City Traders ImperiumStatic max loss from initial balance
Min trading days
FTMO4
City Traders Imperium5
Challenge fee
FTMOEUR 155–1,080
City Traders ImperiumCompetitive — varies by program type
Fee refundable
FTMOYes — refunded with first payout
City Traders ImperiumYes — refunded with first payout
News trading
FTMORestricted — 2-minute window before/after named events on funded account (evaluation: unrestricted)
City Traders ImperiumRestricted — defined window on specific instruments (funding account)
Platforms
FTMOMT4, MT5, cTrader, DXtrade
City Traders ImperiumMT4, MT5
Payout schedule
FTMOOn demand (min 14 days after first trade)
City Traders ImperiumFirst payout after 7 profitable days plus 2 percent min profit. Subsequent payouts monthly (last 5 days). Two-stage: up to 2 BD wallet review, then 1 BD processing plus 1 to 14 days bank. 100 USD minimum.
Restricted — 2-minute window before/after named events on funded account (evaluation: unrestricted)
Restricted — defined window on specific instruments (funding account)
Platforms
MT4, MT5, cTrader, DXtrade
MT4, MT5
Payout schedule
On demand (min 14 days after first trade)
First payout after 7 profitable days plus 2 percent min profit. Subsequent payouts monthly (last 5 days). Two-stage: up to 2 BD wallet review, then 1 BD processing plus 1 to 14 days bank. 100 USD minimum.
FTMO is best for forex traders in europe, asia, australia, or latam with at least 6 months of strategy experience who want the strongest payout record in the industry.
City Traders Imperium is best for experienced forex traders, comfortable with an offshore structure, who want a low-cost route to funding, unrestricted news trading, and a verifiable 8-year track record over big-brand recognition.
Computed live from the per-variable evidence behind each firm's TVSM-PF score — FTMO takes 5 of 6 dimensions at current scores. Every variable links to a primary source on the firm pages.
Payout ReliabilityFTMO 25.3 · City 20.1 / 32
FTMO wins. FTMO pays 80% standard (90% after scaling plan); City Traders Imperium pays 80% (scales with milestones). Per-payout caps — FTMO: None; City Traders Imperium: None — decide who keeps more in a big month.
Rule FairnessFTMO 16.6 · City 16.4 / 24
Effectively even. Drawdown models differ: FTMO runs Static (max 10% from initial balance); City Traders Imperium runs Static max loss from initial balance. The model decides how much intraday heat you can take before breaching.
Rules StabilityFTMO 7.8 · City 4.6 / 10
FTMO wins. Mid-stream rule changes are penalized here, and every change is tracked in our append-only changelog — so a recent payout or drawdown change shows up in this dimension rather than being quietly absorbed.
Business ViabilityFTMO 14.4 · City 9.3 / 16
FTMO wins. Operating history and scale matter most when a payout goes sideways — the longer-running, better-capitalised firm carries less counterparty risk, and this dimension reflects each firm's track record to date.
Platform & ExecutionFTMO 6.8 · City 5.2 / 8
FTMO wins. Platforms: FTMO — MT4, MT5, cTrader, DXtrade; City Traders Imperium — MT4, MT5. If your edge depends on a specific platform, this is the deciding line.
Cost & ValueFTMO 9.0 · City 6.2 / 10
FTMO wins. Evaluation cost: FTMO — EUR 155–1,080; City Traders Imperium — Competitive — varies by program type. Fee refundable — FTMO: Yes — refunded with first payout; City Traders Imperium: Yes — refunded with first payout.
Rule by rule, in each firm's own terms
Verbatim from our verified spec database — the conditions are the product, so nothing here is flattened to a yes/no. Where a rule has tiers or conditions, you are reading them.
Rule
FTMO
City Traders Imperium
Drawdown model
Static (max 10% from initial balance)
Static max loss from initial balance
Max drawdown
10% static from initial balance
8% static from initial balance
Daily loss limit
5% (equity-based, open P&L counts)
5% balance-based
Payout split
80% standard (90% after scaling plan)
80% (scales with milestones)
Payout cap
None
None
Payout schedule
On demand (min 14 days after first trade)
First payout after 7 profitable days plus 2 percent min profit. Subsequent payouts monthly (last 5 days). Two-stage: up to 2 BD wallet review, then 1 BD processing plus 1 to 14 days bank. 100 USD minimum.
Min trading days
4
5
Consistency rule
No formal consistency rule on standard accounts
No formal consistency rule on standard accounts
News trading
Restricted — 2-minute window before/after named events on funded account (evaluation: unrestricted)
Restricted — defined window on specific instruments (funding account)
Weekend holds
Standard account: must close before weekend. Swing Account: exempt.
Allowed on Forex; restricted on indices
Evaluation cost
EUR 155–1,080
Competitive — varies by program type
Fee refundable
Yes — refunded with first payout
Yes — refunded with first payout
Platforms
MT4, MT5, cTrader, DXtrade
MT4, MT5
Max funded
$200,000
$4,000,000 (via scaling)
Scaling
+25% balance every 4 months. Requires 10% net profit over 4 months + 2 payouts. Max $2,000,000. Split upgrades to 90% on qualification.
Up to $4M funded via consistent performance milestones. Split increases to 85%+ at scale.
Verified June 2026 (FTMO) · June 2026 (City Traders Imperium). Source extracts for every scored variable are on the firm pages.
The verdict, by trader type
A comparison that ends in “it depends” is not a verdict. Picks below are per trading style — find yours.
Most traders
FTMO
FTMO takes 5 of the 6 scored dimensions at current scores, which makes it the safer default for a trader without a strong style preference. Read the per-dimension breakdown above first — a single dimension you care about can flip the decision.
Cost-conscious
FTMO
Entry cost: FTMO — EUR 155–1,080; City Traders Imperium — Competitive — varies by program type. FTMO wins on cost-value once refunds and discounts are weighed.
Rules-sensitive trader
Even
If clean, predictable rules matter most, read the drawdown model first: FTMO runs Static (max 10% from initial balance); City Traders Imperium runs Static max loss from initial balance. Both score similarly on rule fairness.
High earner
FTMO
Profit splits: FTMO — 80% standard (90% after scaling plan); City Traders Imperium — 80% (scales with milestones). FTMO has the stronger payout profile once caps are factored in. Always read the per-payout cap in full before a large withdrawal.
FTMO vs City Traders Imperium — the questions traders actually search
Is FTMO or City Traders Imperium better in 2026?
Under TraderVerdict's independent TVSM methodology, FTMO scores in the Strong band and City Traders Imperium in the Adequate band. FTMO wins 5 of the 6 scored dimensions at current scores. The right pick depends on which firm's payout, drawdown, and cost terms fit how you trade.
What is the main difference between FTMO and City Traders Imperium?
FTMO and City Traders Imperium differ across the TVSM-scored variables that decide whether a funded trader actually gets paid — profit split, drawdown model, payout caps, pricing, and operating stability. The rule-by-rule table on this page shows each one verbatim from our verified specs.
Which is cheaper — FTMO or City Traders Imperium?
FTMO: EUR 155–1,080. City Traders Imperium: Competitive — varies by program type. Weigh the fee against how long the evaluation takes you — a one-time fee beats a subscription on a slow pass, and the reverse on a fast one.
Which pays out more — FTMO or City Traders Imperium?
Profit split: FTMO — 80% standard (90% after scaling plan). City Traders Imperium — 80% (scales with milestones). Per-payout caps: FTMO — None; City Traders Imperium — None. Read both cap rules in full before buying — they bind hardest in your best months.
What is the difference between FTMO and City Traders Imperium drawdown rules?
FTMO: Static (max 10% from initial balance). City Traders Imperium: Static max loss from initial balance. The drawdown model is the single most common reason funded accounts fail, so match it to whether you hold through intraday heat.
Do FTMO and City Traders Imperium allow news trading?
FTMO: Restricted — 2-minute window before/after named events on funded account (evaluation: unrestricted). City Traders Imperium: Restricted — defined window on specific instruments (funding account).
What account sizes do FTMO and City Traders Imperium offer?
FTMO: $200,000. City Traders Imperium: $4,000,000 (via scaling). Scaling: FTMO — +25% balance every 4 months. Requires 10% net profit over 4 months + 2 payouts. Max $2,000,000. Split upgrades to 90% on qualification.; City Traders Imperium — Up to $4M funded via consistent performance milestones. Split increases to 85%+ at scale..
Are TraderVerdict's prop-firm comparisons independent?
Yes. Every firm is scored against a public, versioned methodology before any commercial relationship, and affiliate links are only added to firms that clear our editorial bar. A firm cannot pay for a higher score or to remove a critical finding.