Affiliate Disclosure: FinInsigh may receive compensation if you sign up with FTMO through the links on this page. This does not increase your cost. Our editorial content and assessment are intended to remain independent. Read our full disclosure.

Note on category: FTMO is a proprietary trading (“prop firm”) evaluation company, not a broker. It doesn't accept client deposits or hold your capital in a live market account — you pay a one-time evaluation fee to trade a simulated account, and if you pass, you trade the firm's own capital and keep a share of simulated profits. Several sections below (like “Regulation”) are framed differently from our broker reviews to reflect this.
Quick Summary
Company
FTMO s.r.o.
Category
Proprietary trading evaluation firm (not a broker)
Founded
2015 · headquartered in Prague, Czech Republic
Model
Paid evaluation ("Challenge" + "Verification," or one-step option) → funded simulated account → profit share
Account Sizes
Up to $200,000 in simulated capital (source: FTMO)
Profit Split
Up to 90% of simulated profits, with a scaling plan for consistent performers (source: FTMO)
Evaluation Fees
Reported roughly $79–$999 depending on account size — not independently verified; confirm current pricing on the official site
Regulation
Not applicable in the broker sense — FTMO does not hold client trading capital, so it isn't licensed as a broker/dealer

Platform Overview

FTMO is a proprietary trading firm founded in 2015 and headquartered in Prague, Czech Republic. It's one of the most widely recognized names in the "prop firm" category — companies that let traders demonstrate skill on an evaluation account and, if they pass, trade the firm's own capital for a share of the profits. FTMO is frequently cited as one of the more established and credible operators in this space, with independently tracked payout totals reported in the hundreds of millions of dollars that closely match the company's own published figures — a genuinely positive transparency signal relative to newer, less-verified firms in the same category.

Key Features

FTMO's core offering is its evaluation process (commonly a two-step "Challenge" and "Verification," with a one-step option also available), account sizes up to a reported $200,000 in simulated capital, a profit split reaching up to 90%, and an automatic scaling plan that increases account size for traders who stay consistently profitable over time. As of 2026, independent sources report FTMO tightened its rule enforcement, with some minor rule violations that previously drew warnings now resulting in immediate account termination — read the current rulebook carefully before starting.

Available Markets

FTMO's core product covers forex and CFDs, with a separate "FTMO Futures" offering for futures traders. Exact instrument availability depends on the specific account/platform combination — confirm current details on the official site.

Trading Platform / Product Experience

Like most independent prop firms, FTMO operates on white-labeled versions of established platforms (such as MetaTrader) rather than a fully proprietary trading engine. FinInsigh has not conducted first-hand evaluation testing. Independent reviews generally describe the evaluation experience as rules-heavy — passing consistently is reported to depend more on strict risk and drawdown discipline than on any single strategy.

Fees & Costs

FTMO charges a one-time, upfront evaluation fee rather than a traditional trading spread/commission model — reported to range roughly from $79 (smaller accounts) up to around $999 (largest accounts) as of recent independent reporting. FinInsigh has not independently verified current pricing; some independent sources note certain fee structures may be refunded on a trader's first successful payout. Confirm exact, current pricing and refund terms directly on FTMO's official site.

Account Types

FTMO offers evaluation accounts at multiple simulated capital tiers up to a reported $200,000, with both a traditional two-step evaluation path and a one-step option for traders who want a faster (though typically stricter) route to funding. Specific rules — profit targets, maximum daily loss, maximum overall drawdown — vary by account type and should be read in full before purchasing an evaluation.

Deposits & Withdrawals

Because FTMO doesn't hold client trading capital, there's no "deposit" in the traditional broker sense — you pay the evaluation fee, and once funded, you receive payouts representing your share of simulated profits. Independent sources describe FTMO's payout process as generally reliable, consistent with its long operating history, though — as with any prop firm — payouts remain contingent on staying within the program's trading rules.

Security & Regulation

FTMO is not regulated by a financial authority, and independent, credible sources are consistent on this point — some lower-quality pages online incorrectly claim FTMO holds licenses like the FCA, ASIC, or CySEC, but this is not supported by the more reliable sources FinInsigh reviewed and should be disregarded. Importantly, this is expected and normal for the prop-firm business model: because FTMO doesn't accept client deposits or hold your capital in a live brokerage account, it isn't required to hold the type of financial license a broker would need. Your evaluation fee is a payment for a product (access to the evaluation and, if you pass, a funded simulated account), not custodied client funds.

The more relevant trust question for a prop firm isn't "is it regulated" but "does it reliably pay traders who pass." On that measure, FTMO's long track record and closely-matching self-reported/independently-tracked payout figures are meaningful positive signals — though they don't eliminate the underlying risk that most traders never pass the evaluation, and that rule enforcement (especially after 2026's stricter changes) has real teeth.

Customer Support

Independent reviews generally describe FTMO's support as responsive for account and rules questions. FinInsigh has not tested this directly.

Educational Resources

FTMO provides rules documentation and some trading-related content, though its main value proposition is the evaluation/funding model itself rather than broad trader education. Pair any firm-provided material with independent education — see our own Learn hub for broker-neutral guides on risk management and trading discipline, both directly relevant to passing rules-based evaluations.

Mobile Experience

Since FTMO runs on white-labeled versions of established platforms like MetaTrader, standard MetaTrader mobile apps are generally usable for monitoring and trading FTMO evaluation and funded accounts.

Pros & Cons

Pros
  • One of the longest-established, most-recognized firms in the prop trading category (since 2015)
  • Independently tracked payout totals closely match FTMO's own published figures — a genuine transparency signal
  • Profit split up to a reported 90%, with an automatic scaling plan for consistent performers
  • Account sizes up to a reported $200,000 in simulated capital
  • One-time evaluation fee model, no ongoing broker-style spreads/commissions on the funded account
Cons
  • Not regulated — expected for this business model, but means none of the investor-protection frameworks that apply to brokers apply here
  • Reported high evaluation failure rates — most traders who buy a challenge do not pass it
  • Rule enforcement tightened in 2026; some minor violations now cause immediate termination rather than a warning
  • Two-step evaluation is reportedly slower to funding than some newer competitors' one-step models
  • Historically limited direct access for US-based traders (recent OANDA partnership reported to extend availability, not independently verified by FinInsigh)
  • Evaluation fees are generally non-refundable if you fail the challenge (confirm current policy directly)

Who Is This Platform Best For?

Traders who already have a disciplined, rules-based strategy and want to trade larger simulated capital than they could fund themselves — in exchange for a share of profits and strict drawdown rules — are the natural fit for FTMO. Its long track record makes it a reasonable starting point for traders comparing established prop firms.

Who May Want to Consider Alternatives?

Traders who want the fastest possible path to a funded account (one-step, less strict rules), who are US-based and want a firm built specifically around US availability, or who are not confident in a consistent, rules-compliant strategy yet may want to build more experience — or compare other prop firms — before purchasing an evaluation here.

Alternatives

Final Verdict

FTMO is among the most established and, by independent tracking, most transparent firms in the prop trading category — its long operating history and closely-matching self-reported and independently-tracked payout figures are genuine positives. But it's important to evaluate FTMO on prop-firm terms, not broker terms: there's no financial regulation to fall back on, evaluation failure rates are reportedly high, and 2026's stricter rule enforcement raises the bar further. If you're confident in a disciplined, rules-based strategy and understand you're paying for an attempt at funded capital rather than making a deposit, FTMO is a reasonable firm to evaluate. If you're newer to trading, spend more time building consistency on a demo account first — the evaluation fee is generally not refunded on a failed attempt.