What trading strategies are prohibited at FTMO, is martingale allowed, and are there any lot size limits?

💡 Answer

Martingale Allowed?

No

Prohibited Strategies

FTMO prohibits (among other items): exploiting price-feed/display errors or quote delays; using slow/external data feeds; coordinated/manipulative cross-account trading (including opposite positions across connected accounts); using AI/ultra-high-speed tools or mass data entry to gain unfair advantage; ‘gap trading’ around major news or within 2 hours of market close; overleveraging/overexposure/one-sided bets/account rolling; hyperactive EAs that generate excessive server requests; and any third-party account access or account management.


Lot Size Limits:

Forex: maximum volume per order is 50 lots. Platform/server protections also apply (e.g., limits on the number of active orders and daily platform activity). EAs that cause excessive platform/server load are not allowed.

More FAQs about FTMO

Guides Where FTMO Is Featured

These guides include FTMO alongside other prop firms, grouped by trading features, platforms, availability, and trader requirements.

FTMO vs FORFX vs Eightcap Challenges - Prop Firm Comparison (March 2026)

Side-by-side comparison of FTMO vs FORFX vs Eightcap Challenges. 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 FORFX vs Eightcap Challenges - 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....
FORFX
FORFX is an innovative prop firm backed by Opofinance broker offering Flash, Legend, PeakScalp, Black, and Live challenge types with profit splits up to 90%, a unique Live Assessment Plan with real funded accounts, and payouts as fast as 10...
Eightcap Challenges
Eightcap Challenges is a broker-backed simulated trading program operated by Eightcap International Ltd (Seychelles) that offers One Phase and Two Phase CFD challenges on mt4, mt5 and tradelocker with balance-based drawdown limits, a 14-day payout cycle, and 80% profit splits...
Overview
Trustpilot Rating 4.8 0 4.1
Trustpilot Reviews 40,041 0 3,569
Headquarters Czech Republic United Arab Emirates Seychelles
Age (Years) 11 3 1
Max Funding $400,000 $400,000 $600,000
Profit Split Start 80% 70% 80%
Profit Split Max 90% 90% 90%
Platforms MT4 MT5 cTrader DXtrade MT4 MT5 cTrader mt4 mt5 tradelocker
Assets FX Indices Commodities Stocks Crypto FX Metals Indices Energy Crypto FX Commodities Indices Crypto US Stocks (Day Trader only)
Leverage
FX Leverage 100 100 100
Metals Leverage 30 20 20
Crypto Leverage 3.3 2 3
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 LossFORFX applies model-dependent daily loss limits that differ between evaluation and funded phases.How It Is Applied:Flash Normal: 5% maximum daily loss across all phases.Flash Aggressive: 10% during evaluation, 5% once funded.Legend Normal: 5% maximum daily loss across all phases.Legend Aggressive: 10% during evaluation, 5% once funded.PeakScalp Normal: 5% maximum daily loss across all phases.PeakScalp Aggressive: 10% during evaluation, 5% once funded.Black Normal: 5% maximum daily loss across all phases.Black Aggressive: 10% during evaluation, 5% once funded.Daily drawdown is... Maximum Daily DrawdownEightcap Challenges applies a balance-based daily drawdown rule calculated from the previous day’s account balance snapshot (Previous Day Balance × Limit%). Your account’s intraday equity loss must not exceed this daily limit.One Phase: 4% daily drawdown (Assessment and Payout Stages).Two Phase: 5% daily drawdown (Assessment, Qualification and Payout Stages).Day Trader: No daily drawdown; risk is managed via fixed maximum drawdown thresholds tied to the selected timeframe and multiplier.
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 overall loss on FORFX accounts varies by model and variant.How It Works:Flash Normal: 10% maximum overall loss across all phases.Flash Aggressive: 20% during evaluation, 10% once funded.Legend Normal: 10% maximum overall loss across all phases.Legend Aggressive: 20% during evaluation, 10% once funded.PeakScalp Normal: 12% maximum overall loss (highest among all models).PeakScalp Aggressive: 20% during evaluation, 10% once funded.Black Normal: 10% maximum overall loss across all phases.Black Aggressive: 20% during evaluation, 10% once funded.If equity falls below the... Maximum DrawdownOverall drawdown is enforced as a fixed percentage of the initial balance for standard challenges and as fixed-dollar thresholds for Day Trader Challenges.One Phase: 8% maximum drawdown (Assessment and Payout Stages).Two Phase: 10% maximum drawdown (Assessment, Qualification and Payout Stages).Day Trader: Maximum drawdown is defined in dollars and varies by timeframe and multiplier (DT-1/DT-2/DT-4/DT-8 with 2x/5x/10x options).
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 ModelFORFX uses a static drawdown model where the maximum loss is measured from the initial starting balance rather than trailing from highest equity.Key Points:All challenge types use static (balance-based) drawdown for overall maximum loss.Daily drawdown resets at 5:00 PM EST based on end-of-day account balance.Aggressive variants have relaxed drawdown limits during evaluation (10% daily / 20% max) but revert to standard limits (5% daily / 10% max) once funded.Drawdown calculations include both open and closed positions.The static model means... Balance-based (Daily from previous-day balance; Max fixed from initial balance)
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 FrequencyFORFX offers different payout cycles depending on the challenge type.Flash: First payout available after 10 days from funded account activation.Legend: First payout after 30 days, then every 14 days thereafter.PeakScalp: First payout after 30 days, then every 14 days thereafter.Black: First payout after 10 days.Live: Payout terms based on funded account agreement.All models offer a 125% fee refund upon successful completion and first payout from the funded account. Payout FrequencyOne Phase & Two Phase: Standard payout eligibility begins 14 days into the Payout Stage (or 7 days with the earlier-payout add-on), provided all payout-stage requirements and KYC are satisfied.Day Trader Challenges: Payout eligibility is immediate upon successful completion of the time-limited challenge.
Days to First Payout 14 10 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 ProcessingFORFX processes payout requests typically within 1 to 2 business days once approved. The firm supports cryptocurrency-based payouts as the primary withdrawal method. Refunds are processed within up to 2 business days via email request to [email protected]. Payout ProcessingPayout requests are reviewed by the risk team for rules compliance and KYC (if required). Approved payouts are typically processed within 24–48 hours of an eligible request, but may take longer if additional review is required.
Payout Methods Bank Transfer Cryptocurrency Skrill Neteller Crypto Crypto International Bank Transfer
Payments
Payment Methods Credit/Debit Card Bank Transfer Cryptocurrency Skrill Credit/Debit Card Crypto Bank Transfer Credit/Debit Card (Visa Mastercard) Crypto (USDT TRC20 USDT 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. News trading is allowed on all FORFX challenge types. However, there is a restriction on margin usage during high-impact economic events.All Models:News trading is permitted during both evaluation and funded phases.A maximum 50% margin usage rule applies during high-impact news releases to prevent excessive leverage during volatile periods. Trading during major news events is restricted: you cannot place trades within 10 minutes before or after high-impact events (per FXStreet). Trading inside the window is treated as a soft breach that triggers a warning and removal of any profits made from those trades.
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 holding is allowed across all FORFX challenge types.All Models (Flash, Legend, PeakScalp, Black, Live):Holding trades over the weekend is permitted in both evaluation and funded phases.Standard platform trading hours and gap risk apply. Weekend trading is allowed. The platform supports 24/7 trading, including the ability to manage positions over the weekend.
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. FORFX does not provide detailed public documentation on copy trading policies. Based on the available information, copy trading between your own accounts may be permitted as long as all risk rules and consistency requirements are met on each individual account. Traders should contact support for specific copy trading guidelines. Copy trading or mirroring another person’s trades is prohibited and may result in profit removal or account termination. Copying between your own accounts is allowed only if all accounts are registered under the same email address.
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) are allowed on most FORFX challenge types with one notable exception.Permitted:Flash: EAs allowed in all phases.Legend: EAs allowed in all phases.Black: EAs allowed in all phases.Live: EAs allowed.Not Permitted:PeakScalp: EAs are NOT allowed on this challenge type.All automated trading must comply with the firm's FLR, consistency, and drawdown rules. Expert Advisors (EAs) and indicators are permitted, but prohibited strategy types (including martingale, grid, tick trading, arbitrage variants, gap trading and account management) are monitored and can trigger violations—especially during the Payout Stage.
KYC & Restrictions
KYC Required No No No
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. FORFX requires KYC verification for funded account activation and payouts. Full identity verification is mandatory when transitioning from evaluation to funded status. Traders should expect to submit standard ID and residency documents before accessing their funded account and profit distributions. Australia, Saint Lucia, Afghanistan, Central African Republic, Cuba, Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (North Korea), Democratic Republic of the Congo, Guinea-Bissau, Iran, Iraq, Lebanon, Myanmar, Russia (and Crimea, Donetsk, Luhansk and Sevastopol regions of Ukraine), Somalia, Sudan, South Sudan, Syria, Yemen, Zimbabwe, Libya
Restricted Countries 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 Turkey Pakistan Australia USA Japan Canada North Korea Iran Myanmar Russia Australia Libya Lebanon Pakistan Russia Somalia South Sudan Sudan United States Zimbabwe Afghanistan Central African Republic Cuba Democratic Republic of the Congo Guinea-Bissau Iran Iraq Myanmar North Korea Syria Yemen

See all FTMO comparisons