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Max Loss (ML) Buffer

Protect the 10% equity floor (Maximum Loss) — before it’s too late

FTMO US rule: your equity must never drop below 90% of the initial balance. Use the live buffer calculator and playbook below.

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Updated: August 27, 2025 · U.S. rules

Quick take: Maximum Loss (ML) in FTMO US is 10% of the initial balance. It’s an equity rule that applies across the whole period (it does not reset daily). Your equity floor is initial balance × 90%. Breach occurs the moment equity touches or falls below that floor — even intra-candle.

Maximum Loss (ML) — the rule in one formula

Equity floor = initial balance × (1 − ML%)

Current equity = initial balance + today’s closed P/L + current open P/L + commissions + swaps

Stay safe condition: current equity > equity floor

ML Buffer Calculator (client-side, no APIs)

Enter live numbers from your platform. Use the Equity override if you want to paste the equity directly; it will ignore P/L fields.

Equity floor (90% of initial by default)

$90,000

Usage of ML so far: 0%

Current equity

$100,000

Status: OK

Room to ML breach — now

$10,000

This is how much adverse move you can still take right now.

Room to ML breach — if flat

$10,000

Close all positions → this becomes your remaining buffer.

Guidance: Keep a “hard stop” at $2,000 (≈20% of remaining ML buffer). If you’re within $1,000 of the floor, flatten and reassess.

Worked examples (to make ML unambiguous)

InitialML (10%)ClosedOpenCostsEquityFloorBreach?Room now
$100,000$10,000$−3,000$−6,000$−200 $90,800$90,000No$800
$100,000$10,000$−4,500$−5,600$−100 $89,800$90,000Yes$0
$200,000$20,000$+1,500$−15,000$−300 $186,200$180,000No$6,200

ML vs MDL — how they interact

RuleLevelCountsResetsWhat to do
Maximum Loss (ML) 10% of initial All closed/open + costs (equity) Never (during the period) Run a “hard stop” policy when ML buffer < 20%
Maximum Daily Loss (MDL) 5% of initial Today’s closed + current open + costs Daily at midnight CE(S)T Set a “soft stop” before MDL (e.g., 70–80% usage)
Guard your equity floor and pass cleanly. Then claim your fee refund with the first Reward. Start FTMO US (affiliate).

Notes & best practices (U.S. rules)

  • Plan from the floor. Calculate the equity floor before the session; avoid stacking correlated risk that could gap through the buffer.
  • Flatten when buffer is tiny. If Room now < 2× your typical trade risk, skip new entries until you rebuild.
  • Costs count. Commissions/swaps reduce equity; don’t let overnight financing silently eat your buffer.
  • Use partials. Bank partial profits to lift equity and expand your ML room mid-sequence.
  • Log it. Add columns to your journal: ML floor, Room now, Room if flat. This improves decision discipline.

Scenario planner — how much room do you have?

Use the calculator to test “what-ifs.” Example for $100k initial (floor $90k): if you’re at $92k equity, you have $2k room. A 40-pip stop at $10/pip consumes $400; five consecutive losses would breach — unless you down-shift size or rebuild with partial wins.

Never guess your ML buffer again

Check it before every sequence. Keep equity above the floor, then scale calmly into Prime/Supreme territory.

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FAQs — Maximum Loss (U.S.)

Does ML reset daily?

No. Maximum Loss is an all-time equity floor across the period; it does not reset at midnight.

Do commissions and swaps count toward ML?

Yes. Equity includes closed P/L, open P/L, and costs (commissions & swaps). They reduce your room to the floor.

How is ML different from MDL?

ML is 10% of initial balance measured on equity and never resets. MDL is 5% of initial measured on today’s closed+open+costs and resets at midnight CE(S)T.

Official resources

Disclosure: FTMO US provides a simulated, educational environment. Performance in simulation does not guarantee live-market results. This article includes a partner affiliate link.