Yes, FTMO is legit, and in 2026 it is still the prop firm the rest of the industry gets measured against. It has run since 2015, sells three programs (the classic 2-Step Challenge, a 1-Step and Instant funding), pays rewards every 14 days and refunds the 2-Step fee with your first reward.
Whether it’s worth it depends on you. FTMO isn’t the cheapest (fees are in euros and there’s no discount code), and its 1-Step and Instant programs carry consistency rules. Below we cover every plan and price, the rules that actually fail traders, how payouts work, and which FTMO program fits a first-time buyer.
✓ Fact-checked October 27, 2026: Prices, codes and rules checked against the official site and help centre of FTMO. How we review prop firms.
- Three programs: FTMO Challenge (2-Step), FTMO 1-Step and FTMO Instant, from €79 (1-Step $10,000).
- The 2-Step has a static 10% max loss, a 5% daily loss, no consistency rule, and the fee is refunded with your first reward.
- Splits: 80% on the 2-Step (up to 90% through scaling), 90% from the first payout on 1-Step and Instant.
- Rewards every 14 days; FTMO has no affiliate code, so the only discounts are its own promos.
FTMO at a Glance
| FTMO | |
|---|---|
| Founded | 2015, Czech Republic |
| CEO | Otakar Šuffner |
| Type | Forex/CFD prop firm (simulated accounts) |
| Markets | FX, metals, indices, energy, crypto, commodities and stocks CFDs |
| Platforms | MT4, MT5, cTrader, TradingView |
| Max allocation | $400,000 per trader (scaling up to $2M) |
| Fees charged in | Euros (account can be USD, EUR, GBP and more) |
| Pay with | Visa, Mastercard, Apple Pay, Google Pay, PayPal, Revolut Pay, Skrill, Crypto |
| Payout methods | Bank Transfer, Crypto, Card Payout |
| Discount code | None. FTMO runs its own promos (see the offer box) |
Live prices and rules are on our FTMO firm page. FTMO also runs a separate futures business; see our FTMO Futures page if you trade CME contracts.
Is FTMO Legit?
FTMO is one of the oldest firms in the space: founded in 2015 in the Czech Republic, led by CEO Otakar Šuffner, with published rules for every program and payouts by bank transfer, crypto, card payout. Traders in the US are served through FTMO’s affiliated broker entity, OANDA.
Two things to keep in mind. First, like every prop firm, FTMO accounts are simulated: you’re paid a reward from FTMO, not trading your own money at a broker. Second, FTMO changes rules too: the 1-Step best-day rule was updated for orders from 12 October 2026 (now 50% of total profit). Always check the date on a review and read the official FTMO trading objectives for your program.
Is FTMO Worth It?
FTMO is worth it if you value a long payout track record, a wide choice of platforms (MT4, MT5, cTrader, TradingView) and a 2-Step with no consistency rule and a refundable fee. It’s less worth it if price is your main filter: a $100K 2-Step normally costs €540, and firms such as FundingPips (code 17B156E8, 20% off a first purchase) or FundedNext (code INSIDE) cost less at the same size. See our cheap prop firms guide.
The refund changes the maths on the 2-Step. If you pass and take a first reward, the fee comes back, so a funded FTMO 2-Step trader’s real cost is close to zero. Traders who fail repeatedly pay full price each time, and that’s where cheaper firms win.
FTMO Programs and Prices (2026)
| Program | Sizes | From | Target | Daily loss | Max loss | Min days | Split |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FTMO Challenge (2-Step) | $10,000 – $200,000 | €89 | 10% / 5% | 5% | 10% Static | 4 days per phase | 80% (90% via scaling) |
| FTMO 1-Step | $10,000 – $200,000 | €79 | 10% | 3% | 10% EOD Trailing | 2 days (50% best-day rule) | 90% |
| FTMO Instant | $5,000 – $100,000 | €169 | None | 3% | 10% Trailing | 4 days before payout (30% rule) | 90% |
Every account size, in euros as FTMO charges them (struck prices show FTMO’s current promo):
| Account | 2-Step | 1-Step | Instant |
|---|---|---|---|
| $5,000 | — | — | €169 |
| $10,000 | €89 | €79 | €339 |
| $25,000 | €250 | €199 | €749 |
| $50,000 | €345 | €319 | €1499 |
| $100,000 | €439 (was €540) | €399 (was €499) | €2999 |
| $200,000 | €1080 | €999 | — |
All three are one-time fees. Only the 2-Step fee is refunded (with your first reward); the 1-Step and Instant fees are non-refundable. No evaluation has a time limit.
FTMO Challenge (2-Step): the classic
Phase 1 asks for 10%, the Verification phase 5%, with a 5% daily loss and a 10% static max loss, and at least 4 trading days in each phase. On a $100,000 account that’s $10,000, then $5,000, with a daily limit of $5,000, and you fail only if equity drops below $90,000, however far up you’ve been. There’s no consistency rule, so a single strong day can pass a phase. The split starts at 80% and moves to 90% through the scaling plan.
FTMO 1-Step: one phase, tighter rules
One 10% target, but the daily loss drops to 3% ($3,000 on $100,000) and the 10% max loss trails at end of day: it moves up with your closing balance and never moves down, then resets after each withdrawal. The best-day rule means no single day can be more than 50% of your total profit, so on a $10,000 target your biggest day can’t exceed $5,000, which forces at least 2 trading days. The upside is a 90% split from the first payout. If best-day rules are new to you, our consistency rule explainer and the consistency rule calculator show how the best-day maths works.
FTMO Instant: no evaluation, highest price
Instant skips the evaluation: you trade a funded account straight away at a 90% split, from €169 for $5,000. The catches are a 3% daily loss, a 10% intraday trailing max loss that does not reset after a payout (so withdrawing shrinks your buffer), and a 30% best-day rule for rewards, which means at least 4 trading days before a payout. It’s the most expensive way into FTMO per dollar of capital. Compare it with other firms in our instant funding prop firms guide.
FTMO Rules You Need to Know
- News trading: allowed during evaluations. On funded accounts, no trades or order changes from 2 minutes before to 2 minutes after high-impact news on the affected instrument.
- Weekends: free during evaluations; funded accounts can’t hold positions over the weekend, except crypto.
- Daily loss reset: the daily limit resets at midnight CE(S)T, Prague time, not your local midnight.
- Leverage: 1:100 on FX, 1:50 on metals, indices and energy, 1:3.33 on crypto, commodities and stocks, on every program.
- Commissions: $5 per lot on FX, none on indices, energy and commodities, a small percentage of volume on metals, crypto and stocks.
- EAs and copying: EAs allowed up to 2,000 server requests per day; copying between your own accounts is fine within the $400,000 cap, copying others is not.
- Inactivity: place at least one trade every 30 days, or freeze the account.
How FTMO Payouts Work
Rewards are paid every 14 days on all three programs, counted from your first trading day on the funded account. Bank transfer and crypto have no upper limit; Visa Direct or Mastercard Send go up to $20,000 per payout and Skrill up to $3,000. Minimum withdrawal is $20 by bank wire or $50 in crypto.
The scaling plan rewards steady traders: every 4-month cycle with at least 10% net profit and 2 rewards paid, your account grows by 25%, up to a $2M cap, and a 2-Step account’s split rises to 90%. On a 1-Step, remember the trailing drawdown resets after each withdrawal; on Instant it doesn’t, so leave a buffer before you withdraw.
FTMO Pros and Cons
Pros
- Running since 2015, with published rules and a long payout history.
- 2-Step with a static 10% max loss, no consistency rule and a refunded fee.
- Four platforms (MT4, MT5, cTrader, TradingView) and a wide CFD menu including stocks.
- Clear scaling plan to 90% split and up to $2M.
Cons
- No discount code; prices are in euros and higher than many newer firms.
- 1-Step and Instant carry best-day consistency rules and trailing drawdowns.
- Funded accounts can’t hold over the weekend and have a news blackout window.
- 14-day reward cycle; some competitors pay weekly or on demand.
Which FTMO Program Should You Choose?
FTMO — FTMO Challenge (2-Step) $10,000 at €89: static drawdown, 5% daily loss, no consistency rule, no time limit, and the fee comes back with your first reward. Trade-off: two phases and 4 minimum days in each.
FTMO — FTMO 1-Step $100,000 at €399 on FTMO’s current promo: one 10% target and a 90% split from day one. Trade-off: 3% daily loss, end-of-day trailing max loss and the 50% best-day rule.
Skip Instant unless you already trade consistently: a non-resetting trailing loss and the 30% best-day rule leave little room for a learning curve. If you want a code-based discount instead, our FundingPips review and FundedNext review cover the closest alternatives, and FTMO vs FundingPips ($100K 2-Step) puts the two side by side.
How to Buy an FTMO Challenge
- Open FTMO through our link and create your account.
- Choose the program (2-Step, 1-Step or Instant), account size, currency and platform.
- Check the price at checkout against our table, for example €89 for a 2-Step $10,000. No code box is needed: FTMO applies its own promos automatically.
- Pay by card, PayPal, Apple Pay, Google Pay, Skrill, Revolut Pay or crypto, and finish verification early so your first reward isn’t delayed.
For firms that do have codes, see our prop firm discount codes page, or browse the forex prop firms list and all prop firm comparisons.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is FTMO legit?
Yes. FTMO has operated since 2015 from the Czech Republic, publishes its rules for every program and pays rewards every 14 days by bank transfer, crypto or card payout.
Is FTMO worth it in 2026?
For traders who want a proven firm and a 2-Step with static drawdown, no consistency rule and a refundable fee, yes. If you mainly want the lowest price, firms with discount codes are cheaper.
How much does the FTMO Challenge cost?
The 2-Step costs €89 for $10,000 and €439 for $100,000 on FTMO’s current promo (normally €540). The cheapest FTMO account is the 1-Step $10,000 at €79.
Does FTMO refund the challenge fee?
Only on the 2-Step: the fee is refunded 100% with your first reward once you’re funded. The 1-Step and Instant fees are non-refundable.
Does FTMO have a consistency rule?
Not on the 2-Step. The 1-Step limits your best day to 50% of total profit, and Instant to 30% of total profit for rewards.
Is there an FTMO discount code?
No. FTMO doesn’t offer affiliate codes; it runs its own promos, currently 20% off the $100K 1-Step, applied automatically at checkout.
Start your FTMO Challenge
The 2-Step is our pick for first-time buyers: static drawdown, no consistency rule, and the fee back with your first reward.
I’ve traded the markets for more than 5 years, and I trade micro index futures (MNQ, MES and MYM) on prop firm accounts. I run InsidePropFirm to help beginners see exactly what they’re buying before they pay for a challenge: the real price after discounts, the rules that fail most traders, and how payouts actually work.
This article is for information and education only and is not financial advice. Trading futures, forex and CFDs carries a high risk of loss. InsidePropFirm may earn a commission when you buy through our links, at no extra cost to you.
