FTMO built the retail prop firm model. Velotrade was built specifically for the traders FTMO's rules leave behind. If your primary market is crypto, this FTMO vs Velotrade comparison covers every rule, fee, and structural difference that will determine which firm actually suits your trading.
Highlights of this article
- FTMO offers crypto as CFDs on a forex-first platform. Velotrade is crypto-only with perpetuals on DXtrade
- FTMO enforces a 30% consistency rule during evaluations. Velotrade has no consistency rule at any stage
- FTMO uses tick-by-tick trailing drawdown. Velotrade uses EOD trailing — your floor only moves at market close
- FTMO restricts news trading and weekend holding on some instruments. Velotrade allows both with no exceptions
- Velotrade starts at $5K accounts. FTMO's minimum is $10K
- Both offer up to 90% profit split, though their scaling paths differ
Quick Comparison: FTMO vs Velotrade
| FTMO | Velotrade | |
|---|---|---|
| Asset focus | Forex, indices, commodities, some crypto CFDs | Crypto only (perpetuals + spot) |
| Account sizes | $10K to $200K | $5K to $200K |
| Challenge types | FTMO Challenge (2-step), Stellar (1-step) | 2-Step Classic, 1-Step Classic, 1-Step Pro |
| Phase 1 profit target | 10% | 10% |
| Phase 2 profit target | 5% | 5% (2-step) |
| Daily loss limit | 5% | 5% (4% on 1-Step Classic) |
| Max drawdown | 10% trailing (tick-by-tick) | 10% EOD trailing (3% static on 1-Step Pro) |
| Consistency rule | 30% daily cap on eval profits | None |
| Min trading days | 4 (Phase 1), 2 (Phase 2) | 4 |
| Profit split | 80%, scales to 90% | 80–90% from first payout |
| News trading | Restricted on some instruments | Allowed |
| Weekend holding | Restricted on some instruments | Allowed |
| EAs / automation | Allowed | Allowed |
| Free trial | Yes (10-day demo account) | No |
| Fee refund | Yes (on first payout) | No |
| Platform | MT4, MT5 | DXtrade |
| Founded | 2014, Czech Republic | 2024, Hong Kong |
About FTMO
FTMO launched in 2014 and was among the first firms to establish the retail prop challenge model at scale. Traders pay a one-time fee to sit a timed evaluation. Pass the profit target without breaching the drawdown limits, and FTMO grants access to a funded account and pays out real profits.
The firm built its reputation on forex and CFDs. Its evaluation framework was designed around currency pair volatility, and its two-phase challenge structure became the industry benchmark. FTMO now manages thousands of funded accounts and has a verified payout history spanning over a decade.
Crypto was added later as a product extension. FTMO offers a limited set of crypto CFDs, primarily BTC and ETH, through the same MT4/MT5 infrastructure. The instruments and rules remain calibrated to forex norms, not crypto market dynamics.
About Velotrade
Velotrade launched in 2024 with a founding team from Bloomberg, the Financial Times, Nasdaq, and institutional trading desks at Dresdner Kleinwort, JP Morgan, and Bank of America. The firm was built exclusively for crypto traders who wanted a dedicated prop offering rather than a forex firm's secondary product.
The platform runs on DXtrade, which supports crypto perpetuals and derivatives natively. Every rule — drawdown model, consistency enforcement, news trading policy — was designed with crypto volatility in mind rather than adapted from a forex framework.
Velotrade is newer. It does not have FTMO's decade-long payout history. Traders who prioritise institutional pedigree and verified longevity may factor that in.
The Differences That Actually Matter for Crypto Traders
1. Consistency Rule
This is the most impactful rule difference between the two firms.
FTMO enforces a 30% consistency rule during evaluations. No single trading day can account for more than 30% of your total evaluation profit. On a $50K account targeting 10% ($5,000 total), no single session can generate more than $1,500 of that target.
For forex traders who accumulate profits gradually across many sessions, this rule is rarely triggered. For crypto traders, it directly conflicts with how alpha is actually generated.
Crypto markets move on events. Fed decisions, ETF news, protocol upgrades, and macro catalysts regularly produce 5% to 10% moves in a matter of hours. A trader who correctly positions ahead of one of these events and earns 40% of their evaluation target in a single session is demonstrating skill. Under FTMO's rule, that session may breach the evaluation on a technicality.
Velotrade has no consistency rule. Zero. Not during the evaluation, not on the funded account. If you close your full 10% target in a single session, that is a pass. Your profit distribution across sessions is not evaluated.
For a deeper look at which firms enforce this rule and which do not, see crypto prop firms with no consistency rule.
2. Drawdown Model
FTMO uses real-time (tick-by-tick) trailing drawdown. Every time your equity reaches a new intraday high, your drawdown floor moves up immediately. A position that runs up $3,000 then retraces fully has already permanently tightened your available loss room by $3,000, even if the position closed flat or at a loss.
In crypto markets, intraday volatility is structurally higher than in forex. A session that closes flat but spikes during the day can permanently damage your drawdown room under a tick-by-tick model.
Velotrade uses EOD (end-of-day) trailing drawdown. The high-water mark is only recorded at market close. Intraday equity spikes do not move the floor. You can run an unrealised gain, have it retrace, and close flat, with no impact on your drawdown limit.
This is a meaningful structural advantage for crypto traders who hold through volatile intraday sessions. To model how much room you have at any account size, use the prop trading drawdown calculator.
For a full technical breakdown of how the two models differ, see EOD trailing vs tick-by-tick drawdown explained.
3. News Trading and Weekend Holding
FTMO restricts trading around major economic news events for certain instruments and limits weekend holding on some assets. Crypto CFDs on FTMO are treated similarly to other instruments in the restricted categories.
Velotrade allows news trading with no restrictions. It allows weekend holding with no restrictions. There are no instrument-level exceptions or time-window blackouts.
For crypto traders whose edge involves positioning ahead of scheduled macro events, or who carry positions across weekends into Asia open, these restrictions are not minor inconveniences. They eliminate categories of trade entirely.
For a list of firms that allow news trading, see crypto prop firms that allow news trading.
4. Crypto Instrument Coverage
FTMO offers a small selection of crypto CFDs: primarily BTC/USD and ETH/USD, with a few additional pairs. These are contracts for difference — you do not hold the underlying asset, and the instruments trade on FTMO's MT5 infrastructure with forex-style execution.
Velotrade offers crypto perpetuals and derivatives on DXtrade. Perpetuals are the dominant instrument in professional crypto trading, with funding rate mechanics and liquidity profiles that differ structurally from CFDs. If your actual trading involves crypto derivatives markets, the instrument type matters.
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5. Platform
FTMO runs on MT4 and MT5. These are mature, well-supported platforms with broad EA compatibility and extensive tooling. They are the standard for forex and CFD trading.
DXtrade, which Velotrade uses, was built for derivatives and crypto. It supports API access natively, which matters for traders running automated strategies or signal-based systems. Velotrade opened full API access in May 2026 with no restrictions, allowing traders to connect bots, EAs, and external systems directly.
If your workflow involves MT4/MT5 EAs or scripts, FTMO's infrastructure is a natural fit. If you want native crypto derivatives execution with API-first automation, DXtrade is better suited.
6. Fees and Account Sizes
FTMO starts at $10K accounts. Velotrade starts at $5K ($35 for the 1-Step Pro, $60 for the 2-Step Classic, $72 for the 1-Step Classic).
At comparable sizes, fee structures are similar. FTMO's 2-step FTMO Challenge: $10K=$155, $25K=$250, $50K=$345, $100K=$540, $200K=$1,080. FTMO also refunds the challenge fee on the first funded payout. Velotrade does not currently offer a fee refund.
FTMO offers a 10-day free trial account. Velotrade does not.
For traders who want to test a platform before committing, FTMO's free trial is a genuine advantage. For traders who want the lowest entry point into a funded account, Velotrade's $5K options are not available on FTMO.
7. Profit Split
Both firms offer up to 90% profit split. The path to 90% differs.
FTMO starts at 80% and scales upward through a programme based on time and consistency. The 90% rate is achievable but requires meeting specific milestones over months.
Velotrade offers 80% to 90% depending on the challenge type and account size. The specific rate applies from the first payout without a scaling timeline requirement.
Who Should Choose FTMO
FTMO is the right choice if:
- You trade forex, indices, or commodities as your primary market
- You have MT4/MT5 workflows you do not want to rebuild
- You want a free trial account before committing fees
- You want a fee refund on your first payout
- Verified decade-long payout history matters to you when choosing a firm
FTMO has earned its position as the industry benchmark for forex prop trading. For traders whose edge is built on currency pairs and who want institutional pedigree, it remains a serious firm.
Who Should Choose Velotrade
Velotrade is the right choice if:
- Crypto is your primary market and you need a firm built for it
- Your strategy concentrates profits around events and a consistency rule would flag it
- You want EOD trailing drawdown that does not punish intraday volatility
- You trade around macro news events or hold through weekends
- You run automated strategies that benefit from native API access
- You want a $5K starting account
The rules that make FTMO restrictive for crypto traders are structural, not incidental. Velotrade was designed around the same market dynamics that FTMO's framework treats as edge cases.
Ready to start your crypto prop challenge? View challenges and pricing →
If you want a broader ranking of crypto-native alternatives alongside Velotrade, see best crypto prop firms in 2026.
This comparison is based on publicly available information as of May 2026. Challenge fees, rules, and terms are subject to change. Always verify current conditions on each firm's website before purchasing a challenge.
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About the author
Vittorio De Angelis
Executive Chairman
Former equity-derivatives trader at JP Morgan, Dresdner Kleinwort and Bank of America in London. Later Head of Brokerage at a global broker in Hong Kong.
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