FTMO splits across two evaluation paths (1-Step and 2-Step) with rules that differ meaningfully — 3% vs 5% daily loss, 10% trailing vs 10% static max loss, and a 50% Best Day rule on Funded payouts. Full rule breakdown in my FTMO rules guide, or read my complete FTMO review. Sign up at FTMO or check the Help Center.
FTMO splits its accounts into two types on weekend holding: Standard and Swing. Standard accounts require you to close all open positions before the forex market closes on Friday. The deadline is roughly 21:00 to 22:00 CET depending on your MetaTrader broker server. Swing accounts, available only on the 2-Step Challenge path, let you carry positions through the weekend without restriction.
That's the short answer. The longer version matters because timing details, gap risk, and the 1-Step vs 2-Step distinction all affect how you should plan your Friday trading sessions.
As of May 2026, this rule applies identically during the Challenge evaluation and on the live FTMO Account.
Can you hold positions over the weekend at FTMO?
Yes, but only on Swing accounts.
If you're on a Standard account, the answer is no. All positions must be closed before the Friday session ends. Standard covers both the 1-Step Challenge and the 2-Step Challenge in its default configuration.
If you're on a 2-Step Swing, you can leave trades open from Friday into Monday without touching them. There's no maximum hold duration. You just carry the gap risk.
One important boundary: the 1-Step Challenge has no Swing variant. This is confirmed in FTMO's account structure. If weekend holding is part of your trading style, the 1-Step is not compatible. You need to take the 2-Step Swing path.
Paul trades the 1-Step on Standard, scalping the $50K and $100K sizes. He has withdrawn $15K+ from FTMO across ~4 years of accounts. For a scalp-focused approach, the Friday close requirement is largely irrelevant. Positions are closed well before end of session anyway. If you're a swing trader by nature, the account type selection becomes a core decision from the start.
What's the Friday close requirement on Standard?
Standard accounts at FTMO prohibit overnight and weekend holding. The Friday close is the most operationally important version of this rule because the market is closed for roughly 48 hours afterward.
The requirement: all open positions must be closed before the forex market session ends on Friday. No carry into Saturday. No exceptions for trades that are deeply in profit or trades you "just need a few more pips on."
The relevant rule applies at the live FTMO Account stage. During the Challenge and Verification phases, the overnight/weekend holding restriction is also in place for Standard. It runs from day one of your evaluation.
If you are managing multiple positions (scaling in, running partial close strategies, or holding macro trend trades), Friday needs to be a hard stop. Check your open trades by 20:00 CET at the latest to give yourself a buffer.
When does Friday close happen exactly?
This is where most traders get tripped up. There is no single universal minute.
FTMO accounts run on MetaTrader 4 or MT5, and the server time displayed in your platform is your reference point. MetaTrader servers often run on CE(S)T (Central European Summer/Standard Time). The forex market technically closes at 22:00 CET on Friday for most brokers, though some quote 21:00 CET as the session end.
Treat 21:00 CET as your hard deadline and close all positions before that. The 60-minute buffer between 21:00 and 22:00 is not a grace period you should rely on.
How to verify your specific window:
- Log into your FTMO MetaTrader account.
- Check the server clock shown in the platform (bottom right corner in MT4/MT5).
- Cross-reference with FTMO's trading objectives page at `ftmo.com/en/trading-objectives/`.
- Test a Sunday open time once — markets reopen around 22:00–23:00 CET Sunday, which also tells you when the Friday session ended.
FTMO's official guidance takes precedence over any third-party summary, including this one. Confirm on their site before your first Friday live trading session.
How do Swing accounts handle weekends?
Swing accounts on the 2-Step Challenge path have no weekend close requirement. You can hold a EURUSD long, a GBPJPY short, or a gold position across the Saturday and Sunday market closure without any rules violation.
The mechanics are simple: you open a trade, the market closes Friday, the trade sits there, the market opens Monday, the trade continues. All spread, swap, and gap effects are your responsibility as the trader.
What this enables:
- Carry trades that benefit from interest rate differentials accruing over the weekend
- News-fade positions taken on Friday that need multiple days to play out
- Macro trend trades where the exit target is a week or more away
- Positions entered Thursday that have not yet hit target by Friday afternoon
The Swing account exists specifically for traders who operate in this way. FTMO recognizes that forcing every trading style into a Standard structure would exclude a legitimate segment of professional traders.
One clarification on the pricing: 2-Step Swing accounts cost the same as 2-Step Standard accounts at FTMO. There's no premium for the Swing variant. The trade-off is purely in risk tolerance and trading style, not upfront cost.
Swap costs also run over the weekend. Most brokers charge triple swap on Wednesday night to account for the Thursday-Friday-Saturday settlement cycle, but some charge triple on Friday to cover the full weekend. Check your specific MetaTrader server's swap settings before planning a hold. A small position held over three Fridays can accumulate meaningful swap charges if you're on the wrong side of an interest rate differential.
For deeper context on the full account structure, see the FTMO accounts overview and FTMO 2-Step Challenge guide.
What about crypto over the weekend on Swing?
Crypto CFDs on FTMO Swing accounts can be held through the weekend.
FTMO offers crypto as part of its asset class lineup, primarily major pairs like BTCUSD and ETHUSD. These are CFDs, not spot crypto or exchange-based instruments. The trading hours for crypto CFDs on MT4/MT5 do not fully align with forex session hours, and weekend availability varies by broker.
On a Swing account, carrying a crypto position from Friday to Monday is permitted under FTMO's rules. There is no specific exclusion of crypto from the Swing weekend holding allowance.
The gap risk consideration is similar to forex but with typically higher volatility. A Bitcoin news event over the weekend (regulatory announcement, major exchange failure, on-chain data) can generate price moves that would be catastrophic on a Standard account if such holds were permitted. On Swing, that exposure is accepted by the trader.
FTMO's investment in Zerohash during October 2025 (a $104M crypto payments infrastructure round) signals further crypto expansion ahead. For Swing traders with crypto in their portfolio, this infrastructure development is worth watching. See the FTMO strategy guide for more on how asset class selection fits into FTMO evaluation planning.
For FX pairs, the practical reality is simpler: the market is closed. A EURUSD position on a Swing account sits at Friday's closing price until Sunday's open. You're not executing, just holding.
What's the gap-risk math?
This deserves a concrete example, not abstraction.
GBPJPY is one of the most volatile major pairs. On a quiet weekend, it can gap 40–60 pips on Monday open. After significant UK or Japanese news (Bank of Japan rate decisions, UK budget statements, geopolitical events involving either country), gaps of 120–200 pips are documented.
Scenario: You hold a 0.5 lot GBPJPY long position over the weekend on a $100K Standard account... except you can't, because Standard accounts must close Friday. But if you're on a Swing account and you intentionally hold:
- 0.5 lots GBPJPY = approximately $5 per pip (rough estimate at ~185.00)
- A 150-pip adverse gap on Monday open = -$750 immediate loss
- On a $100K account, that's 0.75%, inside your daily loss limit of 5% on 2-Step
- On a $25K account, a 150-pip gap with 0.5 lots = -$750 against a $1,250 daily limit. More significant.
The math changes when you're running larger position sizes or holding multiple pairs. A 0.5 lot EURUSD + 0.5 lot GBPJPY + 0.2 lot XAUUSD all gapping against you simultaneously is how funded accounts get blown on a Monday open.
Gap risk is correlated risk. Central bank commentary or geopolitical shock rarely affects a single instrument. A USD-strengthening weekend news event hits all dollar-quoted pairs at once.
The right discipline for Swing traders: size positions on Friday as if a 100-pip adverse gap is the opening scenario. If that outcome would breach your daily loss limit, reduce size or close before the weekend.
A second consideration is correlated open positions. If you hold EURUSD long and GBPUSD long simultaneously, a strong USD weekend move hits both at once. Your total exposure to a single macro theme can exceed what you'd estimate from any individual position in isolation. Run the worst-case math across your entire portfolio, not per position.
The FTMO payout rules guide covers how drawdown limits interact with your funded account balance. Gap math in this section directly connects to those limits.
Why do Standard accounts force closure?
The force-close requirement on Standard isn't a punishment. It's a design choice that makes Standard accounts accessible to traders who want clean, rules-simple evaluation conditions.
Gap risk is unbounded in one direction. A market can open 300 pips away from your entry. No stop loss protects you because the market never traded at your stop price. The position skips straight from 0 pips of unrealized loss to -300 with no opportunity to manage it.
For a prop firm like FTMO, allowing Standard account holders to carry that risk creates an unpredictable scenario: a trader passes a 2-month Challenge, gets funded, and then blows their account on a Sunday-open gap they couldn't control. That's bad for the trader, and it creates operational complications for FTMO's risk model.
The Swing account variant exists as the opt-in path for traders who want that exposure. FTMO doesn't ban weekend holding universally. It separates the two risk profiles clearly and charges the same price for both.
From a trader's perspective: if you don't have a specific reason to hold over the weekend, the Standard path is cleaner. Fewer rules complications, no gap anxiety, no Monday-open position management.
There's also a strategic angle worth considering. FTMO's acquisition of OANDA (completed December 2025) and the resulting institutional infrastructure means the firm's risk management capabilities are backed by a regulated broker's systems. The Standard/Swing distinction is part of a well-engineered risk framework, not an arbitrary restriction.
Paul's scalp approach on the 1-Step Standard is a natural fit here. Positions that aren't closed by end of day are typically closed by end of session at the latest. The Friday close rule has never been a constraint for his style.
For more on how FTMO structures its full rules set, including the daily loss limits that gap risk interacts with, see the FTMO rules overview.
Standard vs Swing weekend rules comparison
| Feature | Standard (1-Step + 2-Step) | Swing (2-Step only) |
|---|---|---|
| Weekend holding allowed | No | Yes |
| Friday close required | Yes — before ~21:00 CET | No |
| Overnight holding allowed | No | Yes |
| Crypto weekend hold | No | Yes |
| News trading restriction | Yes (live stage) | No |
| 1-Step availability | Yes | No (not available) |
| 2-Step availability | Yes | Yes |
| Challenge fee | Standard pricing | Same as Standard |
| Daily loss limit | 3% (1-Step) / 5% (2-Step) | 5% (2-Step only) |
| Max loss type | Trailing EOD (1-Step) / Static (2-Step) | Static 10% (2-Step) |
Note: the 1-Step Challenge exists only in Standard configuration. The table reflects what FTMO offers as of May 2026.
How do peers compare?
FTMO's weekend holding split is standard across the top-tier CFD prop firms. The implementation details vary.
FundedNext uses a similar Standard/Swing divide on its Stellar accounts. FundedNext Stellar Standard requires Friday close; Stellar Swing allows weekend holding. Pricing structure mirrors FTMO's approach.
E8 Markets applies an overnight and weekend restriction to its Standard product and offers a Swing option for traders who need the flexibility. E8 is a multi-asset firm covering forex, futures, and crypto, so the weekend rule interacts with a broader instrument set.
FundingPips has its own Standard/Swing split. The rules structure is comparable, though specific timing details differ.
Where FTMO differs from some competitors: the 1-Step Challenge has no Swing equivalent. At some other firms, single-step evaluations offer optional weekend holding as an add-on or separate product SKU. At FTMO, if you want weekend holding, you commit to the 2-Step path from the start. This is a genuine choice point during account selection.
For traders coming from futures-focused firms like Lucid Trading or Take Profit Trader, the concept of weekend holding rules may feel unfamiliar — futures exchanges have their own session breaks that operate differently from FX broker weekend closures. FTMO is a Forex/CFD firm; the weekend mechanics here are currency-market specific.
For a broader comparison of FTMO against specific alternatives, see the FTMO FAQ and the main FTMO review.
One peer difference worth noting: some firms use a "news trading" restriction that overlaps with the weekend holding rule. At FTMO, news trading is restricted on Standard accounts at the live funded stage. Swing accounts have no news trading restriction. If you trade around high-impact news events on Fridays and want to carry those positions, the Swing account removes that friction entirely.
For traders specifically on the FTMO platforms: cTrader users should confirm their specific server's session timing separately, as cTrader broker configurations can differ from MT4/MT5. The underlying rule is the same, but the clock reference may vary.
The bottom line
Standard accounts at FTMO, whether 1-Step or 2-Step Standard, close Friday before market end. The deadline is approximately 21:00 CET based on your MetaTrader server time. Leaving a position open past that point is a rules breach, not a slap on the wrist.
Swing accounts on the 2-Step path can hold through the weekend freely. Crypto positions on Swing accounts are also permitted to carry over. The only difference is gap risk, which is entirely on the trader.
The 1-Step Challenge is Standard-only. Weekend holding traders need to start their FTMO journey with the 2-Step Swing path.
If you're deciding between the two types, ask one question: does my trading strategy require holding through Friday close? If yes, 2-Step Swing. If no, 1-Step or 2-Step Standard, with the 1-Step offering a 90% profit split from day one as a meaningful advantage.
For full account structure detail, see the FTMO accounts overview and FTMO payout rules. For how the weekend rule fits into the broader FTMO 2-Step structure, the 2-Step Challenge guide covers phase-by-phase.
Ready to start? Use the affiliate link below to access FTMO's current account selection.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can you hold positions over the weekend at FTMO?
It depends on your account type. Standard accounts (1-Step and 2-Step Standard) must close all positions before Friday market close. Swing accounts (2-Step Swing only) can hold through the weekend. There is no universal FTMO weekend holding rule. The split is by account type.
What is the Friday close requirement on Standard accounts?
All open positions must be closed before the Friday forex session ends. FTMO's timing is broker-dependent, but the window is roughly 21:00–22:00 CET. Leaving a position open past that point is a rules breach.
When exactly does the Friday close deadline happen?
FTMO uses MetaTrader platform time, which tracks CE(S)T. The forex market closes on Friday at approximately 21:00–22:00 CET depending on your MetaTrader broker server. Check your server time in MT4/MT5 and confirm against FTMO's official trading objectives page before relying on a specific minute. Treat 21:00 CET as your personal deadline.
Does the 1-Step Challenge have a Swing option?
No. The 1-Step Challenge is Standard only. Weekend holding is not permitted on any 1-Step account. If weekend holding is required for your strategy, you need the 2-Step Swing path.
How do Swing accounts handle weekends?
Swing accounts can leave positions open from Friday into the following week. There is no force-close requirement. The trade-off is full exposure to weekend gap risk — price can open Monday significantly different from where it closed Friday. Size positions accordingly on Friday.
Can you hold crypto over the weekend on an FTMO Swing account?
Yes. Crypto positions on Swing accounts can remain open through the weekend. FTMO offers crypto as a CFD asset class. Note that crypto markets technically trade around the clock, but the practical weekend gap risk still applies at lower-liquidity periods over Saturday and Sunday.
What is weekend gap risk and why does it matter?
Weekend gap risk is the price jump that occurs when markets reopen Monday morning after being closed Friday evening. News accumulates over the weekend with no ability to exit, and the market reprices all at once on open. On GBPJPY, a 150-pip gap is not unusual after major UK or Japanese news. At 0.5 lots, that's a $750 hit before you can react.
Why do Standard accounts force closure?
FTMO requires Standard account holders to close positions to protect them from weekend gap risk. A single gap trade that violates the daily loss limit or max drawdown results in a breach. The rule removes that exposure entirely for traders who choose the Standard path.
How does FTMO's weekend rule compare to other prop firms?
Most CFD prop firms with Standard/Swing splits follow a similar structure. FundedNext, E8 Markets, and FundingPips all offer Standard accounts that require Friday closure plus Swing tiers that permit holding. FTMO's specific distinction is that the 1-Step Challenge has no Swing variant — weekend holding requires the 2-Step path.
Can I use the weekend holding rule as a strategy advantage on Swing?
Yes. Some traders hold carry-trade positions or news-event fades over the weekend intentionally on Swing accounts. This is permitted. The risk is entirely on the trader. Gap risk is real, and no loss rule is suspended because a trade was open over the weekend.
What happens if I forget to close my Standard account position before Friday close?
FTMO's platform may auto-close the position at Friday market close depending on broker settings, but you cannot rely on this as a safety net. If the position remains open and a gap occurs, any resulting loss counts against your drawdown. Treat this rule as a hard deadline managed by you, not the platform.
Is the weekend holding rule the same during the Challenge and the funded stage?
Yes. The Standard vs Swing account type determines the weekend holding rule for both the evaluation (Challenge/Verification) and the live FTMO Account (funded stage). The rule carries through from day one of your evaluation.