FTMO Review 2026: Is it Still the King of Prop Firms?

Entering 2026, FTMO has been the industry leader for over a decade. But the competition is fierce. With firms offering "Instant Funding" and "100% Profit Splits", is FTMO's strict 2-step model outdated?

I bought a fresh $100k Challenge in November 2025 to find out.

The 2026 Updates (What's New?)

FTMO didn't stay quiet. They recently rolled out:

1. Unlimited Time: No more 30-day stress. Take a year if you want.
2. FTMO Trader X: A new web-based terminal that rivals TradingView.
3. On-Demand Payouts: Once funded, you can withdraw any day after 14 days.

The Evaluation Rules

Step 1: The Challenge

• Goal: 10% Profit.
• Max Loss: 10% (Fixed from Initial Balance).
• Daily Loss: 5% (Resets at midnight CE(S)T).
• Time: Unlimited.

Step 2: Verification

• Goal: 5% Profit (Halved!).
• Rules: Same as Step 1.

My Trading Experience

I traded the Swing Account (highly recommended) because I hold trades overnight.

Spreads: During the NY Session, Gold spread was ~10 cents. USDJPY was 0.3 pips. This is ECN-grade pricing.

Slippage: I placed a market order during overlap.

• Price: 1.05430
• Fill: 1.05430
• Slippage: 0 pips.
• Note: Using Limit orders is always safer, but their execution engine is top-tier.

The Payout Process

This is where FTMO wins. I requested a withdrawal of $4,200 on a Tuesday morning.

• 10:00 AM: Request submitted.
• 2:00 PM: "Payout Approved" email.
• 2:15 PM: Funds in my Crypto Wallet (USDT).

4 Hours. That is why people pay the premium. Peace of mind.

Verdict

If you want the highest leverage or cheapest entry, go elsewhere. If you want to build a career and sleep well at night knowing you will get paid, FTMO is still the King.

Rating: 4.9/5