FTMO: our opinion on prop firm, the market leader in 2025

Would you like to trade the financial markets with a large amount of capital without risking your own money? FTMO is the global reference for prop firms, with over 400,000 registered traders. But is this reputation justified? Between entry fees, risk management rules and promises of split profits of up to 90%, we have analysed this Czech company as we would a forex broker or CFD trading platform. Here is our detailed and transparent opinion of FTMO in 2025.

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The FTMO assessment process explained step by step

There are three distinct phases to becoming an FTMO trader, each with its own objectives and rules. Understanding this process is essential before you take the plunge.

Stage 1 – The FTMO Challenge: 10% profit target

• Main objective: to make 10% profit on the initial capital.
  Example: an account worth €100,000 requires €10,000 of profit to succeed in this phase.
• Total flexibility: no time limit, you can trade using scalping, swing trading or algorithmic trading with an expert advisor.
• Two essential risk rules:
  • Do not exceed 5% loss in any one day.
  • Do not exceed 10% in total losses since the start.

These rules ensure discipline and risk management, essential qualities for professional traders.

For more details, see our guide : prop firm challenges: stages, rules and strategies.

Step 2 – Verification: confirm your consistency with 5% profit

• Main objective: to achieve a 5% return on your initial capital.
  Example: on a €100,000 account, you need to make a profit of €5,000.
• The aim of this phase is to prove that your results are sustainable and not the result of chance or excessive risk-taking.
• Risk rules unchanged:
  • Maximum 5% loss in a single day.
  • Maximum 10% total loss since inception.
• There’s no time limit: you progress at your own pace, under the same conditions as the challenge.

This stage validates your regularity and confirms that you are ready to manage a financed account over the long term.

Step 3 – The Financed Account: becoming an official FTMO Trader

• Total freedom: no more profit targets to meet, you trade at your own pace.
• The only constraint: respect the drawdown rules (5% daily, 10% total).

Your earnings

• You keep up to 90% of the profits generated.
• The split starts at 80% and increases with your seniority.
• Withdrawals possible every 14 days, generally paid within 24 to 48 hours (Skrill, Revolut, bank transfer).

Advantages for the best

• Access to the Premium Programme with Prime and Elite status.
• Additional benefits: improved profit split and priority customer support.

This stage gives concrete expression to the objective: trade with financed capital, benefit from your performance and move towards premium conditions.

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FTMO offers: available capital and 2025 rates

FTMO offers five different account sizes to suit every trader’s profile and budget. The choice of initial capital determines the price of the challenge and the potential for future gains.

5 account sizes: from €10,000 to €200,000

Here are the full details of FTMO offers in 2025:

• 10,000 account: €155 Challenge
• 20,000 account: €250 Challenge
• 40,000 account: €345 Challenge
• 80,000 account: €540 Challenge
• 160,000 account: Challenge at €1,080

These rates may seem high, but the fees are refunded on the first withdrawal by FTMO. In other words, if you pass both evaluation phases and make a payment, the initial fee is refunded. You can also get a cheap prop firm account using a promotional code like those offered by OptiBot Trading.

The scaling plan is one of FTMO’s strong points: once you have demonstrated your skills, you can gradually increase the size of your account until you reach $2 million under management. This scalability allows successful traders to significantly increase their income over time.

Normal Account vs Swing Account: what’s the difference?

FTMO offers two types of account to suit different trading styles:

The Normal Account operates with a leverage of 1:100 and is suitable for day traders who close their positions before the end of the day. Standard rules apply: you cannot hold open positions over the weekend.

The Swing Account uses a reduced leverage of 1:30 but offers crucial flexibility: you can hold your positions overnight and even over the weekend. This option is ideal for swing traders whose strategies require several days’ holding. The profit targets and drawdown rules remain the same.

This distinction allows each trader to choose the environment that corresponds to their method, without being forced to adapt their style to the requirements of the prop firm.

Aggressive account: for experienced traders

Available only on the €100,000 account, the Aggressive Account is aimed at experienced traders looking for more ambitious profit targets. The parameters have been adjusted: the challenge profit target has been raised to 20% (from 10%), and the maximum authorised loss has also been increased.

This format is suitable for traders who already have significant experience and a proven strategy capable of generating superior performance. For beginners, we recommend starting with a small Normal account. In fact, if you’re just starting out in the world of prop firms, our guide to trading with a small amount of capital will give you the essential basics.

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FTMO trading rules

FTMO imposes strict risk management rules throughout the evaluation process and even once you become an FTMO Trader. These constraints, far from being obstacles, train you in an indispensable professional discipline.

Maximum daily loss: the 5% rule

The Maximum Daily Loss (MDL) limits your losses to 5% of your initial balance in a single day. Please note: this calculation is based on equity (capital + floating gains/losses), not just closed positions.

A concrete example: on a €100,000 account, if your equity falls to €95,000 at any point during the day, you are in breach of the rule even if you end the day with fewer losses after closing certain positions. This rule protects you against impulsive behaviour and hasty attempts to recover after a loss.

The day counter resets every day at midnight (FTMO server time), giving you a fresh start every day.

Maximum total loss: do not go below 10%.

The maximum overall loss authorised since the start of the challenge or audit is set at 10% of the initial capital. Unlike some prop firms that use a trailing drawdown (a loss threshold that rises with your winnings), FTMO keeps this threshold fixed.

This approach considerably simplifies risk management: you know exactly where your absolute limit is without having to constantly recalculate as your balance changes. On a €100,000 account, your equity must never fall below €90,000, whether or not you have gained €5,000 in the meantime.

Challenge duration and minimum trading period

Although no maximum duration is imposed, FTMO requires a minimum of 4 trading days during the challenge and 4 days during the verification to validate each phase. A trading day is counted as soon as at least one position is opened.

This rule prevents traders from reaching their target in one or two days by taking massive risks and then sitting back. FTMO looks for traders capable of consistent performance, not isolated lucky breaks.

FTMO authorises the use of trading robots under certain conditions. However, there are a number of prohibitions concerning arbitrage strategies or the exploitation of latencies. We explain these restrictions in detail in our article Trading EA and prop firm: mistakes to avoid.

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The tangible benefits that make FTMO so strong

In addition to its reputation, FTMO offers a number of advantages that explain its success with traders around the world.

Profit split of up to 90% and reimbursement of expenses

The profit split starts at 80% in your favour on your first withdrawal, then rises to 90% once you have demonstrated your regularity. Compared with other prop firms offering splits of 50-70%, this is a considerable advantage over the long term.

Add to that the full refund of the challenge fee on your first payment, and you can see why FTMO is attractive. On a €100,000 account charged at €540, these fees are refunded to you on your first successful withdrawal. You can also benefit from discounts thanks to our prop firm promo codes: discounts and vouchers.

Withdrawals are processed quickly (24-48 hours on average), with several methods available: Skrill, Revolut and SEPA transfers. This speed and diversity are reassuring proof of the company’s legitimacy and commitment to its traders.

Scaling plan: grow your account to $2 million

The account upgrade system is one of FTMO’s major attractions. Once you have met certain performance and regularity criteria over several cycles, you can gradually increase the size of your account.

In practical terms, a trader who starts out with a €10,000 account can, as his success grows, move up to accounts of €25,000, €50,000, then €100,000 and finally up to €200,000. Elite traders can even combine several accounts to manage up to $2 million.

This progression rewards consistency and opens up impressive income prospects. Imagine keeping 90% of the profits in a €400,000 account (two accounts of 200k merged): the potential monthly gains far exceed what an independent trader could hope for with his limited personal capital.

Teaching tools and free Free Trial account

FTMO doesn’t just offer an assessment process: the company invests heavily in the training of its traders. The FTMO Academy offers free courses, webinars, market analysis and case studies of successful traders.

The Free Trial account allows you to test the FTMO environment without any financial commitment. You trade on a demo account with the same rules as a real challenge, which allows you to assess whether you are ready before investing in the paid challenge.

This educational approach sets FTMO apart from purely commercial prop firms. The personal dashboard displays your detailed statistics, strengths and areas for improvement, helping you to develop as a trader. This educational dimension fits in perfectly with the philosophy of OptiBot Trading, which also offers resources to help you progress, in particular via its CAC40 trading robot, which offers higher returns than the market average.

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Limits to be aware of before taking the plunge

Despite its many advantages, FTMO has a number of disadvantages that you should consider objectively before committing yourself.

The cost of entry: from €155 to €1,080 depending on the capital

The initial investment can be a hindrance, particularly for beginner traders with limited budgets. Even if these costs are reimbursed if you are successful, you have to pay them upfront, with no guarantee that you will get them back.

Statistically, the majority of participants fail the challenge, which means that FTMO generates a significant proportion of its turnover from these unreimbursed fees. This economic reality, although transparent, should make you think twice before trying again and again.

For beginner traders on a tight budget, there are alternatives such as SabioTrade, the best prop firm for beginners or even free prop firm challenges. These options allow you to test yourself without any prior financial investment.

Strict rules: a disguised advantage for your discipline

The daily and total drawdown constraints may frustrate some traders who are used to total freedom. Nevertheless, these rules are more of a protection than a limitation.

They force you to adopt a professional trading discipline, manage your risk rigorously and control your emotions. Traders who fail are often those who break these rules out of impatience or lack of rigour, not because of a lack of technical skill.

In reality, these constraints are a preparation for real trading with institutional capital. No investment fund would tolerate daily losses of 20% or erratic approaches. FTMO trains you to professional standards, which represents added value for your trading career.

Realistic success rate for the challenge

FTMO does not officially disclose its success statistics, but industry estimates put the rate of complete validation (challenge + verification) at between 10% and 15%. In other words, around 85-90% of participants do not pass both stages.

This should not discourage you, but rather encourage you to prepare yourself. Use the Free Trial account, test your strategy in real conditions, master the trader’s psychology and only invest in the paid challenge when you feel really ready.

Successful traders are generally those who see FTMO as an opportunity to train and validate their skills, not as a quick way to make money.

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FTMO and the competition: how is it positioned?

The market for prop firms has grown considerably in recent years. How does FTMO stand out from the alternatives?

FTMO’s advantages over the competition :

• Solid reputation and seniority since 2015
• Proof of regular, verifiable payments
• Scaling plan to reach $2 million
• Responsive, multilingual customer support
• Free, comprehensive educational resources

Some competitors do better:

• Entry fee: Firms such as WeGetFunded sometimes offer slightly lower rates.
• Instant funding: unlike non-challenging prop firms, FTMO requires a minimum evaluation process of several weeks.
• Leverage: FTMO’s 1:100 leverage is standard, with some prop firms offering up to 1:200 for experienced traders.

For beginners, FTMO is an excellent choice thanks to its stability and reliability. For an experienced trader looking for immediate capital without evaluation, other options exist.

The key question remains: do prop firms really pay? As far as FTMO is concerned, the answer is clearly yes. Thousands of verifiable testimonials and screenshots of payments circulate on social networks and specialist forums. The company has built its reputation on this reliability, which is a guarantee of security for newcomers.

Who is FTMO ideal for?

After this in-depth analysis, here is our recommendation for each trader profile.

FTMO is ideal if you :

• Already have a clear trading plan and a proven, profitable trading strategy
• Look for an established, reliable prop firm with a payment history
• Investors looking for a regulated and transparent environment in which to trade forex or CFDs.
• Agree to invest financially in your professional development
• Promote teaching resources and support
• Aim for long-term growth with an ambitious scaling plan
• Master risk management (using a stop loss and financial market volatility), emotional discipline, technical analysis and fundamental analysis.

FTMO is less recommended if you :

• Start trading completely (focus on training first)
• Have a very limited budget (explore free challenges)
• Look for immediate access to capital without a valuation (consider instant funding)
• Tend to break money management rules on a regular basis
• Look for very high leverage (1:200 and more)

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In conclusion, FTMO richly deserves its position as the world’s leading prop firm. Unlike some unreliable trading sites or unregulated brokers, this company combines transparency, speed of payment and solid educational tools. The cost of entry is justified by the quality of the ecosystem and the opportunity to manage substantial capital.

Whether you’re a new trader or an experienced trader looking for capital, FTMO is a credible alternative to the best regulated forex brokers. If you’re still unsure, start with the free Free Trial account (a real-life demo account) to see how you measure up without any financial risk. Make sure your strategy is profitable in real market conditions before investing. Once you’re confident in your abilities, use a promo code to reduce the cost of the challenge and embark on an adventure that could transform your trading career.

At OptiBot Trading, we accompany traders on their journey, whether via our automated trading robot on the CAC40 or via our analyses of the best prop firms on the market. FTMO is one of our top recommendations for serious and disciplined traders looking for a long-term solution. To explore Funded trading accounts: a solution for professional traders, FTMO provides a solid and reassuring starting point.

To find out more:

• Discover the 3 best prop firms for traders to compare FTMO with alternatives
• Master your preparation with our winning plan for a successful prop firm challenge
• Prop firm: what is it and how does it work?