FTMO Account Types Explained: 1-Step, 2-Step, Standard & Swing (2026)

FTMO offers two evaluation paths on five account sizes, but the path-to-variant geometry produces three live product configurations rather than four. The 1-Step Challenge runs as Standard only. The 2-Step Challenge runs as either Standard or Swing. That gives traders three real choices: 1-Step Standard, 2-Step Standard, and 2-Step Swing. All three exist on $10K, $25K, $50K, $100K, and $200K balances. All three converge on the same live FTMO Account at the funded stage, with profit split, drawdown geometry, and account-handling rules inherited from the path the trader chose at evaluation.

This pillar maps the full account architecture: the three-variant decision tree, EUR pricing across all sizes, the mechanics of each evaluation path, the Standard versus Swing distinction, why FTMO has not built a 1-Step Swing product, the trader-fit logic, the Scaling Plan that takes a 2-Step funded account from 80% to 90%, and the fee refund mechanic on first payout. For trading rules see the FTMO rules overview. For platform support see the FTMO platforms guide. For payout mechanics see the FTMO payout rules article. For the M1 main review see the FTMO review. For broad questions see the FTMO FAQ.

Paul has traded FTMO for ~4 years and withdrawn $15K+ in real payouts. FTMO was one of his first prop firms as a European trader. He scalps the 1-Step Challenge primarily on Standard $50K and $100K sizes, has run multiple accounts across the years, and has cycled recurring payouts. The structural breakdown described here matches the live product surface he has actually traded, not a marketing-page reading of the product line.

What account types does FTMO offer?

FTMO offers two evaluation paths to the same live FTMO Account: the 1-Step Challenge and the 2-Step Challenge. Each path has account-type variants, but the variants are asymmetric across the two paths.

1-Step Challenge runs as Standard only. There is no Swing variant. FTMO's official FAQ states this directly: Swing is not offered for the 1-Step. The 1-Step is the higher-risk, faster product — one evaluation phase with a 10% profit target, a 3% daily loss limit, and a 10% trailing maximum loss that follows closing-balance peaks upward. On pass, the trader moves directly to a live FTMO Account at a 90% profit split from day one. The Best Day Rule (no single positive day exceeding 50% of total positive-day profit) constrains how the trader can build the target.

2-Step Challenge runs as either Standard or Swing. Two evaluation phases on the same account balance: Phase 1 (the FTMO Challenge phase) requires 10% profit, Phase 2 (Verification) requires 5%. Both phases share a 5% daily loss limit and a 10% static maximum loss. On pass through both phases, the trader moves to a live FTMO Account at an 80% profit split, with the path to 90% running through the Scaling Plan after qualifying performance.

The Standard vs Swing distinction sits inside the 2-Step path. Standard accounts close all positions before the weekend and require flat exposure through scheduled high-impact news on the live FTMO Account. Swing accounts lift both restrictions: weekend holds permitted, news trading permitted. The drawdown geometry, the targets, the minimum trading days, and the fee are identical between Standard and Swing. The only operational difference is the freedom to carry risk overnight, into weekends, and through scheduled volatility events.

Three live product variants emerge from this architecture: 1-Step Standard, 2-Step Standard, and 2-Step Swing. The trader's first decision is path (1-Step vs 2-Step), the second is variant (Standard vs Swing — only on 2-Step), and the third is size ($10K through $200K). All three product variants exist on all five sizes, so the matrix is 3 × 5 = 15 product SKUs even though the published architecture looks like a 2 × 2 × 5.

What are the FTMO sizes and pricing?

FTMO prices in EUR as the primary currency with USD approximations on the order screen. Five sizes across both paths, with the 1-Step priced lower than the 2-Step at every tier and the 2-Step Swing priced identically to 2-Step Standard at every tier. The matrix below uses the documented EUR pricing as of May 2026.

A few decision points fall out of this matrix. The 1-Step is the cheaper entry at every size, with the deepest discount on the smallest balance ($10K is roughly 49% cheaper than the 2-Step). The discount narrows in absolute and percentage terms at the larger sizes — by $50K the price difference is €26, less than 8% of the 2-Step fee. Traders choosing between 1-Step and 2-Step on price alone will find the structural argument matters more than the EUR delta from $50K upward.

Swing carries no price premium over Standard on the 2-Step. This is a meaningful detail: at most prop firms, Swing-style accounts (weekend holds, news permitted) carry a fee uplift to compensate for the variance. FTMO does not. A trader who plans to hold over weekends or trade news pays €155 for a $10K 2-Step Swing — the same as a $10K 2-Step Standard. The structural cost of choosing Swing is the path constraint (it does not exist on the 1-Step), not a fee differential.

The challenge fee is refunded in full on the first reward withdrawal from the live FTMO Account. A trader who buys a $50K 2-Step Standard at €345, passes both phases, and processes a first payout receives the €345 back alongside the payout. The mechanic functions as a deferred reimbursement rather than a discount: the upfront cost is real, but the recoupment cycle closes on the first successful payout.

For the line-by-line pricing breakdown including USD-equivalent ranges and the Aggressive Mode pricing for reference, see the FTMO pricing breakdown. For the refund mechanic in detail see the FTMO refund policy article.

How does the 1-Step Challenge work?

The 1-Step Challenge is FTMO's single-phase evaluation. One pass criterion, four binding rules, no Swing variant.

Profit target. 10% of starting balance. On a $50K account that is $5,000 net realized profit. On a $100K account it is $10,000. The target counts net realized P&L; unrealized P&L on open positions does not satisfy the target.

Daily loss limit. 3% of starting balance. Resets at 00:00 CE(S)T daily. The limit is calculated as a floor: closing equity at any point during the trading day cannot fall below starting day balance minus 3%. On a $100K account that floor is $97,000 for the trading day. The 3% limit is meaningfully tighter than the 2-Step's 5%, and it is the dominant blow-up vector on the 1-Step.

Maximum loss. 10% trailing end-of-day. The floor moves upward as closing balance peaks rise. If the trader closes at $105,000 on a $100K account, the new floor is $105,000 − $10,000 = $95,000. If the next day closes at $108,000, the floor moves to $98,000. The floor never moves down. The trailing mechanic produces a high-water-mark structure: the more the trader closes in profit, the less drawdown room the account holds. This contrasts directly with the 2-Step's static 10% floor.

Best Day Rule. No single profitable day can exceed 50% of total positive-day profit at evaluation end. If a trader's positive days sum to $4,000 and the best day was $2,500, the rule is breached. The rule is not an automatic fail; it dilutes the trader's qualifying total at FTMO's review. The practical effect is to encourage consistent multi-day building of the target rather than one outsized day.

Minimum trading days. Four. Any day with at least one filled trade counts. No maximum time limit on the evaluation.

On pass, the trader moves to a live FTMO Account at the 90% profit split from day one. No scaling required to reach 90%. The same 3% daily loss and 10% trailing max loss carry over to the live account. Bi-weekly payouts run on average 8-hour processing time. The challenge fee is refunded on first payout.

The 1-Step is FTMO's higher-risk, faster path. Tighter daily loss, trailing max loss, single phase, and the 90% split as compensation for the geometry. Paul scalps this product on $50K and $100K sizes — the trailing mechanic is severe but the day-one 90% split materially improves the per-payout retention. For more on the 1-Step rule set in depth see the FTMO 1-Step Challenge article. For Best Day Rule mechanics see the FTMO consistency rules article.

How does the 2-Step Challenge work?

The 2-Step Challenge is FTMO's classic two-phase evaluation. Originally the only product, now positioned as the friendlier-drawdown alternative to the 1-Step. Two phases on the same account balance.

Phase 1 (FTMO Challenge phase). 10% profit target. 5% daily loss limit. 10% static maximum loss. Minimum 4 trading days. No time limit.

Phase 2 (Verification phase). 5% profit target — half the Phase 1 target. Same 5% daily loss limit. Same 10% static maximum loss. Minimum 4 trading days. No time limit.

Static max loss. The 10% floor is fixed at starting balance minus 10%. It does not move up with profits. On a $100K account the floor is $90,000 throughout both phases regardless of how high the equity peaks during the run. This is the structural friendliness of the 2-Step compared to the 1-Step's trailing geometry: the cushion is fully available across the entire challenge.

Daily loss limit. 5% — meaningfully looser than the 1-Step's 3%. On a $100K account the daily floor is $95,000 each trading day, $2,000 wider than the 1-Step's $97,000.

The 2-Step does not impose the Best Day Rule. The trader can hit the Phase 1 target on a single high-conviction day (subject to the daily loss floor) without consistency-rule dilution at evaluation end.

On pass through both phases, the trader moves to a live FTMO Account at an 80% profit split. The same 5% daily loss and 10% static max loss carry over. The path to a 90% split runs through the Scaling Plan over a series of 4-month review cycles. Bi-weekly payouts and 8-hour processing apply identically to the 1-Step live stage. The challenge fee is refunded on first payout.

The 2-Step rewards traders who can build the target over time across both phases and then operate within the static-floor geometry on the live account. The trade-off: longer time-to-funded (two phases), 80% rather than 90% retention out of the gate, and the scaling-plan path to reach 90% rather than the day-one 90% the 1-Step offers. For the deep-dive on Phase 1 vs Phase 2 mechanics see the FTMO 2-Step Challenge article. For the daily loss limit calculation see the FTMO daily loss article. For the max loss mechanic see the FTMO max loss article.

What's the difference between Standard and Swing?

Standard and Swing are variant labels on the 2-Step path. Same drawdown rules, same targets, same minimum trading days, same fee. Two operational differences.

Weekend holds. Standard accounts must close all positions before the weekend. Friday-close exposure is not permitted on the live FTMO Account. Swing accounts permit weekend holds — positions can remain open through Friday's close, weekend, and Monday's reopen.

News trading. Standard accounts must be flat through scheduled high-impact news releases on the live FTMO Account. The restriction applies to a window around the release time defined in FTMO's news calendar. Swing accounts lift the restriction entirely — traders can hold and execute through news.

The Standard restrictions apply on the live FTMO Account stage, not during the evaluation phases. A Standard challenge holder can technically hold positions through news during the 2-Step Phase 1 and Phase 2 — the restriction binds once the account moves to live. The practical implication: traders building strategies on Standard during evaluation that rely on weekend or news exposure will find those tactics restricted on funding. Swing avoids that mismatch.

The pricing parity is structurally interesting. FTMO does not charge a Swing premium on the 2-Step. A €155 $10K 2-Step is €155 whether the trader chooses Standard or Swing. The choice is purely about operational freedom — pay nothing extra to lift the weekend and news restrictions. For traders who carry overnight risk through Sunday open, who trade NFP or FOMC tactically, or who hold longer-duration trend trades through the week, Swing is the structural fit at zero fee uplift.

The choice between Standard and Swing on the 2-Step is a strategy-fit question, not a cost question. For a deeper variant comparison and decision logic see the FTMO Swing account article.

Why does 1-Step have no Swing variant?

FTMO's product design positions the 1-Step Challenge as the higher-risk, faster path. The product geometry — 3% daily loss, 10% trailing max loss, single evaluation phase — already concentrates risk into a tighter envelope than the 2-Step's static-floor geometry. Adding weekend holds and news exposure on top would compound the variance pressure on a product already operating with less drawdown margin.

The official FTMO FAQ confirms the design choice directly: "Swing account type is not offered for the FTMO Challenge: 1-Step." The 1-Step exists as Standard only across all five sizes. Traders who need weekend or news privileges have one path: choose 2-Step Swing.

The structural logic plays through to the funded stage. The 1-Step's live FTMO Account inherits the trailing max loss mechanic. A Swing-style holder carrying weekend risk on a trailing-floor account would face an asymmetric blow-up surface: the floor sits at the prior-week closing peak minus 10%, a Sunday gap could move equity below that floor before any 24-hour reset. The same surface on a 2-Step Standard funded account is operationally cleaner because the static 10% floor accommodates more variance from the start.

The practical implication for traders: if weekend or news exposure is core to the strategy, the 1-Step is not the path. The 2-Step Swing is. The €76 to €81 cheaper entry on the 1-Step does not compensate for the strategy mismatch. For traders whose strategy is intraday and flat-to-close (the scalp, the day trade, the early-EU-session-into-NY-open profile), the 1-Step Standard is the structural fit and the 90%-from-day-one split is the upside.

Which account type fits which trader?

The path-to-variant decision tree resolves as a function of trading style, target time-to-funded, and operational tolerance for the drawdown geometry.

1-Step Standard fits:

• Intraday scalpers and day traders who close before the bell
• Traders building strategies that produce small, frequent realized profits across many days
• Traders who prefer the 90%-from-day-one retention and accept the trailing max loss as the price
• Traders who want a single-phase sprint to funded rather than a two-phase grind
• European-session and NY-session-only traders who do not carry overnight risk

2-Step Standard fits:

• Traders who can build the target over multiple sessions across two phases
• Traders who prefer the static 10% floor and the 5% daily loss room
• Traders who want a friendlier drawdown geometry on the live account and accept the 80%-to-90% scaling path
• Traders whose strategy is intraday but who are comfortable with the longer time-to-funded
• Traders who want the option to scale balance through the Scaling Plan without the trailing-max-loss complexity

2-Step Swing fits:

• Trend followers who hold over weekends
• Position traders carrying multi-day directional risk
• Traders who execute through scheduled high-impact news (FOMC, NFP, CPI, ECB, BOE)
• Traders running longer-duration mean-reversion or breakout strategies that span sessions
• Traders who want the static-floor friendliness of the 2-Step plus the operational freedom of weekend and news exposure

A common confusion: the 1-Step's 90%-from-day-one split makes it look like the universally better economic choice. It is not. The trailing max loss compresses the operational cushion meaningfully on a trader whose strategy produces variance across multiple days. A trader who closes at $108,000 on a $100K 1-Step has a $98,000 floor; a 5% drawdown from peak on a single subsequent day moves equity to $102,600, still alive but operating at half the original cushion. The same trader on a 2-Step Standard live account sees the floor remain at $90,000 throughout — far more variance margin, paid for in the 80%-rather-than-90% split until the Scaling Plan upgrade lands.

Paul's account history concentrates on 1-Step Standard $50K and $100K because his style is scalp and his hold period is intraday. The product-fit math lined up. Traders with different styles will find the math lines up differently. For a comparison of FTMO against The5ers' Forex evaluation see the FTMO vs The5ers comparison.

What's the FTMO Scaling Plan?

The Scaling Plan is the mechanism that takes a 2-Step funded account from the 80% base profit split to the 90% scaled split, while also growing the account balance by 25% every four months. It is the path-dependent way the 2-Step reaches the same 90% retention the 1-Step offers from day one.

Trigger conditions across each 4-month review cycle. Three requirements, all must be met:

1. Net profit of at least 10% over the 4-month period (cumulative across all months in the cycle, not per month)
2. Profitability in at least 2 of the 4 calendar months
3. Zero rule violations (no daily loss limit breaches, no maximum loss breaches)

If all three conditions are satisfied, the cycle qualifies. The account balance grows by 25% (a $100,000 account becomes $125,000). The profit split moves to 90% on the scaling event.

Cumulative scaling. Each subsequent qualifying cycle adds another 25% balance increase on the new base. The split stays at 90% once upgraded. Approximate scaling math from a $100K base running consistent 4-month qualifying cycles: $100K → $125K → $156K → $195K → $244K → $305K → $381K → $476K. Roughly 28 months of qualifying cycles to scale from $100K to $400K.

Cap. Single-account funded balance caps at $400,000 in the standard scaling path. Higher exposure across multiple accounts is possible, with the cumulative trader-side cap reaching $2M in some scaling configurations referenced by FTMO documentation.

The Scaling Plan does not apply to the 1-Step Challenge for the profit-split upgrade — the 1-Step starts at 90%. The 25% balance-growth mechanic does apply to the 1-Step's live FTMO Account on the same 4-month-cycle qualification logic.

The strategic implication: a 2-Step trader who stays consistent and avoids rule violations across two qualifying cycles reaches the same 90% retention the 1-Step offers from day one, while also growing balance from $100K to $156K. The path is slower but the endpoint is the same retention with more capital. Traders who can sustain the consistency requirement extract more cumulative payout from the 2-Step over a multi-year horizon than the 1-Step's day-one 90% on a static balance. For the full Scaling Plan mechanics see the FTMO Scaling Plan article.

What about activation fees and refunds?

FTMO does not charge a separate activation fee at the funded stage. There is one upfront cost: the challenge fee paid at signup. No additional fee triggers on pass to Phase 2 of the 2-Step. No additional fee triggers on transition from challenge to live FTMO Account. The single fee covers the full evaluation through to the live stage.

The refund mechanic. The challenge fee is refunded in full alongside the trader's first reward withdrawal from the live FTMO Account. Three points worth understanding:

1. The refund is processed as part of the same payout transaction. A trader requesting a $4,000 first payout on a $50K 2-Step ($345 fee) sees the payout request settle as the original $4,000 (80% of $5,000 realized) plus the €345 fee return.
2. The refund settles on the trader's chosen payout rail. Bank wire, Skrill, or the available crypto option each carry the same processing cadence as the underlying payout: average 8-hour internal processing, then 1-5 business days depending on rail.
3. The refund covers the original price paid before any promotional discount. A trader who bought during a 20% promo paid 80% of the EUR sticker, and the refund reimburses the actual amount paid, not the pre-discount sticker.

No-refund cases. If the trader fails any phase of the evaluation (1-Step single phase, or either phase of the 2-Step), the challenge fee is not refunded. The trader pays again to retry. There is no partial refund mechanic for breached challenges. The refund is contingent on reaching live status and processing a first payout.

The mechanic functions as a deferred reimbursement rather than a real discount. Upfront cost is real and tangible. Recoupment closes on the first successful payout cycle. Traders should plan around the upfront cost as cash deployed for ~2-6 weeks rather than as a permanent cost. Across multiple challenges purchased over time, the refund cycle compounds: a trader who passes one $50K 2-Step every six months recoups €345 each time on the first payout of that account, while running the prior funded accounts in parallel.

For the full refund mechanic and edge cases see the FTMO refund policy article.

Account inheritance from challenge to live

The path the trader chooses at evaluation determines the rule set on the live FTMO Account. The inheritance is direct: the loss limits, the variant restrictions, and the profit split all carry over.

1-Step pass → 1-Step live FTMO Account.

• 3% daily loss limit (same as challenge)
• 10% trailing max loss (same as challenge)
• 90% profit split from first payout
• Standard variant: weekend close required, news flat required
• No profit target on the live account — trade freely within the loss limits

2-Step pass → 2-Step live FTMO Account.

• 5% daily loss limit (same as challenge)
• 10% static max loss (same as challenge)
• 80% profit split, rising to 90% via Scaling Plan
• Standard variant: weekend close required, news flat required
• Swing variant: weekend hold permitted, news permitted
• No profit target — trade freely within the loss limits

The Best Day Rule applies on the 1-Step live account in the same form it applies to the challenge phase: positive-day concentration limits the qualifying total. The 2-Step live account does not carry the Best Day Rule.

A trader cannot switch between 1-Step and 2-Step live accounts. The variant chosen at signup defines the live account's rule set permanently. If a trader wants to operate both styles, they buy two challenges (one of each path) and run both funded accounts in parallel. The single-trader cap on funded exposure applies across the combined balance.

How do FTMO accounts compare to peer firms?

FTMO's three-variant Forex/CFD architecture sits between two structural extremes in the prop trading industry.

Against The5ers — a Forex-focused peer with a hybrid Bootcamp + Hyper Growth model — FTMO offers more direct path-to-funded clarity at lower entry sizes. The5ers' Bootcamp scales gradually with multi-step targets and small starting balances; FTMO's 1-Step at €79 ($10K) is a lower-friction entry to a comparable funded balance. The5ers' Black Arrow Futures product (early adopter beta) is a futures-only path that does not exist at FTMO at all.

Against FundedNext — a competing Forex/CFD prop firm — FTMO's 2-Step Standard pricing tracks closely with FundedNext's Stellar 2-Step at every size. The OANDA acquisition gives FTMO a regulated-broker trust signal FundedNext does not have. FundedNext's Express and Bolt products (instant funding, single-step) offer faster paths than FTMO's 1-Step, with different drawdown geometries.

Against FundingPips — the UAE-based competitor often framed as an "FTMO alternative" — FTMO has the deeper financial scale ($329M revenue 2024), the regulated-broker parent (OANDA), and the longer track record (founded 2014). FundingPips' lower fee structure on certain products targets price-sensitive traders. The slug that sometimes appears as `fundingpips-vs-ftmo-successor` is competitive SEO framing — FundingPips has no corporate connection to FTMO and FTMO has not been replaced or shut down.

Against E8 Markets — a multi-asset prop firm covering Forex, Futures, and Crypto — FTMO is Forex/CFD-focused with no native futures product. Traders who want futures alongside Forex on the same firm choose E8; traders who want Forex/CFD depth and regulated-broker trust choose FTMO.

FTMO does not offer futures. Traders looking for futures-only funding should look at Take Profit Trader or Lucid Trading, both of which run on the futures rail with different drawdown architectures (intraday trailing on TPT PRO, EOD trailing on Lucid). The futures vs Forex distinction is the first filter — within Forex/CFD, FTMO sits at the established-incumbent end of the spectrum.

For the head-to-head FTMO vs The5ers comparison see FTMO vs The5ers. For the M1 main review with founder background and full rule set see the FTMO review.

The bottom line

FTMO offers two evaluation paths on five sizes, producing three live product variants because the 1-Step is Standard-only. The 1-Step Challenge runs as a single-phase sprint with 10% target, 3% daily loss, 10% trailing max loss, and a 90% profit split active from the first payout on the live FTMO Account. The 2-Step Challenge runs as two phases (10% then 5% target) with 5% daily loss, 10% static max loss, 80% base profit split, and a Scaling Plan path to 90% across qualifying 4-month cycles. The 2-Step splits into Standard and Swing variants at identical price.

EUR pricing scales from €79 ($10K 1-Step) to €1,080 ($200K 2-Step). The 1-Step is cheaper at every size. Swing carries no premium over Standard on the 2-Step. The challenge fee is refunded in full on the first reward withdrawal from the live account, functioning as a deferred reimbursement rather than a sunk cost.

The path-to-fit logic is structural. Intraday scalpers and day traders fit the 1-Step Standard for the 90%-from-day-one retention. Traders who can grind through two phases for friendlier static-floor drawdown geometry fit the 2-Step Standard. Traders who hold over weekends or trade news fit the 2-Step Swing. The 1-Step has no Swing because the trailing max loss already concentrates risk into a tighter envelope than the static 2-Step floor.

Paul has traded FTMO for ~4 years and withdrawn $15K+ in real payouts on the 1-Step Standard $50K and $100K sizes, scalping intraday with recurring payouts across multiple accounts. The structural breakdown above matches his actual product use. For the full firm review see the FTMO main review. To start a challenge directly, head to ftmo.com and choose path, variant, and size.

Frequently Asked Questions

What account types does FTMO offer?

FTMO offers two evaluation paths on the same five account sizes. The 1-Step Challenge runs as Standard only. The 2-Step Challenge runs as Standard or Swing. That gives three live product variants: 1-Step Standard, 2-Step Standard, and 2-Step Swing. All three exist on $10K, $25K, $50K, $100K, and $200K balances. All three lead to the same FTMO Account at the funded stage. The structural choice is path (1-Step vs 2-Step) first, variant (Standard vs Swing) second.

What are the FTMO account sizes and prices?

Five sizes across all variants. 1-Step pricing in EUR: €79 ($10K), €199 ($25K), €319 ($50K), €499 ($100K), €999 ($200K). 2-Step Standard and 2-Step Swing share identical pricing: €155 ($10K), €250 ($25K), €345 ($50K), €540 ($100K), €1,080 ($200K). The 1-Step is the cheaper entry point at every size. The challenge fee is refunded in full on the first reward withdrawal from the live FTMO Account.

How does the FTMO 1-Step Challenge work?

One evaluation phase. Profit target 10% of starting balance. Daily loss limit 3%. Maximum loss 10% trailing end-of-day, meaning the floor moves up with closing balance peaks. Minimum 4 trading days. Best Day Rule: no single profitable day can represent more than 50% of total positive-day profit. No time limit. On pass, the trader moves to a live FTMO Account with the same loss limits and a 90% profit split active from the first payout. No scaling plan required to reach 90%.

How does the FTMO 2-Step Challenge work?

Two evaluation phases on the same balance. Phase 1 (FTMO Challenge): 10% profit target, 5% daily loss, 10% static maximum loss, 4-day minimum. Phase 2 (Verification): 5% profit target, same 5% daily loss and 10% static max loss, 4-day minimum. No time limit on either phase. On pass, the trader moves to the live FTMO Account at 80% profit split. The Scaling Plan lifts the split to 90% after qualifying performance over 4-month review windows.

What is the difference between FTMO Standard and Swing accounts?

Standard accounts close all positions before the weekend and require traders to be flat through scheduled high-impact news on the live FTMO Account. Swing accounts allow weekend holds and lift the news-trading restriction. The drawdown rules, profit targets, and minimum trading days are identical. The fee is identical at every size on the 2-Step path. Swing exists on the 2-Step Challenge only. The 1-Step Challenge does not offer a Swing variant.

Why does the FTMO 1-Step Challenge have no Swing variant?

FTMO designed the 1-Step Challenge as the higher-risk, faster path with tighter daily loss (3% vs 5%) and a trailing max loss instead of static. The product is positioned as a single-phase sprint. Swing privileges (overnight holds, news trading) are reserved for the 2-Step path where the drawdown geometry leaves more room for variance. The official FTMO FAQ confirms: "Swing account type is not offered for the FTMO Challenge: 1-Step." Traders who need weekend or news exposure choose 2-Step Swing.

Which FTMO account type fits which trader?

1-Step Standard fits intraday scalpers and day traders who close before the bell and want the 90%-from-day-one split. 2-Step Standard fits traders who can pass two phases for friendlier drawdown geometry (5% daily, 10% static) and accept the 80%-to-90% scaling path. 2-Step Swing fits trend followers, position traders, and anyone who carries risk through weekends or trades high-impact news. Capital scale (which size to choose) is a separate decision driven by the EUR fee and the absolute-dollar drawdown the trader can tolerate.

What is the FTMO Scaling Plan?

The Scaling Plan is the mechanism that takes a 2-Step funded account from the 80% base split to the 90% scaled split, while also growing the account balance by 25% every four months. Three conditions across each 4-month review cycle: net profit of at least 10% over the period, profitability in at least 2 of the 4 calendar months, and zero rule violations. Each qualifying cycle triggers the 25% balance increase, and the profit split steps up to 90% on scaling. The 1-Step product starts at 90% and uses the same balance-growth mechanic without needing the split upgrade.

What are the FTMO activation fees and refund mechanics?

FTMO charges a single one-time challenge fee at signup. There is no separate activation fee at the funded stage. The challenge fee is refunded in full alongside the trader's first reward withdrawal from the live FTMO Account. If the trader fails the evaluation (any phase, any path), the fee is not refunded and a new fee applies to retry. The refund covers the original price paid, before any promotional discount, applied as part of the same payout transaction.

Can you upgrade or downgrade an FTMO account size?

Account size is fixed at the time the challenge is purchased. Traders cannot upgrade a $50K to a $100K mid-challenge, nor downgrade. The path to a larger balance on a funded account runs through the Scaling Plan: 25% balance increases every 4 months on qualifying performance. The path between sizes at evaluation requires buying a new challenge at the desired size. The single-account cap on funded balance is $200,000; the cumulative scaling cap goes higher across multiple accounts.

What is the difference between an FTMO Challenge and an FTMO Account?

The FTMO Challenge is the paid evaluation: 1-Step or 2-Step. The FTMO Account is the live funded stage that follows on pass. The trader keeps the same dollar balance ($10K through $200K) but the rules adjust: no profit target, free trading within the same daily loss and max loss limits used in the challenge. Profit split activates at 80% on the 2-Step path or 90% on the 1-Step path. Bi-weekly payouts run on the live account, with average 8-hour processing on payout requests.

Does FTMO accept US and Indian traders?

Yes to both as of May 2026. FTMO suspended US trader access in early 2024 following MetaQuotes platform restrictions and the post-MyForexFunds CFTC climate. The firm relaunched US prop trading in August 2025 via its OANDA partnership on MT5, becoming the first prop firm to offer MT5 to US-based traders. India opened in December 2025 after a long exclusion. Both are supported on standard 1-Step and 2-Step product lines, with OANDA handling the US live-stage rewards and FTMO's regional entity managing the evaluations.

Can you hold multiple FTMO accounts at once?

Yes. FTMO allows multiple challenges and multiple funded accounts in parallel, subject to a $400,000 single-trader exposure cap on direct funded balance. The Scaling Plan growth applies per account. Coordinated trading across multiple accounts (synchronized entries on the same instrument, hedge positions across accounts) is prohibited. Paul has run multiple FTMO accounts across the years with recurring payouts on the 1-Step Standard $50K and $100K sizes.