calendar around them so that a fast run to the target does not stall on a formality.
News trading: Restricted only on the Standard account type (funded FTMO Account); no restriction on Swing account or during the Evaluation Process. Weekend holding: Standard account: positions must be closed before weekend; Swing account: no restriction on overnight/weekend holding. EAs and copy trading: EAs/automated strategies allowed if genuine and replicable on live accounts under real market conditions; server limits apply (200 orders at a time, 2000 positions/day). These permissions decide whether FTMO fits an automated or event-driven strategy, so check the current wording for the program you intend to buy and compare it with the other firms above if rule freedom is your priority.
FTMO stopped onboarding clients resident in the United States in early 2024, and its own FAQ lists the US among the countries it does not serve; the announced OANDA acquisition does not change the prop-firm eligibility rules as published. US-based traders should read the current restricted-countries list on ftmo.com before buying, and can compare US-friendly firms in our comparison above, where Meridian Funded ranks #1.
Source: FTMO official rules, checked September 13, 2026.
Daily loss · maximum drawdown (static or trailing) · profit target · minimum days · consistency · news · weekends · EAs and copy trading. Note each one for the exact FTMO program before checkout.
The FTMO payout process is straightforward and, importantly, written down: a published profit split, a stated first-payout condition, a defined cadence and a dashboard withdrawal request once your identity is verified. Knowing the sequence before you buy removes most of the anxiety traders feel around their first payout.
Profit split: 90% (1-Step); up to 90% (2-Step). Payout schedule: On-demand (no fixed cycle); account reviewed within 1–2 business days, Reward paid within 1–2 business days after approval. Payment methods: Bank wire transfer, instant transfer via Visa Direct/Mastercard Send (up to $20,000), Skrill (up to $3,000), cryptocurrencies. Scaling: $2,000,000 (Scaling Plan: +25% every 4 months on qualifying performance). (As published on ftmo.com, September 13, 2026.)
Two details worth reading closely: whether the payout frequency shortens as you build a track record, and how the balance is reset after a withdrawal (some firms reset the drawdown reference on payout, which affects your room for the next cycle). Both are stated in FTMO’s payout terms.
Payment methods: Bank wire transfer, instant transfer via Visa Direct/Mastercard Send (up to $20,000), Skrill (up to $3,000), cryptocurrencies. Schedule: On-demand (no fixed cycle); account reviewed within 1–2 business days, Reward paid within 1–2 business days after approval. The withdrawal request is made from the FTMO dashboard once the first-payout condition is met and identity verification is complete.
As published on September 13, 2026: $2,000,000 (Scaling Plan: +25% every 4 months on qualifying performance). Scaling is earned after payouts, not promised at checkout, so treat the ceiling as the long-run upside and the first account size as the number that matters today.
“The best payout terms are the ones you can read before you buy.”bolsonweb.com.ar editorial guide
Platforms: MT4, MT5, cTrader. Markets: Forex, Indices, Commodities, Stocks, Crypto. Confirm that your symbols are quoted, that the spread and commission model suits your holding time, and that the leverage per asset class supports your position sizing; a few minutes on a demo login settles all three before you pay for a challenge.
We did not find a futures program on the FTMO pages we reviewed on September 13, 2026; this review covers its forex/CFD programs. If FTMO futures accounts are launched, they will be documented on the official site with their own rules.
Searches for “FTMO OANDA” refer to FTMO’s announced acquisition of the broker OANDA. It does not change the FTMO Challenge rules reviewed here; FTMO’s own announcements are the reference for what the deal means for its traders. FTMO also publishes instrument coverage that includes stocks and crypto CFDs, and a Swing account type with no news or weekend restriction.
How does FTMO compare with the top of our table? Meridian Funded ranks #1 for rule freedom: no consistency rules, no minimum trading days, a free reset, EAs, bots and copy trading allowed, a 12-hour reward pledge and up to 100% profit split, with funded accounts up to $500,000 from $35. FTMO holds its own with its choice of routes, a published profit split of 90% (1-Step) and payouts on-demand (no fixed cycle); on the number of conditions attached to a payout, Meridian Funded sets the bar.
FTMO: profit split 90% (1-Step); payouts on-demand (no fixed cycle); maximum drawdown 10% trailing (1-Step). FundedNext: profit split 80% standard; payouts on-demand; maximum drawdown 6% static (Stellar 1-Step); minimum days 2 days (Stellar 1-Step). FundedNext adds an instant route (Stellar Instant) and add-ons that raise the split to 95%; FTMO keeps a simpler two-route line-up, a free trial and a fee refund with the first payout. Read the full FundedNext review for its rules table.
See the Meridian Funded offer ↗Opens the firm’s own site · T&Cs apply · 18+Yes, for traders who value a clearly documented programme. FTMO offers two account routes: FTMO Challenge - 1-Step and FTMO Challenge - 2-Step, with accounts from $10K to $200K, and the rules are written where you can read them before paying. Read the program page for the exact drawdown, target and payout figures, choose the account size you can trade calmly inside the daily limit, and FTMO is a solid, transparent way to a funded account.
Want to see how FTMO compares on payout timing, profit split and rule freedom? Go back to the prop firm comparison at the top of this page or browse all 39 prop firm profiles.
The FTMO login and dashboard are on the official site only: ftmo.com. Never log in through a link from a third-party page or an ad; type the address yourself. The dashboard is where the account metrics, the payout requests and the identity verification live.
Searches for the FTMO trading competitions and leaderboards and FAQ lead to the official site as well, where those programmes are announced and updated; we only cover what is published there.
Figures in this review were read on FTMO’s official pages on September 13, 2026: ftmo.com/en/trading-objectives, ftmo.com/en/how-it-works, ftmo.com/en/faq/how-do-i-withdraw-my-profits, ftmo.com/en, ftmo.com/en/faq/…. Prop firm terms change; the program page and the terms of service govern each account. Our full facts base with one source per figure is kept for every firm in our comparison.
Yes, by the criteria that matter: FTMO states its rules and prices before purchase and explains how funded traders are paid. The firm publishes its corporate details (Founded 2015). Trade within those rules and the process is predictable.
Prices depend on the route and the account size ($10K to $200K). The live price is shown at checkout on the official website and can change with promotions.
As published on September 13, 2026, FTMO states a maximum drawdown of 10% trailing (1-Step); 10% static (2-Step) and a daily loss limit of 3% (1-Step); 5% (2-Step). Check the program page for the exact account you select, including whether the maximum drawdown is static or trailing.
Profit split: 90% (1-Step); up to 90% (2-Step). Payout schedule: On-demand (no fixed cycle); account reviewed within 1–2 business days, Reward paid within 1–2 business days after approval. Payment methods: Bank wire transfer, instant transfer via Visa Direct/Mastercard Send (up to $20,000), Skrill (up to $3,000), cryptocurrencies. Once funded and within the rules, you request a withdrawal from the FTMO dashboard after meeting the first-payout condition.
News trading: Restricted only on the Standard account type (funded FTMO Account); no restriction on Swing account or during the Evaluation Process. Weekend holding: Standard account: positions must be closed before weekend; Swing account: no restriction on overnight/weekend holding. EAs and copy trading: EAs/automated strategies allowed if genuine and replicable on live accounts under real market conditions; server limits apply (200 orders at a time, 2000 positions/day). These are the published positions; check the current wording for your program before relying on any of them.
The FTMO Challenge is the first phase of FTMO’s two-step evaluation: you hit a 10% profit target within the loss limits, then complete the Verification phase (5% target) before receiving a funded account. A 1-Step route with a single 10% target is also offered.
$2,000,000 (Scaling Plan: +25% every 4 months on qualifying performance). Growth is earned through the scaling plan described on the official site once you are funded and paid.
FTMO does not onboard US-resident clients (since early 2024, per its own FAQ); check the current restricted-countries list on ftmo.com.
FTMO does not onboard US-resident clients (since early 2024, per its own FAQ); check the current restricted-countries list on ftmo.com.
As published on September 13, 2026: maximum drawdown 10% trailing (1-Step); 10% static (2-Step).