FTMO vs Instant Funding
Two prop firms, one table. Everything below is taken from what each one publishes on its own site, last read on 2026-09-05. No scores, no ranking.
One of the longest running proprietary trading firms.
Instant, one-phase and micro programmes from $625 to $4M, established in the UK in 2021.
| Detail | FTMO | Instant Funding |
|---|---|---|
| Challenge Type | 2-Step | Instant Funding · IF1 · One-Phase · One-Phase Micro · IF Micro · IF Evolve · Clarity |
| Profit Split | Up to 90% | 80%, upgradeable to 90% |
| Max Daily Loss | 5% | One-Phase 5% · IF1 2% · Micro 4% · Instant: none (overall limit only) |
| Max Overall Loss | 10% | Instant 10%, falling to 5% after 5% profit · One-Phase 10% · IF1 4% · IF Micro 6% · Evolve 4% EOD trailing |
| News Trading | — | Generally allowed; restricted on some products, add-on available |
| Weekend Holding | — | Add-on required on most programmes |
| Payout Time | 1-2 days | On demand, weekly or every 14 days by product; first payout 14 days after the first trade on most |
| Scaling Plan | Up to $2M | Instant account doubles at 10% profit; challenges grow 25% every 90 days |
| Payment Methods | Card, Bank transfer, Crypto | Crypto, bank transfer (Rise) |
| Founded | 2015 | 2021 |
| Headquarters | — | United Kingdom |
| Countries | 180+ | — |
What the figures say
- Profit Split: FTMO lists Up to 90%; Instant Funding lists 80%, upgradeable to 90%.
- Max Daily Loss: FTMO lists 5%; Instant Funding lists One-Phase 5% · IF1 2% · Micro 4% · Instant: none (overall limit only).
- Instant Funding publishes its news trading (Generally allowed; restricted on some products, add-on available); FTMO does not state one on the pages we read.
- Instant Funding publishes its weekend holding (Add-on required on most programmes); FTMO does not state one on the pages we read.
- Payment Methods: FTMO lists Card, Bank transfer, Crypto; Instant Funding lists Crypto, bank transfer (Rise).
A figure marked “—” is one that prop firm does not publish on the pages we could read; it is not a zero. Terms differ by country and change often, so confirm on each site before opening an account.
FTMO: why traders choose it
- Running since 2015, one of the longest records in the industry
- Free trial account before you pay for a challenge
- Detailed performance analytics built into the client area
- Payouts on a fixed schedule with a long public history
- Swing accounts available for holding through news and weekends
Instant Funding: why traders choose it
- Seven programmes, from a no-evaluation Instant account to a 24-hour IF1 and micro sizes
- Account sizes from $625 to $4,000,000
- One-Phase: 10% then 5% targets, 5% daily loss, 10% overall loss
- Instant Funding: no daily limit, a 10% overall limit that tightens to 5% once you are 5% up
- 80% split, upgradeable to 90%; the Instant account doubles at 10% profit
- Established in the UK in 2021; $20 million-plus paid out since 2023 by their own count
FTMO pros
- Long, verifiable payout history
- Strong trading platform and analytics
- Clear documentation of every rule
- Free trial before committing
FTMO cons
- Two-step evaluation takes longer than instant funding
- News trading restricted on standard accounts
- Priced in euros, so the cost moves with the exchange rate
- Stricter consistency expectations than newer firms
Instant Funding pros
- A genuine instant-funding route for traders who do not want an evaluation
- Micro programmes for very small budgets
- Rules per programme are published in a comparison table
Instant Funding cons
- Weekend holding needs a paid add-on on most programmes
- First payout on most accounts waits 14 days after the first trade
- Seven programmes with different limits take some reading
About FTMO
FTMO is the firm most traders have heard of first. It runs a two-step evaluation, pays on a fixed fortnightly schedule, and has been doing so since 2015 — which is the main reason people choose it over cheaper alternatives.
About Instant Funding
Instant Funding, established in the UK in 2021, runs seven programmes from a no-evaluation Instant account to one-phase challenges and micro sizes, on capital from $625 to $4,000,000. The split is 80%, upgradeable to 90%, and platforms are MetaTrader 5, cTrader and Match-Trader.
FTMO vs Instant Funding: common questions
- What profit split do FTMO and Instant Funding pay?
- FTMO publishes Up to 90% and Instant Funding publishes 80%, upgradeable to 90%. A split only matters once you are funded and have a payout to take, so read it after the rules, not before.
- What is the daily loss limit at FTMO and Instant Funding?
- FTMO: 5%. Instant Funding: One-Phase 5% · IF1 2% · Micro 4% · Instant: none (overall limit only). This is the rule that ends most accounts, so check whether it is measured from balance or from equity before you size a position.
- How much can you lose overall at FTMO or Instant Funding?
- FTMO sets 10% and Instant Funding sets Instant 10%, falling to 5% after 5% profit · One-Phase 10% · IF1 4% · IF Micro 6% · Evolve 4% EOD trailing. Whether the limit trails your high-water mark or stays fixed changes what those numbers mean in practice.
- How quickly do FTMO and Instant Funding pay out?
- FTMO states 1-2 days; Instant Funding states On demand, weekly or every 14 days by product; first payout 14 days after the first trade on most. That is the firm's stated processing time from an approved request, not from when the trade closed.
- How do FTMO and Instant Funding pay you?
- FTMO lists Card, Bank transfer, Crypto. Instant Funding lists Crypto, bank transfer (Rise). Check that at least one works from your country before paying for a challenge.
More comparisons
How this page is put together. Both columns use the same fields as the individual reviews, read from each prop firm's own site. Some links are affiliate links, which may earn Cubie FX a commission at no extra cost to you. Placement is not for sale and nothing here is ranked.