What challenge structure does FTMO use for its evaluation process?

💡 Answer

FTMO’s evaluation is a two-step process:

  • Step 1 – FTMO Challenge: 10% profit target, minimum 4 trading days, and strict loss limits.
  • Step 2 – Verification: 5% profit target (reduced by half vs. Step 1), minimum 4 trading days, unlimited time, and consistency-focused evaluation.

After passing, traders receive an FTMO Account (Normal or Swing) and earn a share of simulated profits via performance-based rewards.

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FTMO vs Funded Trading Plus vs FundedNext - Prop Firm Comparison (March 2026)

Side-by-side comparison of FTMO vs Funded Trading Plus vs FundedNext. Quickly scan maximum funding, profit splits, risk rules, leverage, platforms, instruments, payout schedules, payment options, trading permissions and KYC restrictions to narrow down your prop trading firm shortlist. Data updated March 2026.

FTMO vs Funded Trading Plus vs FundedNext - Prop Firm Comparison (March 2026)
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....
Funded Trading Plus
Funded Trading Plus (FT+) is a Saint Lucia-registered prop firm brand with an operational office in Manchester, UK, offering Instant Funding plus 1-step and 2-step simulated challenges since 2021. Traders can access broad CFD markets (FX, indices, commodities, crypto) across...
FundedNext
FundedNext is a UAE-registered prop trading platform that offers Stellar 1-Step, Stellar 2-Step, Stellar Lite evaluations plus Stellar Instant funding. It combines balance-based drawdown rules, access to MT4/MT5/cTrader/Match-Trader (TradingView supported for analysis), and reward shares up to 95% (with add-ons)...
Overview
Trustpilot Rating 4.8 4.4 4.5
Trustpilot Reviews 40,041 2,630 61,473
Headquarters Czech Republic Saint Lucia United Arab Emirates
Age (Years) 11 N/A N/A
Max Funding $400,000 $400,000 $300,000
Profit Split Start 80% 80% 80%
Profit Split Max 90% 100% 95%
Platforms MT4 MT5 cTrader DXtrade MT5 cTrader Match-Trader DXtrade MT4 MT5 cTrader Match-Trader
Assets FX Indices Commodities Stocks Crypto FX Indices Commodities Crypto Commodities Crypto Forex Indices
Leverage
FX Leverage 100 30 100
Metals Leverage 30 30 15
Crypto Leverage 3.3 2 1
Risk & Drawdown Rules
Max Daily Loss 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. Maximum Daily LossFT+ uses a balance-based Daily Drawdown (Daily Simulated Loss) that resets each day at 16:59 (EST). A daily balance snapshot is taken, the daily loss amount is calculated as a percentage of that snapshot, and the account’s equity must not fall below the resulting Daily Drawdown figure.Daily Simulated Loss limits vary by program (typical published values): Master 6%, Experienced 4%, Advanced 5%, Premium 4%, Prestige Lite 3%, and Prestige Pro 5%. 5
Max Total Loss 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. Maximum Overall LossMaximum Simulated Loss limits vary by program and drawdown model. Core trailing-loss challenges include: Master 6% max loss, Experienced 6%, Premium 8% and Advanced 10%.Prestige variants use a static-loss structure with tighter daily limits and typical maximum loss caps such as 6% (Prestige Lite) or 10% (Prestige Pro), depending on the specific Prestige version chosen. 10
Drawdown Type 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. Drawdown ModelFunded Trading Plus uses two drawdown structures across its programs: Relative (trailing) drawdown on core challenges (Master/Experienced/Advanced/Premium) and Static drawdown on Prestige variants.Daily Drawdown is calculated from a daily balance snapshot and applies as a daily equity floor that resets once per day. Stellar 1-Step / 2-Step / Lite: Daily Loss and Maximum Loss are calculated from the initial balance of the phase and include closed + floating PnL (plus commissions/fees). The daily limit resets at 00:00 (server time GMT+2). The maximum loss threshold is fixed as a percentage of the initial balance, while the “maximum permitted loss” displayed can expand or shrink with accumulated profit/loss within a trading cycle.Stellar Instant: Uses a 6% trailing maximum loss limit that ratchets upward with profits; it does not reset after withdrawals.
Payouts
Payout Frequency 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). 7 Payout Frequency (Performance Rewards)Payout timing depends on the account model:Stellar 1-Step FundedNext Account: rewards are requested on a 5 business day cycle (first and subsequent cycles).Stellar 2-Step & Stellar Lite FundedNext Accounts: first reward is available after an initial 21-day cycle, then bi-weekly (every 14 days) thereafter if eligibility is met; a “Bi-Weekly Reward” add-on can bypass the initial 21-day wait.Stellar Instant: first reward is available after 5 business days, then rewards can be requested on-demand, subject to eligibility and trailing drawdown buffer rules.
Days to First Payout 14 0 5
Payout Processing Time 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 ProcessingWithdrawal requests are reviewed under FT+’s Risk Review Policy (withdrawals are a listed milestone for review). Processing time can therefore vary depending on whether a request is automatically cleared or requires manual risk-team review. Payout ProcessingPerformance Reward requests are submitted through the FundedNext dashboard. Processing time can vary based on compliance checks, payout method/provider, and request volume; allow additional time for bank/crypto settlement after approval.
Payout Methods Bank Transfer Cryptocurrency Skrill Neteller Crypto Bank Transfer Rise Crypto Bank Transfer
Payments
Payment Methods Credit/Debit Card Bank Transfer Cryptocurrency Skrill Credit/Debit Card E-wallets Crypto Credit/Debit Card Crypto Local Payment Methods
Trading Permissions
News Trading 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. News trading is allowed in principle, and FT+ markets “trade news” as part of its ruleset. However, high-risk “coin-flip” behaviour (e.g., extremely high margin utilisation combined with short-duration trades during volatile news) may fail a withdrawal-time risk review. News trading is generally allowed across FundedNext CFD models, but FundedNext applies ‘restricted news time’ rules on funded accounts: if trades are executed during restricted high-impact, instrument-correlated news windows, a portion of the profit can be removed during cycle review (commonly referenced as a 40% deduction on affected profits). Stellar Instant has a distinct news-time profit treatment where FundedNext may retain a larger share of profits generated during designated news time.
Weekend Trades 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. Funded Trading Plus states traders may hold trades over the weekend (“hold weekends”), supporting swing-style strategies. Traders should still monitor instrument trading hours/closures and manage gap risk. Overnight and weekend holding is allowed across all active CFD account types (Stellar Instant, Stellar 1-Step, Stellar 2-Step, Stellar Lite). Swap charges (unless swap-free) can impact floating PnL and therefore drawdown calculations.
Copy Trading 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. FT+ requires accounts to be traded independently. Copy trading between active FT+ accounts is not permitted, and hedging across multiple accounts is strictly prohibited (hedging within a single account is allowed). Copy trading is allowed only between your own FundedNext Challenge accounts (one ‘master’ and one or more ‘slave’ accounts) as long as total combined Challenge capital does not exceed $300,000. Copy trading is prohibited between any FundedNext Account and any other FundedNext Account or Challenge account (even if you own them). Cloud-based copy services are not allowed; VPS-based copiers are permitted only for copying between your own Challenge accounts.
EA Allowed 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. Expert Advisors (EAs), algos and bots are permitted. FT+ warns that abusive automation can lead to bans and may require traders to submit their EA for approval before receiving a simulated-live FT+ Trader account. EAs may not be used to copy trade or hedge across multiple FT+ accounts. EAs/automation are supported on MT4/MT5 (and platform-native automation where applicable). Match-Trader is positioned for manual trading and does not support MetaTrader-style EAs. Any automation must still comply with FundedNext’s prohibited strategy and fair-use rules.
KYC & Restrictions
KYC Required No Yes Yes
KYC Stage 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. KYC / identity checks are required at the FT+ Trader stage (simulated-live funded accounts), typically to confirm account ownership and support withdrawal processing under compliance requirements. KYC (identity verification) is required after passing a Stellar Challenge and before a FundedNext Account is issued. Traders upload government-issued ID (and in some cases proof of address) via the dashboard Verification Center; once approved, FundedNext typically issues the FundedNext Account within 48–72 hours. KYC must be completed within 30 days after passing, otherwise the account can become inactive.
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