CTI offers four ways to get a funded account. Two are challenges you pass first: the 1-Step and the 2-Step. Two skip the challenge completely: Instant Funding and Direct Funding.
The short version:
- Want the lowest target and no daily drawdown? Choose the 1-Step Challenge.
- Prefer the classic two-phase route with the biggest drawdown? Choose the 2-Step Challenge.
- Want to skip the challenge at the lowest price? Choose Instant Funding.
- Want to get fully funded right away and receive payouts on demand? Choose Direct Funding.
Every program lets you trade the news, hold trades overnight and hold over the weekend. None of them has a time limit, and your drawdown is always measured on your balance, not your equity.
You can trade on MetaTrader 5 or Match-Trader, which has TradingView charts built in. Traders in the US are welcome too, but they trade on Match-Trader, because MetaTrader 5 isn’t available to US traders.
The Two Challenges: 1-Step vs 2-Step
| 1-Step Challenge | 2-Step Challenge | |
|---|---|---|
| Phases | 1 | 2 |
| Profit target | 8% | 10%, then 5% |
| Max drawdown | 5% trailing, balance based | 10% static |
| Daily drawdown | None | 5% |
| Min profitable days | 3 | 3 per phase |
| Expert Advisors | All, including third-party | Your own EAs only |
| Martingale | Allowed | Not allowed |
| Price | $29 ($2,500) to $449 ($100,000) | $39 ($2,500) to $549 ($100,000) |
| First payout | 7 days | 7 days |
| Profit share | 80%, up to 100% with VIP | 80%, up to 100% with VIP |
| Max funding | $200K per account, $400K total | $200K per account, $400K total |
The 1-Step is one phase with one target. Hit 8% with at least 3 profitable days and you’re funded. There’s no daily drawdown, just a 5% trailing drawdown based on your balance. It’s also the only program that allows third-party Expert Advisors and Martingale, so it suits traders who use bought EAs or grid style systems.
The 2-Step is the classic route. You make 10% in Phase 1 and 5% in Phase 2, with at least 3 profitable days in each. You get a 10% static drawdown, the most total room of any CTI program, plus a 5% daily drawdown. The daily limit is 5% of your starting account size, measured from each day’s starting balance, so every day starts fresh.
If you fail either challenge, you can reset it with a 15% discount.
Skip the Challenge: Instant Funding vs Direct Funding
| Instant Funding | Direct Funding | |
|---|---|---|
| Evaluation | None | None |
| Starting balance | 50% of your account size | 100% of your account size |
| Starting profit share | 50% | 70% |
| Max drawdown | 6% static | 6% static |
| Daily drawdown | None | None |
| Price | $79 ($2,500) to $1,599 ($80,000) | $229 ($5,000) to $3,999 ($80,000) |
| First payout | 5 days, once fully funded | On demand, from day 5 |
| Max funding | $2M per account, $4M total | $2M per account, $4M total |
Instant Funding starts you on half your account size. Make 10% and your balance doubles to the full account size, which is your fully funded balance. From there it keeps doubling every time you make another 10%. Your profit share starts at 50%, rises to 70% once you’re fully funded, then 80% from the next level.
Direct Funding skips that first step. You trade the full account size from day one, start on a 70% profit share and can request payouts on demand from day 5. It costs more, because you get the full balance and the higher share straight away.
Both use a 6% static drawdown calculated from your starting balance, with no daily limit. Both allow your own EAs only, and no Martingale.
Which Program Fits the Way You Trade?
- You use third-party EAs or Martingale: the 1-Step is the only program that allows them.
- You hate daily limits: the 1-Step, Instant Funding and Direct Funding have none.
- You want the most drawdown to work with: the 2-Step’s 10% static drawdown is the largest.
- You want to be funded straight away: Instant Funding is the cheapest way to skip the challenge.
- You want your full balance and a bigger share from the first trade: Direct Funding.
- You want the biggest account possible: Instant Funding and Direct Funding scale to $2M per account, against $200K on the challenges.
- You’re new to prop trading: try the free Challenge trial first. Same platforms and rules, no card needed.
Payouts and Profit Share
First payout. On the 1-Step and 2-Step, your first payout comes after 7 days. On Instant Funding it comes 5 days after you’re fully funded. On Direct Funding you can request it on demand from day 5.
After that. Funded traders are paid:
- Monthly on the 1-Step and 2-Step, in the last 5 days of each month.
- Twice a month on Instant Funding and Direct Funding, on the 14th or 15th and in the last 5 days of the month.
- On every program, once you reach VIP Bronze, you skip this schedule and get paid weekly. At VIP Silver, you can request a payout any time, even every day.
If you reach 10% net profit, you can request a payout without waiting for the next payout date.
Profit share. You start at 80% on the challenges, 50% on Instant Funding and 70% on Direct Funding. The VIP program takes every program to 90% at Bronze and 100% at Silver.
Payouts are approved and processed within 24 hours.
Scaling: How Big Each Account Can Grow
Challenges.
- You qualify to scale when you’ve made at least 10% over the last 4 months, been profitable in at least 2 of those months and are in profit when you scale.
- Each time, your account grows by 50% of its original size, up to $100,000.
- After that it grows by 25% at each milestone, up to $200,000 per account and $400,000 in total.
Instant Funding and Direct Funding. Every 10% you make doubles your balance, up to $2,000,000 per account and $4,000,000 in total. To scale, you also need a 20% consistency score. This only applies to scaling: there’s no consistency rule to get paid.
The VIP Program
Once you’re funded, the CTI VIP program rewards you for protecting your account and keeping it funded over time. It works the same on every program.
- Bronze: 90% profit share, weekly payouts, one 1-on-1 coaching session a month and free CTI merchandise.
- Silver: 100% profit share, payouts any time, priority payouts and two 1-on-1 coaching sessions a month.
- Gold: everything in Silver, plus a potential monthly salary for a year and more flexible funding conditions.
Common Questions
Is there a time limit on any program?
No. None of the four programs has a time limit.
Can I trade the news and hold over the weekend?
Yes, on every program.
Which program pays out fastest?
Direct Funding, with payouts on demand from day 5. Instant Funding pays 5 days after you’re fully funded, and the challenges pay after 7 days.
Which program is cheapest?
The 1-Step, from $29 for a $2,500 account. Instant Funding is the cheapest way to skip the challenge, from $79.
Do I pay tax on my payouts?
Usually, yes. Payouts are generally taxed as self-employment income, and the rules depend on where you live. Our funded trader tax guide explains how it works in the US and the UK.
Where can I find the full rules?
Each program page has the complete rules, and the Help Center covers payouts, KYC and trading rules in detail.
