Prop firm rules
FTMO rules and how to track them
FTMO's profit targets and loss limits by program, and how to set them up in Simple Trading Journal so you always see how far you are from each limit.
Rules by program
| Program | FTMO Challenge 2-Step | FTMO Challenge 1-Step |
|---|---|---|
| Profit target | 10% → 5% | 10% |
| Max daily loss | 5% | 3% |
| Max total loss | 10% | 10% |
| Measured from | Starting balance (static) | Highest end-of-day balance (trailing) |
| Minimum days | 4 trading days | None |
Percentages are of the initial account balance. Two targets mean phase 1 and phase 2.
Platforms: MT4, MT5, cTrader, TradingView
Details worth knowing
- Both limits are checked against equity (balance plus the floating result of open positions), not only closed trades.
- The daily limit is reset at 00:00 CE(S)T: it is the balance at midnight minus the daily amount (5% or 3% of the initial capital).
- 1-Step: the maximum loss trails the highest midnight balance and can only move up. It resets when a reward is withdrawn.
- 1-Step: the Best Day Rule — your most profitable day may be at most 50% of the profit of all positive days. Going over is not a breach, but you have to keep trading until it drops to 50%.
- A trading day counts on 2-Step only if at least one position is opened that day.
How to track FTMO in Simple Trading Journal
- Create a new journal and choose Prop Account.
- Enter your account size as the starting capital.
- Enter the profit target, max daily loss and max total loss as amounts. On a $100,000 account, 5% is $5,000.
- For the total loss, choose "from the starting balance" or "from the highest balance (trailing)" to match the table above.
- Connect MetaTrader with the Expert Advisor so every trade arrives on its own, or import your history file.
Step-by-step: connect MetaTraderStep-by-step: import your history
The counter in your journal uses closed trades. FTMO can also count the floating loss of open positions, so leave yourself a buffer below each limit.
Source
Checked against the official pages on September 29, 2026. Rules change and differ by account type: always confirm on FTMO's own site. Simple Trading Journal is not affiliated with FTMO.