Updated for 2026 searches
If you are trying to find the FTMO restricted countries list in 2026, the biggest thing to understand is this: there are now two different eligibility paths to think about.
There is the regular global FTMO product, and there is FTMO US for U.S. residents. That is exactly why so many traders get confused. One page says the U.S. is not accepted on the global side, while another page says U.S. residents can join through FTMO US.
So this guide is here to make the whole thing easier to follow. We will look at the current FTMO Global restrictions, the current FTMO US eligibility rules, the state-level U.S. exceptions, and the simplest way to check whether you are actually eligible before paying any fee.
U.S. resident? Check FTMO US first
FTMO US is the dedicated route for U.S. residents, but a few states are currently excluded. Start here if you are based in the United States.
Check FTMO USOutside the U.S.? Check FTMO Global
If you are in Europe, Africa, Asia, or other eligible regions outside the U.S., use the FTMO Global route and confirm your country is accepted.
Check FTMO GlobalWhat this guide covers
- How FTMO Global and FTMO US differ
- Which countries and person categories FTMO Global does not accept
- Which U.S. residents FTMO US accepts
- The current FTMO US state exceptions
- How to check your eligibility before buying a challenge
- FAQs and official resources
Why the FTMO country rules feel confusing
The confusion mostly comes from the fact that FTMO now operates with a separate U.S. pathway.
On the FTMO Global “Who can join FTMO?” FAQ, FTMO says it accepts clients globally apart from listed exceptions, and it specifically notes that clients in the United States can use FTMO services via its affiliated U.S. entity at FTMO x OANDA. In other words, the U.S. is not handled the same way as the normal global route anymore.
Then on the FTMO US FAQ, the company says U.S. legal residents can join FTMO US if they meet the eligibility rules, including having a valid U.S. tax identification number and, when requested, proof of ownership of a U.S. bank account for rewards.
How FTMO Global currently defines non-accepted clients
On its official Global FAQ, FTMO says it does not provide services to certain categories of people and entities, plus a separate list of countries and regions restricted for risk-management or compliance reasons.
Categories of people or entities FTMO Global does not accept
- persons who are both nationals and residents of Iran, Syria, Myanmar, and North Korea
- individuals listed on international sanction lists
- individuals with a criminal record related to financial crime or terrorism
- persons previously banned due to a breach of contract
- corporate clients structured as company trusts
FTMO also mentions conditional exceptions for some nationals of Iran, Syria, or Myanmar if they can document residency in an EEA country and verify a qualifying traditional bank account in the EEA.
FTMO Global restricted countries and regions for 2026
Based on FTMO’s current Global FAQ, the following countries and regions are listed as unavailable due to internal risk-management or compliance decisions.
- Afghanistan
- Anguilla
- Antarctica
- Antigua and Barbuda
- Belarus
- Belize
- Bhutan
- Bouvet Island
- Burundi
- Cape Verde
- Central African Republic
- Chad
- Cook Islands
- Comoros
- Republic of the Congo
- Cuba
- Djibouti
- Dominica
- Equatorial Guinea
- Eritrea
- Eswatini
- Fiji
- Gabon
- Gambia
- Grenada
- Guinea
- Guinea-Bissau
- Holy See (Vatican City State)
- Indonesia
- Iraq
- Kazakhstan
- Kiribati
- Kosovo
- Kyrgyzstan
- Lesotho
- Liberia
- Malawi
- Mali
- Mauritania
- Marshall Islands
- Micronesia
- Nauru
- Niger
- Niue
- Papua New Guinea
- Russian Federation
- Saint Barthélemy
- Saint Kitts and Nevis
- Saint Lucia
- Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
- Samoa
- San Marino
- Sao Tome and Principe
- Seychelles
- Sierra Leone
- Solomon Islands
- Somalia
- South Sudan
- Sudan
- Suriname
- Tajikistan
- Timor-Leste
- Tokelau
- Tonga
- Turkmenistan
- Tuvalu
- Ukraine regions: Crimea, Sevastopol, Donetsk, Kherson, Luhansk, and Zaporizhzhia
- Uzbekistan
- Vanuatu
- Venezuela
- Western Sahara
FTMO also notes two special routing points on the same Global FAQ: clients in Australia can use FTMO services via FTMO AU, and clients in the United States can use FTMO services through FTMO x OANDA.
What changed for U.S. traders
A major shift happened on August 26, 2025, when FTMO announced a strategic partnership with OANDA to make FTMO’s educational platform and simulated trading tools accessible to the U.S. market.
Then later, on December 1, 2025, FTMO confirmed it had completed the acquisition of OANDA after receiving the final regulatory approval in November.
So by 2026, the U.S. route is no longer a vague rumor or workaround. It is an official FTMO pathway with its own eligibility page and its own rules.
Who can join FTMO US in 2026
According to FTMO US’s official FAQ, you must be at least 18 years old and either:
- a legal resident of the United States, or
- a company legally incorporated in the United States with a duly authorised representative
FTMO US also says legal U.S. residents need a valid U.S. tax identification number, such as an SSN, to receive a reward. It further says you may be required to provide proof of ownership of the U.S. bank account where you want to receive your reward, and it specifically says fintech or digital-only payment institutions such as Wise and Chime are not accepted for that purpose.
It also says FTMO Verified Prop Traders are required to submit a completed IRS Form W-9 as part of receiving their first reward.
FTMO US state exceptions you should know
This is one of the biggest practical details for American readers.
FTMO US says that, for eligibility purposes, the United States includes all 50 states plus American Samoa, Guam, Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico, United States Minor Outlying Islands, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. However, it also says it does not currently accept entities from five states.
| Jurisdiction | Status on FTMO US | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Most U.S. states | Accepted | Available for legal U.S. residents who meet FTMO US requirements |
| Arkansas | Not currently accepted | Listed as excluded on FTMO US FAQ |
| Delaware | Not currently accepted | Listed as excluded on FTMO US FAQ |
| Louisiana | Not currently accepted | Listed as excluded on FTMO US FAQ |
| Montana | Not currently accepted | Listed as excluded on FTMO US FAQ |
| South Carolina | Not currently accepted | Listed as excluded on FTMO US FAQ |
| U.S. territories listed by FTMO US | Accepted | Includes Puerto Rico, Guam, American Samoa, U.S. Virgin Islands, Northern Mariana Islands, and U.S. Minor Outlying Islands |
How to check your FTMO eligibility before paying
The cleanest way to avoid mistakes is to keep it simple.
- If you are outside the United States, start with FTMO Global’s “Who can join FTMO?” FAQ.
- If you are in the United States, start with FTMO US’s “Who can join FTMO US?” FAQ.
- Confirm your country, state, and any document requirements before paying any evaluation fee.
- Recheck the official pages if you are relying on an older article, social post, or screenshot.
This matters because rules do change, and prop-firm eligibility is one of those areas where old blog content can go stale quickly.
Why some websites still show mixed or outdated FTMO lists
This happens for a few reasons.
First, many older articles were written before FTMO’s U.S. partnership with OANDA. Second, some writers copy restricted-country lists without updating them when the company changes structure or routing. Third, FTMO Global and FTMO US now operate with different eligibility logic, so a single oversimplified blog post can easily become misleading.
That is why the safest answer is always the official FTMO pages. Use third-party blogs for context if you want, but do not let them be the final authority before you pay.
One important legal point traders should not ignore
FTMO’s January 15, 2026 Trading Update page includes a site-wide disclosure stating that FTMO provides services of simulated trading and educational tools for traders, does not act as a broker, and does not accept deposits.
That matters because some traders still talk about prop firms as if they are broker accounts. FTMO’s own wording makes the model clear.
My final take
If you are searching for the FTMO restricted countries list in 2026, the most important thing is not just memorizing a list. It is knowing which FTMO route applies to you.
For international traders, that usually means checking the Global eligibility page carefully. For American traders, that means checking FTMO US and confirming your state is accepted.
The U.S. situation is the part that trips people up most. The global route and the U.S. route are not the same. Once you understand that, the rest becomes much easier.
So before you buy anything, check the correct page, confirm your jurisdiction, and make sure you are looking at the most recent official information.
Frequently asked questions
Is the United States still restricted on FTMO?
On the Global product, FTMO routes U.S. clients to its affiliated U.S. entity rather than treating them through the standard global path. For U.S. residents, the relevant page is FTMO US.
Can U.S. residents join FTMO in 2026?
Yes, through FTMO US, provided they meet the eligibility requirements and are not in one of the currently excluded states.
Which U.S. states are currently not accepted by FTMO US?
FTMO US currently lists Arkansas, Delaware, Louisiana, Montana, and South Carolina as not accepted.
Does FTMO Global still have a restricted countries list?
Yes. FTMO Global lists both restricted categories of people/entities and a separate list of countries and regions it does not serve.
Is FTMO a broker?
FTMO’s own January 2026 site disclosure says FTMO provides simulated trading and educational tools, does not act as a broker, and does not accept deposits.
Official resources
- FTMO Global — Who can join FTMO?
- FTMO US — Who can join FTMO US?
- FTMO press release — FTMO and OANDA strategic partnership
- FTMO x OANDA press release — OANDA acquisition completed
- FTMO Trading Update — 15 Jan 2026
