How to Pass Funded Trading Plus Challenge (2026 Guide)

Funded Trading Plus (FTP) stands out among prop firms for one major reason: its balance-based daily drawdown calculation. Unlike FTMO or Apex, which measure drawdown from intraday equity peaks, FTP uses end-of-day balance. This single mechanic changes how you size positions and manage intraday volatility.

This guide covers the exact math, the rules that fail most traders, and a concrete playbook for the $100K evaluation.

Funded Trading Plus Rules

• Account sizes: $12.5K, $25K, $50K, $100K, $200K
• Profit target: 8% (single phase)
• Daily drawdown: 4% (balance-based, not equity-based)
• Max drawdown: 8%
• Min trading days: None explicit
• Profit split: 80% (scaling to 90% with volume)
• Scaling plan: Up to $2M in funding

The 4% daily DD sounds tight, but balance-based calculation is materially more forgiving than the equity-based version used by most firms.

Balance-Based vs Equity-Based Daily DD

This is the most important concept to understand.

Equity-based (FTMO, MFFX): Calculated from intraday equity high. If you start at $100K, go up to $103K, then back to $97K, your drawdown is measured as $103K → $97K = $6K breach on a 4% account.

Balance-based (FTP): Calculated from end-of-day account balance. If you start at $100K, peak at $103K, end the day at $97K — the drawdown is measured as $100K → $97K = $3K, which is 3%. Safe.

This means on FTP, you can have volatile intraday sessions that would breach equity-based firms, as long as you close the day within the 4% balance limit.

Position Sizing for FTP

With 4% daily DD balance-based and 8% max DD, safe sizing on $100K:

• Conservative: 0.5% risk per trade ($500 risk per trade, 8 stops to breach daily)
• Standard: 1% risk per trade ($1,000 risk, 4 stops to breach daily)
• Aggressive: 1.5% risk per trade ($1,500, 2.6 stops — risky)

Use the prop firm calculator to model your win rate against FTP rules.

The 5 Rules That Catch FTP Traders

1. News Trading Restriction

FTP prohibits opening positions 2 minutes before/after red-folder news. Stricter than FTMO on futures events.

How to avoid: Check the economic calendar daily. Don't enter within 5 minutes of scheduled releases.

2. Weekend Holding Prohibited

All positions must be closed before Friday 20:00 UTC. Violation = disqualification.

How to avoid: Set time-based exit orders on Fridays.

3. No Hedging Between Accounts

You cannot hold opposing positions on correlated instruments across multiple FTP accounts. Violation triggers review.

4. Consistency — Soft Review

No formal 50% rule, but reviewers flag accounts where one day dominates. Spread profit across 4+ days for safety.

5. EA and HFT Restrictions

EAs allowed. HFT (holding under 30 seconds), latency exploits, and tick scalping prohibited.

The Week-by-Week Playbook ($100K)

Week 1 — Baseline

• 0.5% risk per trade
• 2–3 trades per day max
• Target: reach 2% profit ($2,000)
• Daily loss cap: 1.5% balance ($1,500)

Week 2 — Build

• Maintain 0.5–0.75% risk
• Target: reach 5% profit
• Watch: end-of-day balance, not intraday peak

Week 3 — Close

• Reach 8% target at same sizing
• Don't rush — final 2% is where traders oversize and breach

Why FTP's Scaling Plan Matters

After passing, FTP offers a scaling plan up to $2M. Every 8% profit milestone (with consistency) increases your funded capital by 25%. This is one of the most aggressive scaling plans in the industry — a $100K trader who consistently hits 8%/month can reach $500K in 6–8 months.

This rewards patient, consistent traders over explosive ones. If your strategy produces 5–8% monthly with low drawdown, FTP scales you faster than firms with smaller caps.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is balance-based daily DD really easier?

Yes, materially. Traders who struggle with intraday volatility on FTMO often pass FTP on the first attempt due to the end-of-day calculation.

How long does the FTP evaluation typically take?

Average successful evaluations take 12–20 trading days at conservative sizing. No minimum days makes this more flexible than The5ers or Apex.

Can I trade crypto on FTP?

Yes — FTP supports crypto CFDs alongside forex, indices, and commodities. Check the current FTP rules for the full list.

What is the best account size for FTP?

The $50K evaluation offers the best cost-to-capital ratio for most traders. Scaling plan applies uniformly across all account sizes.

How does FTP compare to FTMO?

FTP has tighter daily DD (4% vs 5%) but balance-based calculation and a more aggressive scaling plan. FTMO has looser daily DD but slower scaling. See the side-by-side comparison.

Before you start: Get your free Discipline Score — FTP's balance-based DD rewards consistency. If your Consistency axis is below 70, tighten that first.