Funded Trader Markets Rules: Drawdown, Consistency Rule, Leverage and News Trading
Review the documented rules, source notes, tools, and account checks recorded for Funded Trader Markets Rules: Drawdown, Consistency Rule, Leverage and News Trading.
Rules can change: The firm or platform controls the current wording. Confirm the linked source and your dashboard before you trade or request a payout.
Funded Trader Markets rules for every program on sale, checked October 11, 2026. Funded Trader Markets (FTM) sells five forex and CFD programs: the 1 Step Nitro evaluation, the 2 Step Plus evaluation, and three instant funding accounts (Instant Standard, Instant Pro and Instant Plus). Each has its own drawdown, consistency and profit-split rules, and one set of general trading rules sits on top of all of them: a 1-minute minimum hold, a partial-close rule, a 5-minute rule for trading the same pair on several accounts, and strict IP and household rules. This page sets out each rule from FTM’s own FAQ, checkout data and terms, with worked numbers and a consistency calculator.
Program and Stage Picker
Pick the FTM program and stage. The result shows the official rule values for it and the rule that most often trips traders up at that stage.
What can trip you up
Rows To Inspect First
These are the FTM rules most likely to cost a pass, a payout or an account. The labels explain why each is surfaced; they are not a verdict on the firm.
Open profit at 5 PM sets the floor
If equity is above balance at 5 PM EST, the next day’s floor is measured from equity. A winning trade held through the reset that then reverses can put the account under the floor at once.
The same pair on two accounts
Opening the same pair on a second account more than 5 minutes after the first, while the first is still open, makes the profit on every account involved ineligible. Only FTM’s own copier is exempt, and only when entries and exits are simultaneous.
Partial closes and overnight holds
Once you close part of a position, the rest must be closed the same trading day. A trade can only be held overnight while 100% of it is still open. Breaking this deducts the profit.
Funded Trader Markets Rule Checks
| Rule area | Official-source snapshot | What to verify + evidence |
|---|---|---|
| Daily drawdown 3% or 4% of initial | 4% of the initial balance on 1 Step Nitro (3% on the 300K size) and 2 Step Plus; 3% on Instant Standard, Pro and Plus. At 5 PM EST the higher of balance or equity becomes the base for the next day’s floor. | Either balance or equity touching the floor is a breach, and the account is closed. Open profit at 5 PM raises the floor. Source: FTM FAQ, 1 Step Nitro, 2 Step Plus and Instant Funding categories – checked October 11, 2026. Full source URLs |
| Overall drawdown trailing or static | 1 Step Nitro: 6% trailing from the highest recorded balance, fixed at the initial balance once the account is up 6%. 2 Step Plus: 10% static. Instant Standard: 5% trailing. Instant Pro: 3% trailing. Instant Plus: 6% trailing, fixed at the initial balance after +6%. | The trail follows closed balance highs, but a breach is checked against both balance and equity. Instant Standard and Pro have no published lock. Source: FTM program FAQs and checkout program data – checked October 11, 2026. Full source URLs |
| Consistency rule best-day share | 1 Step Nitro evaluation: no day above 50% of the profit target. Nitro funded: no day above 45% of total profit. All three instant accounts: 15%. 2 Step Plus: no consistency rule in evaluation or funded. | Exceeding the limit is not a breach; you keep trading until the best day falls under the limit. Days run 5 PM EST to 5 PM EST on closed balance. Source: FTM General Trading Rules FAQ (Q12) and program FAQs – checked October 11, 2026. Full source URL |
| Minimum trading days 5 days at 0.5% | No minimum in the Nitro evaluation; 3 days in each 2 Step Plus phase. Funded and instant accounts need 5 trading days with at least 0.5% profit each before a reward. | On a $100,000 account only days of $500 or more count. Losing or flat days do not reduce the count, but they do not add to it. Source: FTM General Trading Rules FAQ (Q05) – checked October 11, 2026. Full source URL |
| News trading allowed | “Yes, you are allowed to trade news in all our programs.” News scalping, rapidly opening and closing positions within seconds around high-impact releases such as FOMC, NFP or CPI, is prohibited. | No blackout window is published. The firm warns of wider spreads and slippage around news. Source: FTM General Trading Rules FAQ (Q09, Q14) – checked October 11, 2026. Full source URL |
| 1-minute minimum hold profit voided | On funded accounts, profit from any trade closed within 1 minute of opening is voided (no breach). In a challenge, if more than 20% of total profit comes from such trades, you must redo the challenge. | For 2 Step Plus the 20% is measured against the combined target: $2,600 on a $100,000 account. Source: FTM General Trading Rules FAQ (Q10) – checked October 11, 2026. Full source URL |
| Partial closes same-day close | Allowed, but not to influence the consistency score. Overnight holding is only allowed while 100% of the position is open; after any partial close the rest must close that trading day. Same-instrument positions opened within 15 minutes count as one position. | Violation: profit deducted. In a challenge, more than 20% of profit from violating trades means a redo. Source: FTM General Trading Rules FAQ (Q03) – checked October 11, 2026. Full source URL |
| Same pair across accounts 5-minute rule | Martingale and layering are allowed within one account. Across accounts, the same pair may only be opened within 5 minutes of the first entry, or after the first position is fully closed. The official FTM Trade Copier is exempt if entries and closes are simultaneous. | Profit on every account involved becomes ineligible. Delinking the copier and closing positions separately removes the exemption retroactively. Source: FTM General Trading Rules FAQ (Q04) – checked October 11, 2026. Full source URL |
| Hedging within one account only | Hedging inside one account is allowed. Opposite positions across accounts are banned: upgrade denial in a challenge, total reward rejection and termination on funded or instant accounts. Hedged positions may not be held overnight on funded or instant accounts. | An overnight hedge does not terminate the account, but its profit does not count toward the reward. Source: FTM General Trading Rules FAQ (Q06) – checked October 11, 2026. Full source URL |
| Overnight and weekend allowed | Holding trades overnight and over the weekend is allowed in all programs. Crypto can be traded at weekends on every platform. | The partial-close, overnight-hedge and gap-trading rules still apply to positions held through the rollover. Source: FTM General Trading Rules FAQ (Q08) and Trading Platforms FAQ (Q07) – checked October 11, 2026. Full source URL |
| Leverage 1:100 forex | Evaluations: 1:100 forex, 1:30 commodities, 1:5 BTC and ETH, 1:2 other crypto. Funded 5K to 100K: 1:100, 1:20, 1:5, 1:2. Nitro 200K/300K and 2 Step Plus 200K funded: 1:50, 1:10, 1:5, 1:2. | Leverage drops when an evaluation turns into a funded account, so recheck position sizes after passing. Source: FTM Account Rules FAQ (Q05) – checked October 11, 2026. Full source URL |
| Shield Risk Protocol 1% floating loss | On 2 Step Plus funded and Instant Plus accounts, floating loss may not exceed 1% of balance. Positions auto-close and the split drops: 50/50, then 40/60, 30/70, and a permanent 20/80. | Applies in the 2 Step Plus evaluation too if you take the $0 add-on for a 90% split; there a second violation fails the evaluation. Source: FTM 2 Step Plus and Instant Plus FAQs – checked October 11, 2026. Full source URLs |
| Scaling plan none published | FTM publishes no profit-based scaling plan. It publishes maximum allocations instead: $1,000,000 in total, $600,000 across evaluations and $400,000 across instant accounts. | Growing past one account means buying more accounts within the caps. Trading above a cap voids profits on every active account of that type. Source: FTM General FAQ (Q09) – checked October 11, 2026. Full source URL |
| IP and household termination risk | One trader per household and IP unless declared. No VPN or VPS for purchase, KYC or the dashboard. Purchase country must match KYC country. No US-origin IPs on MT5 or cTrader. | Violations can mean payout rejection, restriction or a ban without refund. Source: FTM General Trading Rules FAQ (Q09, Q13) – checked October 11, 2026. Full source URL |
| Inactivity 30 days | No activity for 30 consecutive calendar days lets FTM terminate the account in any phase. Exceptions may be granted if you give notice in advance. | Place at least one trade inside every 30-day window, or tell support before a planned break. Source: FTM Account Rules FAQ (Q06) – checked October 11, 2026. Full source URL |
Funded Trader Markets Rules by Program: Side-by-Side
These are the five programs in FTM’s checkout on October 11, 2026. A sixth, 1 Step Nitro X, still has a full FAQ category but is not in the checkout list or the program comparison matrix; it is covered separately below.
| Rule | 1 Step Nitro | 2 Step Plus | Instant Standard | Instant Pro | Instant Plus |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sizes in checkout | 5K to 300K | 5K to 200K | 5K to 100K | 5K to 100K | 5K to 100K |
| Profit target | 10% | 8% then 5% | None | None | None |
| Daily drawdown | 4% (3% on 300K) | 4% | 3% | 3% | 3% |
| Overall drawdown | 6% trailing, fixed at initial after +6% | 10% static | 5% trailing | 3% trailing | 6% trailing, fixed at initial after +6% |
| Minimum days | Evaluation none; funded 5 days of 0.5%+ | 3 per phase; funded 5 days of 0.5%+ | 5 days of 0.5%+ | 5 days of 0.5%+ | 5 days of 0.5%+ |
| Consistency | Evaluation 50% of target; funded 45% of profit | None | 15% | 15% | 15% |
| Floating loss limit | None | 1% (Shield) on funded; in evaluation with the 90% add-on | None | None | 1% (Shield) |
| Profit split | 90% on first $10,000, then 80% | 70%, or 90% with the $0 add-on | 50%, 60%, 70%, then 80% from the 4th reward | 50%, 60%, 70%, then 80% from the 4th reward | 80% while the Shield is kept |
| Withdrawals | Partial allowed; above $30,000 profit request at least 80% | On demand | Full withdrawal only; drawdown resets | Full withdrawal only; drawdown resets | Partial allowed |
| Max allocation | $300,000 | $300,000 | $200,000 | $100,000 | $100,000 |
| List price, $100K | $622 | $997.50 | $723 | $600 | $884 |
List prices are the undiscounted checkout prices on October 11, 2026. The site banner on that date advertised code OCT for up to 75% off 1-step, 75% off 2-step and up to 50% off instant accounts, with no expiry published. Activation and reset fees are not charged on any of the five programs according to the checkout data. Prices change often; see the Funded Trader Markets review for the full price table.
How the FTM Evaluations Work
An FTM evaluation starts when you buy it and place your first trade. There is no maximum time limit on either evaluation, so you can take as long as you need as long as the account stays active (see the 30-day inactivity rule below).
1 Step Nitro
- Reach a 10% profit target ($10,000 on a $100,000 account) in one phase.
- Stay above the 4% daily floor and the 6% trailing overall floor the whole time.
- Keep your best day at or under 50% of the profit target ($5,000 on $100,000). If one day goes above that, you keep trading until that day is under 50% of your total profit.
- No minimum days. After passing, complete KYC; the funded account stays read-only until KYC is done.
- On the funded account the consistency limit changes to 45% of total profit, and you need 5 days of at least 0.5% profit before a reward.
2 Step Plus
- Phase 1: reach 8% with at least 3 trading days. Phase 2: reach 5% with at least 3 trading days.
- Daily drawdown 4% and a static 10% overall floor ($90,000 on $100,000) in both phases.
- No consistency rule in either phase or on the funded account.
- Funded: the Shield Risk Protocol (1% floating loss) applies, and you need 5 days of at least 0.5% profit before a reward.
- If you took the free 90% split add-on, the Shield also applies during both evaluation phases. The first violation is a soft breach; the second fails the evaluation.
Instant Standard, Pro and Plus
There is no evaluation and no profit target. You trade a simulated funded account from day one with a 3% daily drawdown, a trailing overall drawdown, a 15% consistency rule and a 5-profitable-day minimum before each reward. The differences are the size of the trailing drawdown (5%, 3% or 6%), the starting split, and the Shield rule on Instant Plus.
Funded Trader Markets Daily Drawdown Rule
The daily drawdown is a fixed dollar amount, 3% or 4% of the initial balance, and does not grow with profit. What moves is the base it is subtracted from. Each day at 5 PM EST, FTM takes the higher of your balance and your equity and subtracts the daily amount to set the floor for the next day. If balance or equity touches that floor, the account is breached and closed.
| $100,000 1 Step Nitro (4%) | Balance at 5 PM EST | Equity at 5 PM EST | Next day’s floor |
|---|---|---|---|
| Day 1 start | $100,000 | $100,000 | $96,000 |
| End of day 1, open trade in a small loss | $104,000 | $103,000 | $104,000 − $4,000 = $100,000 |
| End of day 2, open trade in profit | $101,000 | $106,000 | $106,000 − $4,000 = $102,000 |
The third row is FTM’s own example and the most important line on this page. Equity of $106,000 at the reset sets a floor of $102,000, but the closed balance is only $101,000, which is already below it. FTM says that causes an immediate breach. Carrying a large open profit through 5 PM EST is therefore risky: if you keep the trade, the floor rises with it; if the trade gives back the open profit, the account can fail without a single new loss on the day.
On Instant Standard, Pro and Plus the same mechanism applies with 3%: on a $100,000 account the floor is $3,000 below the higher of balance and equity at 5 PM EST. The 300K 1 Step Nitro uses 3% ($9,000) instead of 4%.
Funded Trader Markets Overall Drawdown Rules
FTM uses three kinds of overall drawdown. The checkout data calls the instant versions “balance based”: the floor trails your highest recorded balance (closed trades), but the breach test is on both balance and equity.
| $100,000 account | Start floor | Floor after balance reaches $103,000 | Does it stop trailing? |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 Step Nitro, 6% trailing | $94,000 | $97,000 | Yes. Fixed at $100,000 once balance reaches $106,000 |
| 2 Step Plus, 10% static | $90,000 | $90,000 | Never trails |
| Instant Standard, 5% trailing | $95,000 | $98,000 | No lock published; resets to $95,000 after a full withdrawal |
| Instant Pro, 3% trailing | $97,000 | $100,000 | “Always trailing”; resets after a full withdrawal |
| Instant Plus, 6% trailing | $94,000 | $97,000 | Yes. Fixed at $100,000 once balance reaches $106,000 |
Instant Pro is the tightest account FTM sells: the overall drawdown (3%) is the same size as the daily drawdown. After a $3,000 run-up the floor sits at the starting balance, so any loss back into the original $100,000 ends the account.
How Withdrawals Move the Drawdown
A reward is taken out of the account balance, so it eats into your drawdown room. FTM publishes worked examples for 1 Step Nitro and Instant Plus, the two programs where the trailing drawdown locks at +6%:
- Below +6%: profit $4,000, highest balance $105,000, so the floor is $99,000. Withdraw all $4,000 and the balance returns to $100,000, leaving only $1,000 of room. Withdraw $2,000 instead and $3,000 of room is left.
- At +6% or more: the floor is fixed at $100,000. Withdraw the full $6,000 and the balance equals the floor, so the account is breached. Withdraw $4,000 and $2,000 of room is left.
- Large 1 Step Nitro rewards: once simulated profit is above $30,000, a partial request must be at least 80% of eligible profit before the split. On $30,000 profit the smallest request is $24,000.
Instant Standard and Instant Pro work the other way: partial withdrawals are not allowed. You withdraw all profit, and the overall drawdown resets to its starting level ($95,000 or $97,000 on $100,000).
Every reward request also requires all trades to be closed first.
Funded Trader Markets Consistency Rule
FTM’s consistency rule compares your best day with your total profit: best day % = best day profit ÷ overall profit × 100. A day is measured from balance at 5 PM EST to balance at 5 PM EST the next day, so only closed profit counts. Breaking the limit does not fail the account. It holds your pass or your reward until more trading brings the best day back under the limit.
| Program and stage | Limit | Fewest equal days to pass it | Worked example |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 Step Nitro evaluation | No day above 50% of the profit target | 2 | $10,000 account, $1,000 target: no day above $500. A $700 day means you need $1,400 total before you pass. |
| 1 Step Nitro funded | No day above 45% of total profit | 3 | $5,000 profit: best day $2,250 or less. A $3,000 best day needs $6,667 total. |
| Instant Standard, Pro, Plus | No day above 15% of total profit | 7 | $10,000 profit: best day $1,500 or less. A $2,400 best day needs $16,000 total. |
| 1 Step Nitro X funded (FAQ only) | No day above 25% of total profit | 4 | $4,000 profit: best day $1,000 or less. |
| 2 Step Plus | None | – | No best-day limit in evaluation or funded. |
The 15% instant rule is a tight payout gate: even with perfectly equal days you need at least seven profitable days, and one big day pushes the target out a long way. Plan instant-account trading as many small, even days rather than one large one. FTM also says partial closes “must not be used solely to influence the consistency score”, and profit from overnight hedges kept only to meet the consistency score does not count.
Funded Trader Markets consistency calculator
Enter your daily closed results (5 PM to 5 PM EST), separated by commas. For the Nitro evaluation, also enter the account size so the profit target is used.
The calculator applies FTM’s published formula and limits. It also counts days of at least 0.5% of the account size toward the 5-day minimum. FTM’s dashboard is the final word.
Shield Risk Protocol (2 Step Plus and Instant Plus)
The Shield Risk Protocol limits floating (unrealised) loss on open positions to 1% of the account balance at all times: $1,000 on $100,000, $500 on $50,000. It applies to 2 Step Plus funded accounts and Instant Plus accounts, and to the 2 Step Plus evaluation if you choose the free 90% split add-on.
- If floating loss goes past 1%, all positions are closed automatically and your split is cut.
- Cuts stack: first violation 50/50, second 40/60, third 30/70, fourth a permanent 20/80.
- Example from FTM: a trade floating −$500 on $100,000 is fine; a trade that reaches −$1,700 is closed and the split drops to 50/50.
- If slippage or a system delay closes a trade beyond the limit, the reduction still applies.
- The limit counts all open positions together, so several small trades in the same direction can trip it.
1 Step Nitro, Instant Standard and Instant Pro have no floating loss limit, according to FTM’s checkout program data.
Funded Trader Markets Leverage, Margin and Lot Size
| Account | Forex | Commodities | BTC and ETH | Other crypto |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| All evaluations (Nitro, Nitro X, 2 Step Plus), all sizes | 1:100 | 1:30 | 1:5 | 1:2 |
| 1 Step Nitro funded 5K to 100K | 1:100 | 1:20 | 1:5 | 1:2 |
| 1 Step Nitro funded 200K and 300K | 1:50 | 1:10 | 1:5 | 1:2 |
| 1 Step Nitro X funded, all sizes | 1:100 | 1:20 | 1:5 | 1:2 |
| 2 Step Plus funded 5K to 100K | 1:100 | 1:20 | 1:5 | 1:2 |
| 2 Step Plus funded 200K | 1:50 | 1:10 | 1:5 | 1:2 |
| Instant Standard, Pro and Plus 5K to 100K | 1:100 | 1:20 | 1:5 | 1:2 |
| Instant Standard and Pro 150K and 200K | 1:50 | 1:10 | 1:5 | 1:2 |
The leverage FAQ still lists 150K and 200K Instant Standard and Pro accounts, but the checkout offered instant accounts only up to 100K on October 11, 2026. Index leverage is not listed in the FAQ.
What this means in practice: at 1:100, a 1-lot EURUSD position (100,000 euros) needs roughly 1% of its notional value as margin. Commodities such as gold drop from 1:30 in evaluation to 1:20 on funded accounts (1:10 on the largest size