FTMO Review 2026

The industry gold standard for forex/CFD prop trading.

Quick Facts

Founded: 2015
Headquarters: Prague, Czech Republic
Market: Forex & CFD
Platforms: MT4, MT5, cTrader, DXtrade
Account sizes: $10,000 – $200,000
Minimum fee: $89
Profit split: 80%
Payouts: Monthly (on-demand after first)
Challenge model: 2-step (Challenge + Verification)

Challenge Rules Breakdown

Program	Profit Target	Max DD	Daily DD	Min Days	Time Limit	DD Type
FTMO Phase 1 (Challenge)	10%	10%	5%	4	30 days	static
FTMO Phase 2 (Verification)	5%	10%	5%	4	60 days	static
FTMO Funded Account	-	10%	5%	0	Unlimited	static

Pros

Longest-running major prop firm: proven track record since 2015
Strong reputation and reliable payouts (TrustPilot 4.8)
Generous 80% profit split, scalable to 90%
Allows EAs, scalping and news trading on most accounts

Cons

Two-step model takes longer than 1-step competitors
10% max drawdown is stricter than some newer firms
Weekend holds not allowed: positions must close Friday

Who Is FTMO Best For?

Serious traders who value reputation and payout reliability over cheap fees

Open FTMO Through JPTC

Use the official JPTC partner route to open your FTMO account. Check the firm's current rules, pricing and account terms before paying.

Open FTMO Account →

Partner disclosure: JPTC may receive compensation when you register and purchase through this link. FTMO sets the price and account terms.

Test Your Strategy Against FTMO Rules

JPTradingCapital's backtest engine runs your EA or manual strategy against FTMO's exact Phase 1 rules and shows whether you would have passed, before you spend a cent on a challenge.

Open the Prop Firm Checker →

Would rather not trade the evaluation yourself? Our prop firm challenge passing service runs it on an account bought in your name, from €899 for a 100K, and takes no share of your payouts.

Compare FTMO Side-by-Side

Frequently Asked Questions

How much does the FTMO challenge cost?

FTMO challenges start at $89 for the smallest account size and scale up to multiple hundreds of dollars for larger accounts. The fee covers the evaluation phase only, passing converts you to a funded account where you keep 80% of profits.

Does FTMO allow Expert Advisors (EAs)?

FTMO permits algorithmic trading and Expert Advisors on most account types. Check their specific rules around news trading, scalping below 10 seconds, and high-frequency strategies. These often have additional restrictions even when EAs are allowed.

What is FTMO's profit split?

FTMO offers a 80% profit split on funded accounts. Payouts are processed monthly (on-demand after first).

What platforms does FTMO support?

FTMO supports MT4, MT5, cTrader, DXtrade. This determines which EAs and trading systems you can run. Most strategies developed for MT4/MT5 will port across firms with the same platform support.

Is FTMO a legitimate prop firm?

FTMO was founded in 2015 and is headquartered in Prague, Czech Republic. They have a multi-year track record of payouts. Always check the most recent payout proofs on third-party communities like Reddit /r/Forex and /r/algotrading.

Can I test my strategy against FTMO's rules before paying?

Yes. JPTradingCapital's Prop Firm Checker tests your backtest against FTMO's exact Phase 1 ruleset (profit target, max DD, daily DD, time limit, consistency). See whether you would have passed before spending $89+ on a real challenge.