How to Pass FTMO Challenge in 30 Days

FTMO is the gold standard of prop firms. They've funded thousands of traders and paid out over $100 million in profits. But here's the reality: only 10-15% of traders pass the Challenge.

Most fail not because they lack trading skill, but because they don't understand the game. The FTMO Challenge isn't about proving you can make money — it's about proving you can manage risk.

This guide will show you exactly how to join the 10% who get funded.

1. FTMO Rules You Must Know

Before you trade a single lot, memorize these rules. Breaking any of them means instant failure — no second chances.

The Hidden Rules

• No holding over weekends (some account types) — Check your specific plan
• No news trading — Can't open/close positions 2 minutes before/after high-impact news
• No copy trading — They detect identical trades across accounts
• Consistency rule — No single day can exceed 45% of total profits (they added this)

2. The Best Strategy to Pass

Here's the truth most "gurus" won't tell you: the best strategy is the one you already trade profitably.

The FTMO Challenge is not the time to learn a new system. If you don't have a profitable strategy yet, get one first. Backtest it. Forward test it. Trade it live with your own money. Then — and only then — attempt the Challenge.

What Works Best

• Swing trading — 1-3 trades per day, hold for hours to days
• Session-based trading — Trade London or New York session only
• Multi-timeframe analysis — Higher TF for bias, lower TF for entry
• Clear entry rules — No "feeling" trades, only setups that match your criteria

What Doesn't Work

• Scalping — Too many trades, too easy to overtrade and hit daily loss
• Martingale/averaging down — One bad run ends your Challenge
• News trading — Explicitly prohibited by FTMO
• Copy trading/signals — Against terms and easily detected

3. Risk Management Setup

This is where most traders fail. They know they should risk 1% — but when they're at 8% profit on day 25, they risk 3% trying to finish early. Then they blow it.

The Math That Gets You Funded

Let's say you're trading a $100,000 Challenge:

• Profit target: $10,000 (10%)
• Daily loss limit: $5,000 (5%)
• Max loss limit: $10,000 (10%)

If you risk 0.5% per trade ($500) with a 2:1 R:R:

• Each win = $1,000
• Each loss = $500
• You need 10 wins to hit target
• You can take 20 losses before max drawdown

Position Size Formula

For a $100,000 account risking 0.5% ($500) with a 50 pip stop loss on EUR/USD:

Lot Size = $500 ÷ (50 pips × $10/pip) = 1.0 lot

4. Daily Trading Plan

Here's the daily routine that gets traders funded:

Daily Targets

• Conservative: 0.3-0.5% daily (passes in 20-30 trading days)
• Moderate: 0.5-1% daily (passes in 10-20 trading days)
• Aggressive: 1-2% daily (passes in 5-10 trading days, higher risk)

5. Common Mistakes to Avoid

After analyzing thousands of failed Challenges, these are the top killers:

❌ Overtrading

Taking 5+ trades per day because "I need to hit my target." More trades = more chances to lose. Stick to 1-3 quality setups.

❌ Revenge Trading

After a loss, immediately taking another trade to "make it back." This usually leads to a second loss, then a third, then... you're done.

❌ Moving Stop Losses

Widening your stop to avoid a loss. This increases risk and often leads to bigger losses when the trade does hit stop.

❌ Trading News

Entering positions around high-impact news events. Even if it's not prohibited, the volatility can destroy your account in seconds.

❌ Over-leveraging Near Target

At 8% profit, risking 3% to finish faster. If it doesn't work, you're suddenly at 5% with psychological damage. Stay consistent.

6. The Funded Trader Mindset

Technical skills get you to 50%. Mindset gets you funded.

Think Like a Risk Manager

Your job isn't to make money — it's to not lose it. FTMO wants to see that you can protect capital. The profit target is secondary to the drawdown limits.

Embrace Small Wins

A 0.3% day feels boring. But 30 of those = 9% profit with minimal drawdown. Small, consistent wins compound. Home runs usually strike out.

Detach From Outcomes

Any single trade is meaningless. Only the average of 100+ trades matters. A loss isn't failure — it's a data point. Process over outcome.

The 30-Day Marathon

You don't need to pass in 5 days. Or 10 days. You have 30. Use them. A trader who passes on day 28 with 10.5% profit is just as funded as someone who passes on day 3 with 15%.

7. After You Pass

The Verification Phase

After passing the Challenge, you enter Verification with the same rules but only 5% profit target. Use the exact same approach — don't get complacent.

Funded Account

Once you pass Verification, you get a funded account. Same rules apply, but now you're trading real capital and keeping 80-90% of profits.

Scaling Plan

FTMO offers a scaling plan: hit 10% profit over 4 months with consistent trading, and they'll increase your account by 25%. Eventually you can manage up to $400,000.

Payout Schedule

First payout comes 14 days after your first trade on the funded account. After that, you can request payouts every 14 days. 80% profit split, or 90% after scaling.