Prop firm review
Our analysis · rules read
A trader whose normal losing day stays inside a 3% to 5% daily loss limit. This is our reading of the published rules, not advice.
AdAffiliate link: MarlinFx may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. A challenge fee is a cost and passing is not guaranteed. Disclosure
FTMO runs evaluation programmes (a 1-Step Challenge and a 2-Step Evaluation Process) in which traders trade simulated capital and can earn performance-based rewards. FTMO states that it provides simulated trading services only, so you do not trade real money with it. Rules and fees change, so verify them on the official site before you pay.
Affiliate partner MarlinFx may earn a commission if you sign up through our links. It does not change what we write. How we earn
Evaluations carry fees and rules; outcomes are not guaranteed and the entry fee can be lost. Trading in these programmes is simulated. Any prices or rules shown are dated and must be verified on the official site before you pay.
Max loss trails: 10% below the highest end-of-day balance, recalculated daily. Best Day Rule: your most profitable day may not exceed 50% of your total profit. Reward 90% from the start; fee not refunded.
Check FTMO's current rules before you pay
Targets, limits and fees on the official page.
Affiliate link: MarlinFx may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Evaluation programmes carry fees and outcomes are not guaranteed. Disclosure.
One evaluation phase instead of two. FTMO's rules as published at the 1-Step launch (read 3 October 2026); they can change.
| Profit target | 10% of the initial simulated capital (no profit target on the FTMO Account that follows) |
|---|---|
| Maximum loss | 10%, trailing on the highest end-of-day balance; the limit only moves up |
| Maximum daily loss | 3% of the initial simulated capital, from the previous day's closing balance |
| Best Day Rule | Your most profitable day may not exceed 50% of your total profit |
| Reward | 90% of the profit from the start (no scaling up to it) |
| Time limit | None |
| Challenge fee refund | No |
The limit is recalculated at midnight CE(S)T: the highest end-of-day balance so far (or the starting capital, if higher) minus $10,000 on a $100,000 challenge.
Previous day's balance at midnight CE(S)T minus 3% of the starting capital ($3,000 on $100,000). It can move up and down.
Both limits apply to equity at any time, including open positions, and to the FTMO Account: 1-Step after you pass. Try your own numbers in the drawdown calculator.
Your best day (highest profit from closed trades, counted at 00:00 CE(S)T) may be at most 50% of your total profit. You keep trading until it falls to 50% or less.
Profit $7,000 on day 1, $2,000 on day 2, a $1,000 loss on day 3 and $2,000 on day 4 gives $10,000 in total. Day 1 is 70% of it, so you need a total profit of at least $14,000 before the rule is met.
| Simulated capital | Fee |
|---|---|
| $10,000 | €79 |
| $25,000 | €199 |
| $50,000 | €319 |
| $100,000 | €499 |
| $200,000 | €999 |
The fee is not refunded on the 1-Step Challenge. Prices, currencies and availability vary by country (in the US, FTMO is offered with OANDA). VERIFY CURRENT DATA on the official site.
FTMO evaluates trading performance and risk management through its 1-Step Challenge and 2-Step Evaluation Process. On its own site FTMO says it provides simulated trading and educational tools only.
FTMO states that it only provides services of simulated trading. You trade simulated capital under FTMO's rules and can earn performance-based rewards. Its site describes an evaluation programme, not a brokerage account.
As published on 21 September 2026 for the CFD programmes: the 1-Step Challenge has a 10% profit target, a 3% maximum daily loss and a 10% maximum loss, with a best-day rule. The 2-Step process has 10% and then 5% targets, a 5% maximum daily loss, a 10% maximum loss and at least 4 trading days. These change, so VERIFY CURRENT DATA on FTMO's Trading Objectives page.
According to FTMO's FAQ, the 1-Step Challenge entry fee is not refunded, and the 2-Step entry fee may be refunded with the first Reward withdrawal, using the initial payment method. Check the current FAQ before you pay.
As published by FTMO at the 1-Step launch (read 3 October 2026): €79 for $10,000, €199 for $25,000, €319 for $50,000, €499 for $100,000 and €999 for $200,000 of simulated capital. The 1-Step fee is not refunded. Prices and currencies vary by country, so check the current price on FTMO's site.
On the 1-Step Challenge and the FTMO Account: 1-Step, your most profitable day (profit from closed trades, counted at 00:00 CE(S)T) may be at most 50% of your total profit. Exceeding it is not a breach: you keep trading until your best day is 50% or less of the total. Example: with $10,000 total profit of which $7,000 came on one day, you need at least $14,000 in total.
No. The objectives are strict and outcomes are not guaranteed. Any breach of the loss limits ends the attempt, and the entry fee is a cost you should be prepared to lose.
No. Eligibility depends on your country of residence and FTMO's own lists. Check FTMO's official eligibility FAQ before you register. We do not list countries here.
Facts on this page come from FTMO's own pages listed below, read on 21 September 2026: how it works, trading objectives, and two FAQ answers. The 1-Step section (worked examples, 90% reward, no time limit, Best Day Rule wording and EUR fees) comes from FTMO's 1-Step launch materials for partners, read on 3 October 2026. We did not open an account, pay a fee or test the evaluation. Trading objectives are shown for the CFD Challenge as published on that date and can change: VERIFY CURRENT DATA on the official site. MarlinFx earns a commission if you sign up through some links, which does not change what we write. See the methodology, editorial policy and affiliate disclosure.
Official or primary sources used for the facts above. Figures and terms change, so check the source before acting on them.
Written by
Volodymyr KravchenkoIndependent market researcher focused on Forex, Gold, commodities, macroeconomic data and AI-powered financial intelligence.
Educational research, not personal advice. See our editorial policy and methodology.
This content is provided for educational purposes only and is not investment advice. Trading involves risk, and past performance does not guarantee future results. Affiliate relationships may exist. Always conduct your own independent research before making financial decisions.
