FTMO US Free Trial Walkthrough: From Sign Up to First Trade

Try the FTMO US Free Trial first

Practice on the same MT5 setup used in the real Evaluation, at zero cost, before you pay for a Challenge.

Updated: August 14, 2026

Fact-checked against FTMO x OANDA’s official site

What you’ll get here: a current, U.S.-specific Free Trial walkthrough, from signup to your first simulated trade, plus a checklist, risk templates, and fixes for the login and symbol issues traders hit most. We keep CTAs light and link to official FTMO US resources throughout.

14 daysFree Trial account length

$0Cost, no card required

90%Max reward share on profits

$200,000Largest simulated account size

Why the Free Trial still matters for U.S. traders

The FTMO US Free Trial mirrors the real Evaluation Process (FTMO Challenge, then Verification if you take the 2-Step route) at zero cost and with no card on file. You trade in a simulated MT5 environment built specifically for the U.S. product, so you can pressure-test your execution, spreads, session timing, and slippage behavior before spending a cent on a paid Challenge.

Nice: FTMO allows unlimited Free Trials. You’re limited to one active trial at a time, and each one runs for 14 days, but once it expires (or you delete it) you can start a fresh one immediately. That’s ideal for iterating on a plan without burning Challenge fees.

What’s changed since our last update

FTMO US has moved fast this year. If you read an older guide, including an earlier version of this one, here’s what’s different now:

Netting and FIFO are gone for new accounts. FTMO switched new Challenges from Netting to Hedging execution starting late January 2026. That means you can now hold both long and short positions on the same symbol at once, and partial closes are no longer forced into FIFO order.
A second platform joined the lineup. Alongside MetaTrader 5, FTMO added TradingView as a supported execution platform for paid Challenges. The Free Trial itself currently still runs on MT5 only.
1-Step Challenge is live. You can now choose a single-phase Evaluation instead of the traditional Challenge-then-Verification structure, if you’d rather qualify for a Rewards Account faster.
Account sizes now top out at $200,000, with $10,000, $25,000, $50,000, and $100,000 also available.
FTMO completed its acquisition of OANDA in December 2025, and the standalone “OANDA Prop Trader” program (a separate, older offering) was discontinued at the end of March 2026. This did not affect the FTMO US Free Trial or Challenge product covered in this guide, which still runs at ftmo.oanda.com.

Free Trial overview (U.S. configuration)

Item	What to expect	Where to find it
Platform	MetaTrader 5 (MT5) for the Free Trial itself; paid Challenges can also run on TradingView	Trading Platforms
Execution model	Hedging (not Netting) on new accounts, no FIFO restriction; you can hold long and short on one symbol	Trading Updates
Account type	Simulated environment mirroring the paid FTMO Challenge, with the Profit Target halved	Free Trial page
Cost	$0 for the Trial. The Challenge has a one-time fee, refunded with your first reward if you pass	How it Works
Account sizes	$10,000 / $25,000 / $50,000 / $100,000 / $200,000 simulated	How it Works
Goal of trial	Confirm login, symbols, hours, fills, and risk model work for you before paying for a Challenge	—

Step-by-step: from signup to first trade

1) Create your FTMO US profile

Visit the FTMO US Free Trial page and start the Trial.
Register with a valid email and verify it (check spam or promotions folders if the email stalls).
Log into your Client Area at trader.ftmo.oanda.com. Trial credentials appear once the account is issued.

When you later buy the Challenge, you’ll use the same Client Area to grab credentials and track your performance.

2) Get your MT5 credentials

In the Client Area, open the Trial account card and copy your Login and Master Password.
Note the Server listed. Don’t type it manually; pick it from the dropdown inside MT5.
Prefer a browser? MT5 Web is also launchable directly from the Client Area.

3) Log in to MT5 (desktop, web, or mobile)

Desktop (Windows/macOS)

Open MT5 > File > Open an Account > search for your assigned server (currently listed under FTMO’s own MT5 servers rather than OANDA Corporation).
Select Connect with an existing trade account.
Paste your Login and Password, then pick the exact server from the list.

Mobile (iOS/Android)

Open the MT5 app > Add Trading Account.
Search for the server name shown in your Client Area and tap it.
Enter your login and password, then choose the matching server from the dropdown.

Tip: if your server doesn’t appear, re-search the exact server name shown in the Client Area to refresh the list. Trading won’t work with a read-only (investor) password, use the master one.

4) Load the right symbols

Instruments in the U.S. simulated environment carry a .sim suffix (for example EURUSD.sim, US100.sim, XAUUSD.sim). Build a clean watchlist so you don’t mix these with any old feeds from another broker.

Ctrl+M to open Market Watch, then right-click > Symbols.
Expand Forex, Indices, Metals, and Crypto, and show what you actually trade. The full current list lives on FTMO’s Simulated Assets page.
Drag a symbol onto a chart to open it, then right-click > Specification for hours, tick size, and commissions.

5) Place your first simulated trade (safely)

Enable One-Click Trading (Alt+T on a chart) and accept the disclaimer.
Plan a tiny test position (roughly 0.25% risk) to confirm fills and trade-level display before sizing up.
Align your chart sessions to MT5 server time, currently GMT+3 per FTMO’s trading updates, if you rely on time-based tools.

Risk templates for the trial (copy/paste into your plan)

Style	Per-trade risk	Daily stop	Total open risk cap	Why it works
Intraday momentum	0.25%–0.5%	−2R (stop trading if down two units)	≤ 1.0%	Prevents a bad morning from wrecking the day and still leaves room for multiple attempts
Swing (multi-day)	0.5%–1.0%	Equity-based: −1.5%–2.0%	≤ 1.5%	Balances wider stops with fewer trades; suited to weekend holds on a Swing account type
News trader	0.25% (halve size around CPI, FOMC, NFP)	−1.5R	≤ 0.75%	Controls slippage risk and keeps focus on tight execution windows

U.S.-specific notes for the Trial

Platform: MT5 for the Free Trial. Paid Challenges can also be taken on TradingView, so decide early which charting environment you want to build habits around.
Execution model: New accounts run on Hedging, not Netting, so you’re no longer forced into single-position-per-symbol FIFO reductions. If you’re used to older FTMO US guides, this is the biggest mechanical change to unlearn.
Leverage: The U.S. product uses moderate simulated leverage; size positions off your stop distance, not margin headroom.
News and weekends: During the Evaluation Process (Trial or Challenge), FTMO says these restrictions don’t apply regardless of account type. Once you’re funded on a Rewards Account, a Standard account type carries news and overnight/weekend restrictions, while a Swing account type does not. Confirm your account type before assuming either way.
Eligibility: FTMO US is built for U.S. residents and U.S.-incorporated entities. It is not overseen by a financial regulator, and you have no client relationship with OANDA Corporation despite shared infrastructure. Documentation (for example a W-9 and bank ownership proof) is required later when you request a reward.

Like the feel of MT5 and your stats look stable? Start the FTMO US Challenge when you’re ready.

Make your Trial productive (14-day practice plan)

Day	Focus	Checklist
1	Onboarding	Log in, show only symbols you’ll trade, confirm server time, enable One-Click Trading
2	Latency and fills	Place micro-size orders at different times and note slippage on market vs. limit orders
3–4	Core setup only	Take 2–3 quality attempts, stop after +2R or −2R, and screenshot charts for journaling
5	Risk audit	Check max adverse excursion per trade; tighten stops or reduce size if needed
6–7	Session edges	Test London vs. New York and pick the session where your metrics look best
8–10	Expand cautiously	Add one backup setup while keeping total open risk within your cap
11–12	Hold gains	Trade half size and avoid revenge trading after news spikes
13–14	Decision time	If your stats show consistency, move to the paid Challenge; otherwise start another Free Trial

Common hiccups (and easy fixes)

Problem	Likely cause	Fix
No servers showing in MT5	Finder didn’t refresh, or you searched the old broker name	Re-search the exact server name from your Client Area and pick it from the dropdown
Can’t place trades	Investor (read-only) password used	Use your master password from the Client Area
Symbols look “off”	Wrong feed or missing .sim suffix	Show only the simulated symbols you trade; open Specification to confirm hours
Positions behaving differently than expected	Assuming old Netting/FIFO rules on a new Hedging account	Check your account’s execution type in the Client Area before building automation around FIFO logic
Weird fills around news	Volatility plus slippage	Halve size pre-news, prefer limit orders if your plan allows, and widen stops sensibly

From Trial to Challenge: what changes?

Choose 1-Step or 2-Step

The 1-Step Challenge gets you to a Rewards Account in a single evaluation phase. The 2-Step Challenge adds a Verification phase with a lower Profit Target after you clear the first Challenge.

Objectives get real

The paid stages carry full Profit Targets and Maximum Daily/Total Loss limits you must respect. Read the current Trading Objectives in full before funding a Challenge.

Passing unlocks a Rewards Account

Complete identity verification and sign the Signal Provider Agreement to become an FTMO Verified Prop Trader.

Cash flow

You can earn up to 90% of your simulated profits as a reward, and your one-time Challenge fee is refunded with your first reward withdrawal (2-Step). Withdrawal requests still require meeting FTMO’s payout conditions.

FAQ

Is the FTMO US Free Trial still free in 2026?

Yes. It requires no card and no ID check at signup, runs for 14 days, and can be restarted as many times as you want, one active trial at a time.

Does FTMO US still use Netting and FIFO?

No, not for new accounts. FTMO switched new Challenges to Hedging execution starting late January 2026, so you can hold long and short positions on the same symbol simultaneously and partial closes are no longer forced into strict FIFO order.

Can I trade FTMO US on TradingView instead of MT5?

Paid FTMO Challenges support both MetaTrader 5 and TradingView. The Free Trial itself currently runs on MT5 only.

What is the difference between the FTMO US Free Trial and the OANDA Prop Trader program?

They were separate offerings. OANDA Prop Trader was an older program that FTMO discontinued at the end of March 2026 after acquiring OANDA. FTMO US, the partnership product covered in this guide and run at ftmo.oanda.com, was unaffected and remains active.

Is FTMO US regulated?

No. FTMO states plainly that none of its services are subject to oversight by any financial regulator, and that participants have no client relationship with OANDA Corporation despite shared infrastructure. Treat all trading as simulated, not live brokerage activity.

Quick links (official)

Ready to move from Trial to Challenge?

Pick 1-Step or 2-Step, keep risk steady, and trade your plan on the same MT5 or TradingView setup you used in the Trial.

Start the FTMO US Challenge

Disclosure: This article includes a partner affiliate link. FTMO US provides a simulated trading environment only; it is not overseen by a financial regulator, and performance there does not guarantee results in live markets.