All the rules are here, fully visible, fully upfront. Give them a quick scan before you start. It takes less time than a single trade and saves you infinitely more.
None of the following reasons will ever become an issue in your trading journey at FTM.
There are no broad prohibitions on "gambling" or "toxic trading." Does this mean FTM promote this behavior? of course not. However, this is a term that carries a thousand different meanings. What one person considers gambling behavior, another considers a legitimate strategy. Because of that subjectivity and vagueness, there is no universal rule applied.
Why this is allowed
Imposing a restriction that is open to interpretation creates more problems than it solves. Traders lose clarity, trade with doubt, and never know for certain whether their next decision will be judged as acceptable or a violation.
The programs are designed so that inherently excessive gambling does not work in your favor. The more you try to force outcomes through high-risk behavior, the more likely you are to fail within the built-in limits. That is the safeguard, not a subjective behavioral rule. You are free to trade your own way, but the structure naturally rewards discipline and punishes recklessness.
Any lot size that your available margin and leverage permit is fully allowed. You will never be penalized for changing your position sizes from one trade to the next, regardless of how inconsistent that may appear.
Why this is allowed
Trading conditions change. Market volatility shifts, setups vary in conviction, and a trader's confidence naturally fluctuates. Forcing rigid consistency in lot sizes ignores the reality of discretionary trading. We trust you to manage your own risk within the parameters provided. If your margin allows the trade, the trade is valid. Period.
These are common position-management approaches traders use:
Why this is allowed
Drawdown parameters exist for a reason. If you're confident you can manage your strategy within the allowed drawdown limits, we don't restrict you from using it. How you structure your trades on a single account is your call, as long as you stay within the rules.
This is allowed per account. However, running these strategies across multiple accounts simultaneously to create an unfair advantage is treated as abusive behavior and leads to reward deductions.
Learn more: Sequential Trading
There are no blackout windows, no time-based restrictions around economic announcements, and no profit reductions tied to news events. Every trade is treated equally regardless of when it was opened or closed. All profits from trades placed during (or previously held positions closed) news events are fully eligible for performance rewards.
Why this is allowed
Depending on your program type, you will be managing either a floating limit or a daily/overall loss limit. The safeguard is built into the structure itself, not into arbitrary time windows. Manage your risk parameters responsibly, stay within your limits, and trade the news freely.
Usually Margin rule caps the total margin usage across all open positions. The violation depends on exceeding a certain margin usage percentage.
Why this is allowed
We do not impose a margin usage rule. Leverage is set at a fixed, known level for a reason. If the available leverage allows you to open a trade at a specific lot size, you may do so. This will never be treated as a surprise violation when you request a performance reward.
One-sided betting generally refers to repeatedly opening additional positions in the same direction (all buys or all sells) on the same symbol while an existing position is already open, or doing so in quick succession without a proper cooldown period. It's viewed as a form of directional gambling.
Why this is allowed
Directional bias isn't a crime here. If you think a trade is going your way, you can add to it. If you think it's coming back, you can add there too. We get that doing this takes a plan, you still need to manage your trades properly. Asking traders to flat-out stop would take away a lot of freedom, and that's not something we want to do. So follow your read, keep your risk in check, and trade your plan.
The Maximum Daily Drawdown Limit for the 1-Step Infinity Evaluation is 3% of the Initial Balance.
Example 1:
For a $40,000 1-Step Infinity Evaluation, the Daily Drawdown is 3% of the Initial Balance.
Day 1:
Starting Balance/Equity: $40,000
Allowed Daily Drawdown: 3% of $40,000 = $1,200 (stop-out limit = $38,800)
Example 2:
Day 2:
End of Day Balance (Day 1): $44,000
End of Day Equity (Day 1): $43,000
At 5 PM ET, if unrealised positions are open, 3% of the Initial Balance will be deducted from the higher of the two values (Balance or Equity).
In Example 2 above, since Balance is higher than Equity, the stop-out limit will become:
$44,000 – (3% of $40,000) = $44,000 – $1,200 = $42,800
If either Equity or Balance reaches this limit, it will result in a breach of the Daily Drawdown Limit.
Example 3:
Day 3:
End of Day Balance (Day 2): $41,000
End of Day Equity (Day 2): $46,000
In Example 3 above, since Equity is higher than Balance, the stop-out limit will become:
$46,000 – (3% of $40,000) = $46,000 – $1,200 = $44,800
Since the Balance of $41,000 is lower than the stop-out limit of $44,800, this will cause an immediate breach of the Daily Drawdown Limit.
Breaching this limit will cause the account to be violated, closed, and disabled for trading.
The Overall Drawdown Limit for the 1-Step Infinity Evaluation is 3% of the Initial Balance. This is a static drawdown limit, meaning the stop-out limit does not increase as the trader makes profits.
Example:
Account Size: $40,000
Overall Drawdown Limit: 3%
Day 1:
Starting Balance/Equity: $40,000
Overall Drawdown: $1,200
Stop-Out Limit: $38,800 ($40,000 – $1,200)
Day 2:
Starting Balance/Equity: $42,000
Overall Drawdown: $1,200
Stop-Out Limit: $38,800 ($40,000 – $1,200)
Even though the account has made a profit, the stop-out limit remains fixed at $38,800 throughout the evaluation and until the first approved performance reward on the funded account.
Please Note: After the first approved funded performance reward, the Overall Drawdown stop-out limit moves to the Initial Balance of the account. This adjustment occurs only once, and the limit remains fixed at the Initial Balance permanently, regardless of any future profits or performance reward.
If either Balance or Equity reaches the applicable Overall Drawdown stop-out limit, it will result in a breach.
Breaching this limit will cause the account to be violated, closed, and disabled for trading.
For 1-Step Infinity accounts, there’s no consistency rule in the Evaluation Phase and Funded Phase.
What is the buffer release?
Every time you reach 15 approved performance rewards on the same funded account, 30% of your total account buffer is unlocked and added to your payable balance. This is a reward for sustained, consistent performance — the longer you trade and request successfully, the more of the held buffer you get back.
How does the buffer work in the first place?
The buffer is a portion of your account balance held in reserve to protect against drawdown. It starts at 2% and increases by 2 percentage points every 3 approved performance rewards. It is not lost — it simply sits aside while you trade. The buffer release is how you eventually access it.
How is the released amount calculated?
At the point you hit your 15th approved performance reward, we calculate the total buffer held on your account at that time and release 30% of it to you as a payable reward.
Example — $40,000 account:
By performance reward 15, your buffer has stepped up to 10% of the account balance:
10% × $40,000 = $4,000 total buffer held
30% of that buffer is released:
30% × $4,000 = $1,200 released to you
That $1,200 is paid out at your current profit split rate and is subject to the same processing rules as a standard reward request.
Does the released amount count as one of my performance rewards?
No. The buffer release is a separate disbursement and does not count toward your performance reward ladder or advance your split tier.
Does this happen again after performance reward 15?
Yes. The same release applies at every 15-performance reward milestone on the same account — performance reward 15, performance reward 30, performance reward 45, and so on. The buffer amount at the point of each milestone is used to calculate the release at that time.
Does it reset if I get a performance reward rejected?
A rejected request does not count toward the 15-performance reward milestone, the same way it does not advance your split tier. Only approved performance rewards count.
To request a performance reward on your 1-Step Infinity Account, you must meet the following requirements:
1. Minimum Performance Reward Amount
The minimum performance reward amount is $50.
Your account must have sufficient eligible profit to meet this minimum while maintaining the required balance buffer after the performance reward.
2. Maximum Performance Reward Limit
Each performance reward request is subject to a maximum gross performance reward amount based on your account size:
|
Account Size |
Maximum Gross Performance Reward |
|---|---|
|
$5,000 |
$250 |
|
$10,000 |
$500 |
|
$20,000 |
$750 |
|
$40,000 |
$1,000 |
The maximum performance reward limit applies to each request, not to the total amount you can withdraw throughout the lifetime of the account.
3. Minimum Balance Requirement (2% Buffer)
After every performance reward, your account balance must remain at or above the required minimum balance, which initially starts at 2% above the Initial Balance.
|
Account Size |
Initial Minimum Balance After Performance Reward |
|---|---|
|
$5,000 |
$5,100 |
|
$10,000 |
$10,200 |
|
$20,000 |
$20,400 |
|
$40,000 |
$40,800 |
For example, on a $40,000 account, you must maintain at least $40,800 after your performance reward has been deducted.
Please Note: The minimum balance buffer increases by an additional 2 percentage points after every three approved performance rewards. This means the required buffer is 2% for performance rewards 1–3, 4% for performance rewards 4–6, 6% for performance rewards 7–9, and continues increasing in the same manner.
For example, on a $40,000 account, the minimum balance required after performance reward increases from $40,800 to $41,600 beginning with the fourth performance reward, and to $42,400 beginning with the seventh performance reward.
4. Profit Split
Your profit split increases as you receive more approved performance rewards:
The profit split applies to the gross performance reward amount. For example, a $1,000 gross performance reward at an 80% profit split means you receive $800 before any applicable processing fees, while the full $1,000 is deducted from your trading account.
Only approved performance rewards count towards your profit split progression.
5. Minimum Profit Requirement for Subsequent Performance Rewards
Starting from your second performance reward, you must generate at least 1% of your Initial Balance in new profit above the balance remaining after your previous approved performance reward.
|
Account Size |
Minimum New Profit Required |
|---|---|
|
$5,000 |
$50 |
|
$10,000 |
$100 |
|
$20,000 |
$200 |
|
$40,000 |
$400 |
For example, if your $40,000 account balance is $44,000 after your first performance reward, you must increase it to at least $44,400 before becoming eligible for another performance reward.
You must also continue to satisfy the minimum performance reward amount and the applicable balance buffer requirement.
6. Compliance With Trading Rules
Your account must remain in compliance with all applicable trading rules, including the 3% Maximum Daily Drawdown and 3% Overall Drawdown limits. An account that breaches either limit is ineligible for performance reward.
Performance Reward Availability and Processing
Performance rewards may be requested on any day, including weekends, provided all eligibility requirements are met.
All performance reward requests are subject to review and approval. Trading will be paused while a performance reward request is under review.
Please Note: After your first approved funded performance reward, the Overall Drawdown stop-out limit moves to your Initial Balance and remains fixed there permanently. This adjustment occurs only once, regardless of future profits or performance rewards.
The 1-Step Infinity Program offers a Maximum Allocation of $40,000 across evaluation and funded phase.
The Simulated Profit Target for the 1-Step Infinity Evaluation is 9%.
Example:
Account size: $40,000
Profit Target: $3,600 (9% of $40,000)
The trader receives 80% on their first four approved performance rewards, 85% on reward five and 90% from reward six onward. The ladder applies to the funded account. A rejected request does not advance it.
No rule is hidden. We lay every rule out in full view. Read them all before you place your first trade.
Program Features
The starting profit split for a 1-Step Nitro account type is 90% for the first $10,000 in profits then 80% subsequently after that.
For 1-Step Nitro accounts, the daily drawdown is always 4% of your initial balance and does not scale with profits. Each day at 5PM ET, the higher of your balance or equity is used, and 4% of the initial balance is subtracted from it to set the day’s stop-out level.
For a $100,000 account, 4% = $4,000. So if the higher value at 5PM ET is $106,000, the stop-out becomes $102,000. If either balance or equity reaches this level at any point, it results in a daily drawdown breach.
Note: The Maximum Daily Drawdown limit for a 300k Nitro account size is 3% while other account sizes of Nitro type are 4% as earlier stated
For 1-Step Nitro accounts, the overall drawdown trails your highest recorded balance. It stays 6% of the initial balance from the highest balance you’ve reached.
Example: On a $100,000 account, if your balance rises to $103,000, the stop-out becomes $97,000 and remains there unless a new high is made. Once you achieve 6% total profit, the overall drawdown becomes fixed at the initial balance ($100,000) and no longer moves with new highs.
See full explanation here.
For 1-Step Nitro accounts, the phase 1 requires reaching a 10% profit target. Example: On a $100,000 account, the target is $10,000.
Consistency Score
The consistency rule in the simulated funded phase of 1-Step Nitro accounts requires that no single day’s profit exceeds 45% of your total profit. If one day is above this threshold, trading must continue until your best day is below 45% of your total profit.
Example: If total profit is $10,000, no single day should exceed $4,500 to meet the consistency rule requirement.
See the full details here.
The consistency rule for 1-Step Nitro accounts during the Challenge Phase states that a single day’s profit cannot exceed 50% of the phase’s profit target.
Example: On a $100,000 account with a $10,000 target, no day should exceed $5,000. If any day does, trading must continue until your best day becomes less than 50% of your total profit.
For a full explanation of the 1-step Nitro consistency rule requirement, click here.
Drawdown is the loss limit that ends an account. Every program carries two: a daily limit that resets each day, and an overall limit that runs for the life of the account. Here is exactly how each one is measured.
A fresh stop-out each day, based on your balance.
Each day the stop-out is set from the greater of your balance or equity at the start of the day, minus a fixed dollar amount equal to your daily DD% of the Initial Balance. Only the daily starting point moves; the dollar amount never changes. An intraday dip can breach it even if you close the day in profit.
Stop-out fixed to the Initial Balance.
The stop-out stays anchored to your starting balance for the life of the account. On a $100,000 account with a 10% limit it sits at $90,000, even after profits. Gains never raise the floor; only the Initial Balance defines it.
Stop-out trails the Highest Recorded Balance.
The stop-out follows your highest recorded balance, holding the same dollar buffer below each new peak. It only ever moves up, never back down, so a pullback after a strong run can still breach it.
Trails, then fixes to the Initial Balance after +DD% profit.
It behaves like trailing until your balance reaches the Initial Balance plus the DD%. At that milestone the limit fixes to the Initial Balance for good, so later pullbacks respect that floor and the profit you already earned stays protected.
Yes. Your trading IP must follow these rules:
If these rules are violated, it may result in payout rejection, account restriction, or a total ban depending on severity/repetition without a refund.
Note: In the case where you are travelling, we recommend completing the purchase and KYC process while in your registered country of residence to avoid discrepancies. If travel is necessary, please contact our support team for guidance before proceeding.
On all platforms offered, Cryptocurrencies are enabled and available for trading over the weekend.
Yes, you are allowed to trade news in all our programs. However, it’s crucial to approach this with heightened caution. News-driven market fluctuations are notoriously volatile and unpredictable.
News events tend to spike market volatility and thin market liquidity. This often results in wider spreads and the possibility of slippage, complicating trade executions at preferred price levels.
Therefore, traders should be aware of the potential risks associated with trading news.