E8 Markets vs FTMO - Prop Firm Comparison (March 2026)
Head-to-head comparison of E8 Markets and FTMO. Check max funding, profit splits, daily and overall drawdown rules, leverage, tradable assets, payout frequency, payment and payout methods, trading permissions and KYC restrictions before you buy a challenge. Data refreshed March 2026.
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E8 Markets
E8 Markets is a US-based prop-firm-style evaluation brand operating simulated accounts via third-party platforms, offering 1-step programs such as E8 One and E8 Signature (Forex/Crypto) with dynamic drawdown models, leverage up to 1:30 on FX, and performance-fee payouts via Plane...
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FTMO
FTMO is a Prague-based prop trading evaluation company founded in 2015 that uses a two-step challenge (FTMO Challenge + Verification) with unlimited time, strict 5% max daily loss and 10% max loss limits, and Normal or Swing funded account types....
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| Overview | ||
| Trustpilot Rating | 4.4 | 4.8 |
| Trustpilot Reviews | 3,232 | 40,041 |
| Headquarters | United States | Czech Republic |
| Age (Years) | N/A | 11 |
| Max Funding | $500,000 | $400,000 |
| Profit Split Start | 80% | 80% |
| Profit Split Max | 100% | 90% |
| Platforms | MT5 cTrader Match-Trader TradeLocker | MT4 MT5 cTrader DXtrade |
| Assets | FX Metals Indices Energy Crypto | FX Indices Commodities Stocks Crypto |
| Leverage | ||
| FX Leverage | 30 | 100 |
| Metals Leverage | 15 | 30 |
| Crypto Leverage | 5 | 3.3 |
| Risk & Drawdown Rules | ||
| Max Daily Loss | 3 | Maximum Daily LossFTMO applies a 5% Maximum Daily Loss. It is calculated from the account’s balance at midnight CE(S)T (platform time) each day and includes the running total of the day’s closed trades + floating P/L, including commissions and swaps. If the daily limit is exceeded at any time, the account fails. |
| Max Total Loss | 4 | Maximum LossFTMO applies a 10% Maximum Loss (overall loss limit). This is a static cap measured against the account’s starting balance, and it is evaluated on equity (closed + floating results, including trading costs). Breaching it at any time results in account failure. |
| Drawdown Type | Drawdown ModelE8 One uses a 3% Daily Drawdown (from the day's starting balance) plus a 4% Dynamic Drawdown that limits maximum running or closed loss. E8 Signature products use an end-of-day (EOD) Dynamic Drawdown limit (set as a fixed dollar amount by account size) plus a 2% Daily Pause that stops trading for the rest of the day but does not breach the account. | Drawdown ModelFTMO uses static loss limits: a daily loss limit that resets at midnight (platform time) and an overall loss limit based on the starting balance. Both limits include floating P/L and trading costs (commissions/swaps), so equity protection matters as much as closed P/L. |
| Payouts | ||
| Payout Frequency | Payout Frequency E8 Markets payouts are requested on-demand once a trader meets eligibility criteria. E8 Signature Forex/Crypto: First payout requires 3 profitable days; subsequent payouts require 5 profitable days (each profitable day is ≥0.3% realized closed PnL), plus a 35% Best Day Rule. Payout buffer and payout caps apply. E8 One (E8 Trader stage): 40% Best Day Rule and the trader's net profit (payout share) must be greater than 50% of the account's daily drawdown; buffer rules can apply in specific scenarios. | Payout FrequencyFTMO rewards are processed on request. Once you have access to the FTMO Account, you can request your reward after a minimum of 14 calendar days from your first day of trading on the FTMO Account (biweekly request cadence).Minimum profit thresholds apply to cover transaction costs (e.g., $20 minimum for bank transfer, $50 minimum for crypto withdrawals). |
| Days to First Payout | 0 | 14 |
| Payout Processing Time | Payout ProcessingPayouts are typically processed within 1–2 business days (excluding weekends) and then received in ~1–3 additional business days; the total process may take 2–5 business days. Payouts are delivered via Plane (bank transfer) or Rise (crypto options), subject to payout-provider onboarding/KYC. | Payout ProcessingReward requests go through a review step (typically 1–2 business days). After approval, payments are usually processed within an additional 1–2 business days, depending on the chosen payout method and banking/processor timelines. |
| Payout Methods | Plane (Bank Transfer) Rise (Crypto) | Bank Transfer Cryptocurrency Skrill Neteller |
| Payments | ||
| Payment Methods | Credit/Debit Card Crypto | Credit/Debit Card Bank Transfer Cryptocurrency Skrill |
| Trading Permissions | ||
| News Trading | E8 One: In Phase 1, news trading is allowed without restriction. On the E8 Trader stage, a prohibition window applies for high-impact news: 5 minutes before and 5 minutes after the release, during which opening/closing/modifying trades is prohibited; profits earned during the window may be removed without an account violation. E8 Signature Forex/Crypto: News trading is allowed without restrictions in both Phase 1 and the E8 Trader stage, with a reminder that high-impact news can cause volatility and slippage and that the user is responsible. | Evaluation (FTMO Challenge + Verification): news trading is allowed freely during all releases.FTMO Account (Normal): for specified high-impact announcements and targeted instruments, you must not open or close trades (including SL/TP triggers) in the 2 minutes before to 2 minutes after the release.FTMO Account Swing: news trading restrictions do not apply. |
| Weekend Trades | E8 Signature Forex/Crypto: Overnight/weekend holding is not supported; positions are closed daily at 23:00 server time and trading reopens at 00:15.E8 One: The help center does not impose the same daily position-closure rule; weekend/overnight exposure remains subject to normal market gaps and drawdown calculations. | Evaluation (FTMO Challenge + Verification): holding trades over the weekend is allowed.FTMO Account (Normal): positions must be closed before the weekend market close (or if the market break/rollover is longer than 2 hours). Some cryptocurrencies may be tradable during specific weekend hours.FTMO Account Swing: no restrictions on holding positions over the weekend. |
| Copy Trading | E8 Markets allows copy trading across evaluations and E8 Trader accounts (and to/from personal accounts) as long as the accounts belong to you. A key restriction is that you cannot copy trades or reuse the same trading ideas between multiple E8 evaluation accounts; each evaluation must be traded independently. Team trading and third-party signal services are not permitted. | Trade copying tools can be used as long as your trading remains compliant with FTMO’s rules. FTMO’s services are for personal use only: you must not allow any third party to access or trade your accounts, and coordinated/manipulative trade patterns between connected accounts (e.g., opposite positions across accounts for manipulation) are forbidden. |
| EA Allowed | Expert Advisors (EAs) are allowed. E8 states it limits one strategy per user and may terminate accounts if it detects multiple users executing the same trades/strategy. Server request limits (e.g., order/TP/SL modification limits and maximum positions per day) also apply. | EAs are allowed as long as the strategy is legitimate, replicable in real markets, and does not fall into forbidden practices. Note that automated trading that overloads servers (e.g., excessive server requests) is prohibited, and widely used third-party EAs may risk breaching maximum capital allocation constraints if multiple users run the same strategy. |
| KYC & Restrictions | ||
| KYC Required | Yes | No |
| KYC Stage | KYC is required as part of eligibility and compliance checks. To receive a payout, traders must also be able to onboard and pass KYC with E8's payout providers (Plane or Riseworks/Rise); if a trader cannot complete provider onboarding, E8 states it cannot issue a payout. | FTMO requires identity verification before becoming an FTMO Trader and signing the FTMO Account Agreement. For individuals, this is KYC and typically requires a government-issued ID and proof of address. Businesses may require KYB documentation. Once the verification is complete, the FTMO Account Agreement is unlocked for signing in the Client Area. |
| Restricted Countries | Afghanistan Albania Algeria Myanmar (Burma) Burundi Belarus Central African Republic Congo Democratic Republic of Congo Cuba Ethiopia Hong Kong Iran Iraq Kenya Kosovo Lebanon Libya Mali Midway Islands Nicaragua North Korea Pakistan Russia Samoa Somalia South Sudan Sudan Syria Ukraine United Arab Emirates Vatican City State Venezuela West Bank Western Sahara Yemen Zambia; Limited (E8 Signature Forex/Crypto only): Bulgaria India Romania Bangladesh Indonesia Taiwan Cambodia Laos Viet Nam Croatia | Afghanistan Albania Algeria American Samoa Barbados Belarus Burkina Faso Burundi Cambodia Central African Republic Cuba Democratic Republic of the Congo Eritrea Guam Guinea Guinea-Bissau Haiti Hong Kong Iran Iraq Kazakhstan Kosovo Libya Mali Morocco Myanmar Nicaragua North Korea Pakistan Palestine Panama Puerto Rico Russia Samoa Sierra Leone Somalia South Sudan Sudan Syria Tunisia Uganda Ukraine (Crimea Donetsk Luhansk) United Arab Emirates United States Minor Outlying Islands Venezuela Virgin Islands (US) Yemen Zimbabwe |