Table of contents
Experience boundary: I have traded FTMO for about four years across multiple $50K and $100K Standard accounts with recurring payouts. That operator history predates the current 1-Step product, so current product rules are sourced from FTMO and are not presented as four years of 1-Step testing.
Use the FTMO rules guide for the adjacent decision, then read my complete FTMO review. PTV may earn a commission through the tracked FTMO website. FTMO has no verified public PTV code, so verify changing terms in the official FTMO documentation.
FTMO now presents two evaluation paths that should not be compared by phase count alone. 1-Step is operationally shorter, while 2-Step is more forgiving on daily loss and maximum-loss mechanics.
The clean comparison is usable risk room, fee recovery and strategy fit. The nominal account size is simulated capital, not the amount a trader can actually lose.
How do FTMO 1-Step and 2-Step compare?
| Rule | FTMO 1-Step | FTMO 2-Step |
|---|---|---|
| Evaluation | One phase | Challenge plus Verification |
| Targets | 10% | 10%, then 5% |
| Daily loss | 3% | 5% |
| Maximum loss | 10% EOD trailing | 10% static |
| Minimum days | None published | 4 per phase |
| Best Day | 50% in Challenge and FTMO Account | None |
| Reward share | 90% | 80%, up to 90% |
| Fee | Non-refundable | Refunded with first Reward |
| Account type | Standard | Standard or Swing |
A shorter evaluation is not automatically easier. The 1-Step path combines a smaller daily allowance with a trailing floor and an ongoing Reward-eligibility ratio. The 2-Step path asks for a second target but keeps the loss floor fixed.
How does FTMO 1-Step work?
The 1-Step target is 10% with unlimited time. There is no separate Verification phase and no formal minimum-day objective. All applicable objectives must be satisfied together before FTMO reviews the result.
The daily loss amount is 3% of initial simulated capital. FTMO recalculates the daily limit at 00:00 CE(S)T using the current midnight balance. Floating losses, closed results, commissions and swaps can all affect compliance.
The maximum-loss floor is balance-based and trails at end of day. A profitable midnight balance can lift the floor; a later lower balance does not pull it back down. That makes open risk near midnight important.
What does the 50% Best Day rule change?
For 1-Step, the largest profitable day must be no more than 50% of the sum of all profitable days. The test applies to passing the Challenge and again to Reward eligibility on the FTMO Account.
A ratio above 50% is not an instant account breach. The trader continues and adds positive-day profit until the largest day is half or less of the total. Loss days do not increase the denominator, so trading more is not the same as becoming compliant.
Example: if the best day is $1,000, total Positive Days Profit must reach at least $2,000. A later $300 loss does not reduce the $2,000 requirement because the formula uses positive days.
How does FTMO 2-Step work?
The 2-Step Challenge begins with a 10% target, followed by a 5% Verification target. Each phase requires trading on four separate days, but neither phase has an overall time limit.
The 5% daily limit gives more room than 1-Step. Maximum Loss is 10% and static, so profitable days do not raise the lifetime floor. For strategies with uneven equity curves, that difference can be more valuable than skipping Verification.
The initial Reward share is 80%. FTMO publishes routes to 90% through scaling or its Premium Programme. The challenge fee is reimbursed with the first Reward, which changes the effective cost for a trader who reaches a payout.
Which FTMO account sizes are available?
The global pricing widget lists $10K, $25K, $50K, $100K and $200K simulated-capital sizes for both routes. Base account currency can differ by region and configuration.
Do not treat a $100K label as $100K of usable loss room. At 1-Step, the initial maximum-loss amount is $10,000 and daily amount is $3,000. At 2-Step, the corresponding figures are $10,000 and $5,000, with different movement mechanics.
When should you choose Standard or Swing?
1-Step is Standard only. On 2-Step, Standard or Swing is selected when ordering. FTMO says Standard cannot be changed into Swing later, while an unused new cycle can move from Swing to Standard under published conditions.
Evaluation accounts allow overnight and weekend holding regardless of type. The difference becomes important on the FTMO Account: Standard has selected news and long-rollover or weekend restrictions, while Swing removes those restrictions.
Which FTMO route fits scalping?
A scalper who closes positions within the session may not need Swing. The main decision becomes 1-Step trailing risk versus 2-Step static risk. Frequent small profitable days can fit Best Day, but a single exceptional day can delay 1-Step completion or Reward eligibility.
My own FTMO use has centered Standard accounts and a scalping style. That history supports the operator and Standard workflow. It does not turn the new 1-Step terms into a four-year personal test.
Which FTMO route fits swing trading?
A trader who needs weekend holds or unrestricted selected-news exposure on the funded stage should focus on 2-Step Swing. The extra Verification phase buys a product configuration unavailable in 1-Step.
A trader who closes before weekends but holds overnight during the week may still use Standard, subject to the published rule for rollover breaks longer than two hours. Instrument schedules need to be checked inside the platform.
How should you choose between the two?
Choose 1-Step when removing Verification is worth accepting a tighter daily limit, trailing floor, non-refundable fee and Best Day test. Choose 2-Step when static drawdown, a refundable fee and optional Swing matter more than the extra 5% target.
Before buying, write the rule set in dollars for the chosen size and model a normal losing sequence. The route that survives the strategy on an ordinary bad week is usually better than the route with the shortest marketing funnel.
What changed in the FTMO lineup?
The key 2026 change is not a renamed version of the classic process. FTMO added a materially different 1-Step product with its own daily amount, trailing maximum-loss calculation, fee treatment and Reward-eligibility rule. That means an older description of FTMO as a single two-phase model is no longer complete.
The current lineup also makes account type and evaluation path separate decisions. Standard exists on both paths, while Swing exists only inside 2-Step. A buyer therefore chooses the risk model first and the funded-stage permissions second.
How can you test the choice before paying?
Run the FTMO Free Trial closest to the intended product and log each session at the CE(S)T reset. The test should include normal losing sequences, not only a target chase. Track how close equity comes to the daily and maximum-loss floors and whether one winning day dominates the positive-day total.
Then compare the same trades under the other product formula. A 1-Step sequence can become unsafe after the EOD floor rises, while the same 2-Step sequence retains its static floor. The better account is the one that needs fewer strategy changes, not the one with fewer evaluation screens.
The bottom line
FTMO 1-Step is not simply the easier version of 2-Step. It is faster but stricter in the exact places that shape risk and cash flow. I would choose 2-Step for static drawdown, refundable economics or Swing, and 1-Step only when one phase is genuinely worth the tighter operating rules.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the FTMO Challenge?
The FTMO Challenge is a simulated trading evaluation. Traders choose either a one-phase 1-Step route or a two-phase 2-Step route and must satisfy the rules before becoming eligible for an FTMO Account.
What is the difference between FTMO 1-Step and 2-Step?
1-Step has one 10% target, 3% daily loss, 10% EOD trailing maximum loss and a 50% Best Day rule. 2-Step has 10% and 5% targets, 5% daily loss, 10% static maximum loss and four minimum trading days in each phase.
Does FTMO 1-Step have a Verification phase?
No. FTMO 1-Step consists of one evaluation phase. After passing and review, the trader proceeds to identity verification and the FTMO Account process.
How many trading days does FTMO 1-Step require?
FTMO publishes no formal minimum trading-day rule for 1-Step. The 50% Best Day rule makes two profitable days the mathematical minimum in the exceptional case of exactly equal qualifying profits.
How many trading days does FTMO 2-Step require?
FTMO 2-Step requires at least four trading days in the Challenge and another four in Verification. Holding one trade across multiple days counts only on the day the position was opened.
Is FTMO 1-Step cheaper than 2-Step?
At the current Standard base prices, 1-Step is cheaper at $10K, $25K, $50K, $100K and $200K. Its fee is non-refundable, while the 2-Step fee is reimbursed with the first Reward.
Which FTMO path has the better drawdown?
2-Step has the easier maximum-loss mechanic for most traders because its 10% floor is static. The 1-Step 10% limit trails upward from the highest qualifying end-of-day balance.
Which FTMO path pays 90%?
1-Step starts at a 90% Reward share. 2-Step starts at 80% and can reach 90% through FTMO programs such as the Scaling Plan or Premium Programme.
Can 1-Step traders choose Swing?
No. FTMO Swing is available exclusively inside the 2-Step Challenge. The 1-Step route is Standard only.
Are FTMO Accounts real broker accounts?
FTMO describes the Challenge and FTMO Account as simulated environments. Eligible traders can receive monetary Rewards based on simulated trading results, but the displayed balance is not a client deposit.
Which FTMO account would Paul choose?
The choice depends on the strategy. A trader who values a static loss floor and refundable fee may prefer 2-Step. A trader who wants one phase and can manage trailing loss plus Best Day may prefer 1-Step.