FTMO Review

The 1-Step is a simplified product with a single evaluation phase, called the FTMO Challenge. The 2-Step runs two phases — the FTMO Challenge followed by Verification. They carry different Trading Objectives and parameters, so it is worth comparing both before buying rather than assuming the rules carry across.

It depends on the product. On the FTMO Challenge: 2-Step, the fee is refunded with your first Reward withdrawal, returned via your original payment method. On the 1-Step, the entry fee is not refunded. Either way it is a one-time charge — there are no recurring or hidden fees — and on the 2-Step that single payment covers both the Challenge and the Verification stage.

During the Evaluation Process, yes — you can trade freely through all macroeconomic news releases, on either account type. Restrictions only begin once you are trading a funded FTMO Account, and even then they apply only to the Standard account type. The Swing account type has no news restrictions at any stage.

Not during the evaluation — you may hold positions overnight and over the weekend regardless of account type. On a funded FTMO Account, overnight and weekend restrictions apply to the Standard account type only. Swing accounts can hold through both without restriction, which is the main reason to choose them.

Consistency is judged through the Trading Objectives themselves — measures such as Minimum Trading Days and the Best Day Rule. Beyond those, as long as you maintain sustainable risk management, FTMO applies no additional consistency requirements.

You can request a Reward in Account MetriX on the 14th day after your first placed trade on that account, or any day after it. All open positions and pending orders must be closed before you submit. FTMO then reviews the account and notifies you within 1–2 business days. The profit split runs up to 90%.

There is no limit on the number of accounts, but there is a cap on capital: total allocation is limited to $400,000 per trader or strategy before any scaling, and that limit applies across the 1-Step and 2-Step products simultaneously. Equivalent caps apply in other base currencies — €320,000, £280,000, CAD 480,000, AUD 520,000, CHF 320,000, or CZK 8,000,000.

The same balance you selected when ordering your Challenge — order a $200,000 Challenge and your FTMO Account starts at $200,000. Worth being clear on the model: all FTMO accounts are demo accounts using fictitious capital, and Rewards are real money paid on the results you generate there.

Your trading style is your own — discretionary, algorithmic, and EAs are all permitted — provided it is legitimate, uses proper risk management, reflects real market conditions, and does not resemble the forbidden practices. FTMO does not require you to use a stop-loss, though it advises keeping safety measures in place. The underlying test is that your approach should be replicable on a live account and produce the same results.

Both are generally allowed. There is one exception: the United States. Traders travelling there should avoid logging into MetaTrader or cTrader accounts from within the US, and you should not set a VPN/VPS geolocation to the US when using those platforms.

cTrader, DXtrade, MetaTrader 4, and MetaTrader 5. Accounts are priced in EUR by default, with several other base currencies available.

They are the rule set you have to meet — profit target, loss limits, minimum trading days and so on — and they differ between the 1-Step and 2-Step products. FTMO publishes every objective with a description and a worked example on a dedicated Trading Objectives page, which is the definitive reference for whichever plan you buy.