Explore FTMO's trading evaluation process, account options, and strategies to enhance your chances of success in 2025.
FTMO is a prop-trading firm that funds traders with up to $200,000 in demo capital, letting them keep up to 90% of profits after passing a two-phase evaluation: Challenge and Verification. Here’s what you need to know to pass and succeed:
Key Highlights:
- Account Sizes: Choose from $10 000 to $200 000 accounts.
- Profit Sharing: Earn up to 90 % of profits.
- Risk Plans:
- Standard: 10 % profit target, 5 % daily loss cap, 10 % overall loss limit.
- Aggressive: Higher profit targets and loss limits, but capped at $200 000 combined capital.
- Evaluation Fees: Start at $183 for Standard and $295 for Aggressive accounts (refundable upon success).
- Unlimited Time: No time limit to reach profit targets during the Challenge phase.
Quick Comparison:
| Feature | Standard Plan | Aggressive Plan |
|---|---|---|
| Profit Target | 10 % | Higher than 10 % |
| Daily Loss Limit | 5 % | Higher than 5 % |
| Overall Loss Limit | 10 % | Higher than 10 % |
| Max Combined Capital | $400 000 | $200 000 |
| Fees (starting at) | $183 | $295 |
Tips to Pass FTMO:
- Risk Management: Risk only 1–1.5 % per trade to avoid breaching loss limits.
- Trading Plan: Stick to a clear strategy with defined entry/exit points and risk-reward ratios.
- Emotional Discipline: Stay calm, avoid overtrading, and accept losses as part of the process.
- Tools: Use LuxAlgo’s AI Backtesting Assistant and TradingView toolkits for systematic technical analysis.
FTMO’s flexibility and refund policy make it a great option for disciplined traders. Focus on consistency, patience, and sound risk management to secure funding in 2025.
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FTMO Account Sizes and Fees
FTMO offers five account sizes from $10 000 to $200 000, each requiring an upfront fee for the Challenge phase. These accounts are split into two risk plans: Standard and Aggressive.
For Standard accounts, the entry-level $10 000 account costs $183 (converted from €155) with a 10 % profit target. Aggressive accounts start at $295 for the same size, offering an 8 % profit target but higher loss limits. The greater risk tolerance explains the higher fees.
FTMO is currently running a promotion, reducing the $10 000 Challenge to $105 (converted from €89) [1].
Traders on Standard accounts can scale combined FTMO accounts up to $400 000, while Aggressive accounts are capped at $200 000 due to higher loss limits [5].
Fee breakdown:
| Account Size | Standard Fee | Aggressive Fee |
|---|---|---|
| $10 000 | $183 | $295 |
| $25 000 | $295 | $407 |
| $50 000 | $407 | $637 |
| $100 000 | $637 | $1 274 |
| $200 000 | $1 274 | Not Available |
FTMO supports USD, GBP, EUR, CZK, CAD, AUD, and CHF. All fees are refundable after successfully completing both Challenge and Verification [4].
FTMO Plans: Pros and Cons Comparison
FTMO provides two distinct risk plans to suit different trading styles:
Standard plan – 10 % profit target, 5 % daily loss cap, 10 % overall loss limit.
Aggressive plan – profit target above 10 %, higher loss limits, and reduced maximum combined capital of $200 000.
A key feature of both plans is the unlimited timeframe to hit the Challenge profit target [2][3].
| Feature | Standard Plan | Aggressive Plan |
|---|---|---|
| Profit Target (Challenge) | 10 % | Higher than 10 % |
| Daily Loss Limit | 5 % of initial balance | Higher than 5 % |
| Overall Loss Limit | 10 % of initial balance | Higher than 10 % |
| Trading Period | Unlimited | Unlimited |
| Minimum Trading Days | 4 days | 4 days |
| Fee Refund Policy | Refunded with first payout | Refunded with first payout |
| Maximum Combined Capital | Up to $400 000 | Up to $200 000 |
The Standard plan offers balanced growth and disciplined drawdown limits, making it ideal for steady progression [2]. The Aggressive plan suits traders comfortable with higher risk for potentially faster gains. Both plans include Performance Coaching Sessions and access to the Premium Programme (Prime and Supreme tiers) [1][6].
Traders in either plan can earn up to 90 % of simulated profits [1], provided they employ disciplined risk management strategies.
How to Pass FTMO Challenges
Passing an FTMO challenge isn’t just about profitable trades – it’s about discipline, risk control, and psychological resilience. Success hinges on sticking to your strategy and managing emotions under pressure.
Risk Management: The Cornerstone
FTMO recommends risking no more than 1–1.5 % per trade [8]. For example, a trader risking 10 % per trade could suffer a 60 % drawdown even with a 60 % win rate [7].
Calculate position size carefully: on a $100 000 account, risking 1 % means limiting a single trade’s loss to $1 000. With a 50-pip stop-loss, adjust lot size so losses never exceed that $1 000.
Building a Reliable Trading Plan
A robust plan covers entry/exit criteria and risk-reward targets [11]. Many FTMO traders apply a 1:3 risk-reward ratio, though 1:2 can still be profitable [10].
Example: One trader focusing on GBPUSD hit a $500 target in three days with an average reward-risk ratio of 3.01 and Profit Factor 4.01 [10].
Mastering Emotional Discipline
"Discipline and emotional control are crucial. A solid strategy helps, but the ability to stay calm under pressure, stick to the plan, and manage risk effectively is what makes a trader successful in the long run." – Trader Carlota [12]
Accept losses as part of the process, resist the urge to increase size after setbacks, and maintain routines such as journaling and regular breaks.
Executing with Precision
Diversify risk across multiple trades and set stop-loss orders at 1–2 % risk, anchored to technical analysis [9]. Combine currency-strength tools with indicators like Fibonacci retracements and moving averages.
Avoiding Common Pitfalls
"One must be incredibly disciplined and faithful to their trade plan. Deviations are what cost us funds, accounts, and challenges." – Trader Katlego Asher [12]
Overtrading and treating the Challenge differently from a funded account are common errors. Approach evaluation as if trading your own capital.
The Long Game
With unlimited time to reach targets, focus on high-quality setups. Patience and discipline outperform rushed trading, especially when combined with advanced analysis tools.
Using LuxAlgo AI for FTMO Success
LuxAlgo provides an AI Backtesting platform and exclusive toolkits on TradingView that enable systematic, rule-based trading – exactly what FTMO challenges require.
AI-Powered Strategy Development
The AI Backtesting Assistant supports 93 assets and over 6 million strategies, covering stocks, ETFs, Forex, crypto, commodities, and futures (expanded April 2025). Backtesting against historical data reduces trial-and-error on Challenge accounts.
Customizable Toolkits for Rule-Based Trading
- Price Action Concepts (PAC): Detects order blocks, liquidity zones, and imbalances. The Custom Alert Creator triggers multi-condition alerts.
- Signals & Overlays: Provides Confirmation and Contrarian signals, with an ML classifier filtering weak setups.
- Oscillator Matrix: Tracks divergences and money flow, using Smart Money Flow and HyperWave signals.
Building Confidence Through Data
"Using the LuxAlgo indicators doing a top-down analysis from the daily and weekly chart … helps me get into the trend at the right times, catching pullbacks to very accurate S/R zones." – Damion Powell [13]
Flexibility Across Trading Styles
Whether scalping, day-trading, or swing-trading, LuxAlgo’s indicators adapt. FTMO doesn’t mandate a single style, so this flexibility is advantageous.
Community Support and Continuous Learning
A 150 000-member Discord community plus detailed tutorials provide ongoing education and support.
Practical Implementation for FTMO
The Premium plan ($39.99 / month) grants full indicator access; the Ultimate plan ($59.99 / month) adds the AI Backtesting platform. A 30-day money-back guarantee lets traders explore risk-free.
Conclusion
FTMO’s Standard and Aggressive accounts serve different risk profiles. Success hinges on discipline, a solid strategy, and advanced tools. LuxAlgo’s toolkits and AI Backtesting platform empower traders to meet FTMO’s systematic trading standards and refine strategies through historical testing.
"Discipline helps traders improve emotional stability and conversely, when one is emotionally stable, one is more likely to be disciplined when opening and managing positions." – FTMO Traders Q&A [12]
For FTMO challenges in 2025, pairing disciplined trading practices with LuxAlgo’s data-driven tools can help traders confidently navigate evaluations and secure funding.
FAQs
What’s the difference between FTMO’s Standard and Aggressive plans, and how do I choose the best one for my trading style?
The main difference is account size and risk levels. The Standard plan offers accounts up to $200 000 with moderate risk limits, favoring steady progress. The Aggressive plan allows accounts up to $400 000 and doubles the risk limits, suiting traders comfortable with higher risk for quicker gains. Choose based on your risk tolerance and trading style.
What is FTMO’s fee refund policy, and how can I qualify for a refund?
FTMO refunds the entire Challenge fee after you pass both evaluation phases and receive your first profit payout. Complete both the Challenge and Verification profitably and meet all criteria to qualify.
What are the best strategies and tools to manage risk and stay disciplined during the FTMO Challenge and Verification phases?
Set clear risk limits (e.g., max 2 % per trade), craft a detailed trading plan, and use mindfulness techniques such as deep breathing or journaling to stay level-headed. Track emotional triggers, maintain self-awareness, and stick to your plan.
