FTMO has operated since 2015 and is the reference point most traders and most other firms are measured against. It reports more than 650 million US dollars paid in rewards, offers a two-step and a one-step challenge, and now lists a futures product alongside forex and CFDs. All trading is on a simulated account, and FTMO says its group now includes the broker OANDA. Figures on this page come from FTMO's own site, checked in October 2026.

Operating since2015
MarketsForex and CFDs; FTMO's site also lists a futures product
Evaluation2-Step (Challenge, then Verification) or 1-Step
Profit target2-Step: 10% then 5%. 1-Step: 10%
Max daily loss2-Step: 5%. 1-Step: 3%
Max overall loss10%
Minimum trading days4 on the 2-Step; no time limit
Max account size$200,000 to start; scaling plan up to $2,000,000
Reward shareUp to 90%
Consistency ruleNo extra rule on the 2-Step; a 50% Best Day Rule on the 1-Step
Challenge fee, $100k€540 for the 2-Step, refundable; the 1-Step fee is non-refundable

How the rules actually behave

On the 2-Step you need 10 per cent in phase one and 5 per cent in phase two, without breaching a 5 per cent daily loss or a 10 per cent overall loss, over at least four trading days. There is no time limit. The 1-Step has a single 10 per cent target but a tighter 3 per cent daily loss and a Best Day Rule.

  • Daily loss is the limit most traders breach first, so know whether your plan allows 5 per cent or 3 per cent.
  • Overall loss is 10 per cent on both challenges.
  • Consistency. FTMO says it applies no additional consistency requirements beyond its Trading Objectives. On the 1-Step, the Best Day Rule limits how much of your profit can come from one day.
  • Fee. The 2-Step fee is refundable; the 1-Step fee is not.

The 1-Step is not simply an easier 2-Step. Its 3 per cent daily loss limit is much tighter, and its fee is not refunded. Read the Trading Objectives for the exact plan you buy.

Rewards and scaling

FTMO pays a reward of up to 90 per cent of simulated profits. Its scaling plan raises the account size by 25 per cent every four months, up to $2,000,000, if you have at least 10 per cent net profit, two processed rewards in that period and a positive balance. FTMO says the 90 per cent reward ratio through scaling applies to the 2-Step only.

FTMO has operated since 2015 and reports more than $650 million paid in rewards. In an unregulated industry a long record is the strongest reassurance available, but it is not a guarantee: your account is a simulation and your reward depends on the firm.

Where it falls short

  • Price. Consistently one of the more expensive challenge fees.
  • $200,000 starting cap. Larger sizes come only through the scaling plan, up to $2 million. The5ers advertises scaling up to $4 million.
  • No instant funding. You must pass a challenge first.
  • Tighter 1-Step. The one-step route trades a single phase for a 3 per cent daily loss limit and a non-refundable fee.

Who it suits

A trader who is already consistent, wants a firm with a long history, and treats the higher fee as the cost of that. It is a poor fit if you want instant funding or a very large starting account. The FTMO vs FundedNext comparison covers the main alternative, and the rules-compared guide lines up the rest side by side.

Illustrative case: A trader who chose FTMO over a cheaper firm

Elena had passed a $50,000 challenge at a newer firm for $99, then watched that firm add a consistency rule and delay a peer's payout. She switched to FTMO at roughly triple the fee, passed the two-step in seven weeks, and has taken a payout every cycle since, each processed in a day. Her view was that the extra fee bought a firm that would still be operating in a year.

FTMO is the boring choice, and in this sector boring is the point. It is not the cheapest and the rules are strict, but it has operated since 2015. If you are a consistent forex trader, the question is whether a cheaper firm's savings are worth its shorter history. Usually they are not.
FX Recap viewEditorial team

Frequently asked

Is FTMO legit?

By the standards of an unregulated sector, FTMO is about as established as it gets: operating since 2015, with more than $650 million reported paid in rewards. It is not regulated as a prop firm, because no such licence exists, so your account is still a simulation and your reward still depends on the firm's finances.

How much does FTMO cost?

The fee scales with account size. FTMO lists €540 for a $100,000 2-Step Challenge and €1,080 for $200,000, refundable once you earn rewards on the FTMO Account. The 1-Step Challenge fee is non-refundable. FTMO runs discounts from time to time.

Does FTMO have a consistency rule?

FTMO says it applies no additional consistency requirements beyond its Trading Objectives, provided your risk management is sustainable. The 1-Step Challenge does have a Best Day Rule of 50 per cent, and the 2-Step requires at least four trading days.

What is the FTMO scaling plan?

It raises your FTMO Account by 25 per cent every four months, up to $2,000,000, if you made at least 10 per cent net profit, had two rewards processed in that period and hold a positive balance. The reward share rises to 90 per cent on the 2-Step.