The ruleset
| Account sizes | $10k · $25k · $50k · $100k · $200k |
| Eval cost (mid tier) | $540 |
| Phases | Two-phase |
| Profit target | 10% (P1) / 5% (P2) |
| Max drawdown | Static · 10% |
| Daily loss limit | 5% |
| Consistency rule | None |
| Min trading days | 4 |
| Max days | Unlimited |
| Profit split (funded) | 80% |
| Payout buffer | 1% |
| Min profitable days (funded) | 4 |
| Trailing on funded | No |
| Payout frequency | Every 14 days |
Simulated results
Three trader profiles, thousands of evaluations each against FTMO's exact rules. Pass is the eval only, payout is conditional on passing, joint withdrawal is end-to-end, P&L is expected value over 50 attempts. Run the full simulation on your own trades for your real pass probability, risk of ruin and full journal statistics.
Why traders fail this challenge
Balanced-archetype failure breakdown — what actually ends a FTMO run.
Rules explained
How FTMO's drawdown works
FTMO uses a static drawdown of 10% of the starting balance. Static drawdown is the friendliest structure — the floor doesn't move as you profit. See trailing drawdown explained for the full mechanics.
How the daily loss limit is calculated
FTMO caps intraday drawdown at 5% of the account. It's evaluated end-of-day on realised P&L, and a single losing session over the cap ends the challenge — not just the day.
Consistency rule
FTMO has no consistency rule on the standard evaluation. See the consistency rule explained for the full mechanics and how it changes your real pass rate.
FTMO payouts: how withdrawals actually work
FTMO pays 80% of funded-account profit to the trader, on a cycle of every 14 days. Before the first withdrawal you must be at least 1% above the starting balance, across a minimum of 4 profitable trading days. The trailing drawdown does not carry over to the funded account, which materially improves the odds of surviving long enough to withdraw.
The split is the number every firm advertises and the least useful one, because it only applies to the runs that reach a payout at all. The drawdown structure decides that, not the split. See why most funded traders never get paid for the full breakdown.
Is FTMO legit?
Yes, in the sense that matters legally: FTMO publishes its ruleset, operates a defined 80% profit split and runs a real payout cycle every 14 days. We have no affiliate relationship with the firm, so we have no incentive to say otherwise.
The more useful question is whether the offer is favourable, and that is a maths question rather than a trust question. FTMO charges $540 for the mid-tier evaluation and requires a 10% profit target against a static drawdown of 10%, with a 5% daily loss limit on top. Against those rules, a balanced trader profile passes 20.3% of the time and reaches a withdrawal on 11.0% of runs. Over 50 attempts, expected value works out to -$19.3k.
That is the honest frame: the firm is not deceiving anyone, but the business model is built on most evaluations failing, and the rules are priced accordingly. A firm is a bad deal when the rules make the target unreachable for your style — not when it is a scam. Our full analysis of whether prop firms are a scam covers the industry-wide picture.
Is FTMO worth it?
FTMO is the reference standard in forex prop — two phases, static drawdown, and the most consistent payout track record in the industry. The two-phase structure lowers raw pass rates, but funded traders who pass historically get paid. The 'default' choice; not the cheapest, not the most generous, but the most reliable.
Frequently asked
What is FTMO's trailing drawdown?+
FTMO uses a static drawdown of 10% of the starting balance. This is the single biggest driver of long-run pass rate for most traders.
What win rate do you need to pass FTMO?+
Not a fixed number. Our simulator runs three archetypes against FTMO's exact rules: the balanced 50%-win-rate trader passes 20.3% of the time; the scalper archetype and swing archetype produce meaningfully different numbers on the firm page above. Passing is a function of edge, variance, and how the ruleset punishes lumpy P&L — not win rate in isolation.
How much does FTMO cost long-term?+
The mid-tier FTMO evaluation is $540. Over 50 attempted challenges, our balanced-archetype simulation nets -$19.3k — that's eval fees paid on failures netted against payouts collected on the joint 11.0% of runs that reach a withdrawal.
Does FTMO have a consistency rule?+
No consistency rule on the evaluation. Verify current terms — firms add and remove these rules regularly.
Is FTMO worth it in 2026?+
FTMO is the reference standard in forex prop — two phases, static drawdown, and the most consistent payout track record in the industry. The two-phase structure lowers raw pass rates, but funded traders who pass historically get paid. The 'default' choice; not the cheapest, not the most generous, but the most reliable.
Is FTMO legit?+
FTMO is a real evaluation provider with published rules and a 80% profit split, paying out every 14 days. The honest answer isn't "scam or not" — it's that the business model is designed around most traders failing. Our simulation puts the end-to-end odds of passing and reaching a withdrawal at 11.0% for a balanced trader. That's a low number, but it's disclosed in the ruleset rather than hidden.
How long do FTMO payouts take?+
FTMO runs a payout cycle every 14 days, and you need at least 4 profitable trading days before the first request, plus a 1% profit buffer above the starting balance. The gating factor is almost never processing time — it's reaching the buffer at all.
What is FTMO's profit split?+
80% to the trader on funded accounts. Profit split is the most advertised number in prop trading and the least important one — the split only applies to the minority of runs that reach a payout at all, so the drawdown structure that decides whether you get there matters far more.
Run YOUR numbers against FTMO's ruleset
The archetypes above are examples. Feed your own win rate, average win/loss and trades per day into the simulator to see your real pass and payout probability at FTMO.
Run my simulationFTMO drawdown by account size
FTMO head to head
Compare forex firms
Based on publicly listed rules as of 2026-07-15. Independent — not affiliated with FTMO. Rules change; verify with the firm before paying. Simulations are estimates based on a barrier-crossing model of daily P&L, not guarantees.