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.



Full challenge rules, profit targets, and time limits are detailed on FTMO official website.

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FTMO vs Blueberry Funded vs DNA Funded - Prop Firm Comparison (November 2026)

Side-by-side comparison of FTMO vs Blueberry Funded vs DNA Funded. 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 November 2026.

FTMO vs Blueberry Funded vs DNA Funded - Prop Firm Comparison (November 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....
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Blueberry Funded
Blueberry Funded is a broker-backed prop firm powered by Blueberry Markets, offering 1-step, 2-step, Rapid, Synthetic and Instant funding programs on MT4, MT5, DXtrade and TradeLocker, with raw-style pricing, strict but transparent risk rules and scaling potential toward $2,000,000 in...
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DNA Funded
DNA Funded is a broker-backed Australian prop firm partnered with DNA Markets that lets traders choose between 1-step, 2-step, rapid 10-day challenges and instant funding, with 80%–90% profit splits, access to 800+ CFD markets via TradeLocker, and combined simulated funding...
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Overview
Trustpilot Rating 4.8 0 3.2
Trustpilot Reviews 55,127 0 85
Headquarters Czech Republic St. Vincent and the Grenadines Australia
Age (Years) 11 N/A N/A
Max Funding $400,000 $2,000,000 $600,000
Profit Split Start 80% 80% 80%
Profit Split Max 90% 80% 90%
Platforms MT4 MT5 cTrader DXtrade MT4 DXtrade TradeLocker TradeLocker
Assets FX Indices Commodities Stocks Crypto Crypto Energies Forex Indices Metals Synthetic Indices FX Commodities Indices Stocks Crypto
Leverage
FX Leverage 100 50 50
Metals Leverage 30 10 10
Crypto Leverage 3.3 2 2
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 LossDaily loss limits vary by program but are always defined as a percentage of the end-of-day reference value (higher of balance or equity at 5 p.m. EST).1-Step: ~4% daily loss.2-Step / Prime 2-Step: ~5% daily loss.Rapid: 3% daily loss.Instant Lite: 2% daily loss.Instant Elite: primarily governed by a 10% total loss limit rather than a fixed daily cap.Breaching the daily loss limit at any point in the session is treated as a hard rule violation. Maximum Daily LossDaily loss limits at DNA Funded depend on the program. Single Helix uses a 5% max daily drawdown, Double Helix typically applies 6% in Phase 1 and 5% in Phase 2, Rapid Challenge runs with a 4% daily loss cap and Instant Funding does not apply a separate daily limit but is constrained by a tight trailing overall drawdown.The daily loss check is balance- or equity-based around the end-of-day snapshot, and breaching the permitted percentage at any point in the trading day constitutes an account violation.
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 total drawdown at Blueberry Funded is static on most programs:1-Step: 6% max total loss from the starting balance.2-Step / Prime 2-Step / Synthetic: 10% max total loss.Rapid: 4% max total loss on evaluation (and typically 6% funded).Instant Lite: 4% max total loss.Instant Elite: 10% max total loss.If equity falls below the allowed loss floor at any time, the account is considered breached and closed. Maximum Overall LossFor Single Helix, Double Helix and Rapid Challenge, DNA Funded uses static lifetime loss caps, typically around 10% for the main 1-phase and 2-phase models and 5% for Rapid.Instant Funding accounts instead use a 4% trailing overall drawdown that ratchets up as new equity highs are made; if balance or equity falls below this trailing line the account is breached, even if it remains above the initial starting balance.
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 ModelMost Blueberry Funded accounts use a static drawdown model for lifetime loss, with the maximum loss defined as a fixed percentage of the starting balance and a balance/equity snapshot used each day for daily loss.The Rapid and some instant styles effectively act like a trailing drawdown within their short evaluation windows, where the permitted loss tracks equity highs more closely and encourages faster profit protection. Drawdown ModelThe evaluation challenges primarily rely on static drawdown limits calculated from either the initial balance or an end-of-day balance snapshot, while the Instant Funding program uses a classic trailing drawdown that tracks new highs and never resets upward after a payout.In practice this means evaluation traders can stabilise their static loss buffers by growing the account gradually, whereas Instant Funding traders must protect profits more aggressively because the allowed loss band follows their performance.
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). Payout FrequencyFunded accounts at Blueberry Funded typically pay out every 14 days. Some account types and add-ons may allow a 7-day cycle once initial conditions are met, but bi-weekly payouts are the standard.Payout eligibility usually requires at least 3 distinct trading days with closed profit and a funded account that finishes the cycle in net profit of at least $100 after the profit split. Payout FrequencyFunded traders at DNA Funded can usually request a payout every 14 days, provided they have traded on at least three separate days and finished the period with a positive balance.With the optional Early Payout Booster, that payout frequency can be shortened to every 7 days on eligible challenges, offering weekly cash flow for consistent performers.
Days to First Payout 14 14 14
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 ProcessingOnce a payout request is approved, Blueberry Funded processes withdrawals using a mix of direct crypto transfers and RiseWorks-managed payments. Crypto payouts are usually completed fastest, while larger sums via RiseWorks may take a few extra days due to banking and compliance checks.Average processing time is around 1–4 business days, after which arrival depends on the chosen method and the receiving bank or wallet. Payout ProcessingPayouts are requested through the DNA Funded dashboard and, once approved, are typically processed within about 1–4 business days, after which arrival time depends on the chosen payment rail.The firm warns that additional time may be needed for bank wires, compliance checks or during periods of high demand, but most crypto withdrawals are completed relatively quickly once released.
Payout Methods Bank Transfer Cryptocurrency Skrill Neteller Crypto (USDC/USDT) RiseWorks Broker Profit Transfer (Blueberry Markets) Crypto International Bank Transfer
Payments
Payment Methods Credit/Debit Card Bank Transfer Cryptocurrency Skrill Credit/Debit Card Crypto GCash IMPS NGN Bank Transfer UPI Credit Card (Visa Mastercard) Crypto (TRC20 ERC20 BTC)
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. Blueberry Funded enforces strict high-impact news restrictions. Traders must not open or close trades within a short window (commonly 2–10 minutes) before or after red-folder news. This includes take-profit closures as well as new orders.A stop-loss exception usually applies for trades opened several hours earlier – if a pre-set stop-loss is hit during the news window, that closure is generally allowed. News trading is permitted in principle, but traders must avoid opening, modifying or closing positions within roughly 10 minutes before and after high-impact economic releases or other designated major events, as defined by calendars such as FXStreet.Pure news scalping, latency or gap exploitation around data releases is prohibited, and violations can lead to profit removal or account closure, especially on funded accounts.
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. Weekend and overnight holding is generally permitted. Traders may keep positions open across market close and reopen, and crypto markets can often be traded through the weekend, subject to platform hours. Some faster programs (e.g. Rapid) may impose additional weekend execution restrictions, but carrying positions is typically allowed. Weekend trading rules differ by instrument and program. For most challenges, crypto positions can be opened and managed over the weekend, while positions on other markets may be held but not actively traded while markets are closed.The Rapid and Instant Funding challenges are stricter and generally do not allow weekend trading at all, so traders on these products should ensure positions are closed before the weekly market close.
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. Copy trading is allowed only between your own Blueberry Funded accounts and via supported tools such as the Prop Firm One (PF1) integration. Copying from or to external personal accounts, signal services or other traders’ prop accounts is not permitted, nor is managing third-party money through a Blueberry Funded account. Copy trading is tightly controlled at DNA Funded. Copying or mirroring trades from non-DNA accounts, between different users or across multiple profiles is prohibited, and managing other people's accounts is considered a breach.Within a single user's own DNA Funded accounts, limited internal copying may be acceptable, but traders must still respect all risk rules and avoid patterns that resemble large-scale account netting or group trading.
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) and algorithmic trading bots are allowed on many accounts, provided they do not employ forbidden behaviours such as HFT, latency arbitrage, martingale, grid or hyper-scalping styles.EAs are expected to mirror how a prudent manual trader would behave under the same risk limits; systems that consistently push margins, daily loss or position stacking limits are likely to be flagged. Expert Advisors and algorithmic strategies are allowed on 1 Phase, 2 Phase and Rapid challenge accounts, provided they do not implement banned behaviours such as high-frequency scalping, latency arbitrage, martingale or grid systems.On Instant Funding accounts, EAs and fully automated algos are not permitted; these programs are meant to be traded manually or with very light automation that still reflects the trader's own discretion.
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. As a broker-backed prop firm, Blueberry Funded must perform KYC/AML checks, especially before larger withdrawals via RiseWorks. Traders should be prepared to provide government-issued ID and, where requested, proof of address and source-of-funds information. Failure to pass KYC can lead to account closure and cancellation of pending payouts. DNA Funded applies full KYC for larger withdrawals, requiring a government-issued photo ID, proof of address and a selfie or likeness check through its third-party verification provider.KYC is typically required once withdrawals exceed about $1,000, and failed or unverifiable KYC will result in account closure without refund, as decisions from the external provider cannot be manually overridden.
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FTMO Blueberry Funded DNA Funded

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