Where you trade
Both firms move away from traditional retail platforms like MT4/MT5 to offer proprietary environments specifically designed for perpetual contracts. E8 Markets Perpetuals operates through E8 Terminal, a platform built for simulated trading that integrates deeply with its data source. On the other side, FTM Perps provides the FTM Terminal, which focuses on a 24/7 trading experience across all asset classes, including weekends. These terminals are designed to handle the specific mechanics of perpetuals, such as the absence of traditional expiration dates and different margin calculations.
Who executes your orders
The execution environment is a key differentiator in how price action is felt. E8 Markets Perpetuals is powered by the Hyperliquid data feed, a decentralized perpetual exchange protocol known for its transparency and liquidity in the crypto space, now applied to traditional instruments. This ensures that the simulated execution closely mirrors real-market depth. FTM Perps uses its own proprietary execution engine within the FTM Terminal; while they do not disclose a specific external feed provider, their infrastructure is optimized for high-speed execution and a unified fee structure across all instruments.
Leverage and margin
The risk boundaries are defined by how much room the firm gives you before closing your positions.
- E8 Markets Perpetuals: Offers 25:1 leverage on Forex, 15:1 on Bitcoin/Ethereum, and 15:1 on Indices and Metals. Its drawdown rules vary: the E8 One account uses a 6% dynamic drawdown, while the E8 Pro uses an 8% static drawdown. The daily loss limit is tighter on the Pro version (2.5%) compared to the One version (4%).
- FTM Perps: Provides significantly higher leverage on Forex at 50:1 (for EUR and JPY pairs), while Crypto is lower at 8:1 for BTC/ETH. Their drawdown is static, measured from the starting balance. A unique mechanic here is that the "floor" moves to the starting balance only after the first approved payout, becoming permanent thereafter. The daily drawdown is set at 3% of the starting balance.
Markets available
The range of tradable assets is extensive in both cases, taking advantage of the "perps" model to trade 24/7.
- E8 Markets Perpetuals: Includes Forex, Indices, Commodities, Crypto, and Stocks.
- FTM Perps: Offers a similar range but adds ETFs to the mix. It specifically highlights that all its markets, including traditional ones, are available for trading 24/7, providing a continuous trading environment that eliminates weekend gaps.
What the setup lets you do
The rules dictate the trading style that the platform actually supports:
- E8 Markets Perpetuals: Fully allows EAs and Copy Trading. However, it has a scalping restriction: you cannot hold more than 50% of your trades for less than one minute. News trading is unrestricted in the E8 Pro and the evaluation phase of E8 One, but prohibited in the performance account of E8 One (5-minute window). It also imposes a 40% consistency rule on the E8 One performance account.
- FTM Perps: Currently does not support EAs (API access is listed as "coming soon"). It is much more permissive for manual traders: it allows Martingale, layering, and has no minimum hold time for scalping. News trading is allowed across all plans without restrictions. There is no consistency rule, allowing for more aggressive or irregular trading volumes.
What the setup costs
The total cost of trading includes the entry fee and the execution friction (commissions):
- Entry Price: For a $5,000 account, E8 Markets is more accessible, starting at $32 (Pro) or $48 (One). FTM Perps charges $68 (Infinity) or $78 (Infinity Plus) for the same size.
- Commissions: E8 uses a Maker/Taker model. For traditional instruments, it is 0.003% / 0.009%, and for Crypto, 0.015% / 0.045%. FTM Perps simplifies this with a flat 0.025% commission charged only at opening (closing is free) for all instruments.
- Payouts: E8 Markets offers a 80% to 100% profit split with payouts as fast as 3 days (One) or daily (Pro). FTM Perps starts at 80%, scaling up to 90% after the sixth payout. FTM offers a unique Payout Guarantee: if not processed within 24 business hours, the payout is doubled (up to $1,000).
Better setup for
- E8 Markets Perpetuals is the better setup for algorithmic traders who use EAs and those looking for the lowest entry cost with a highly reputable data feed like Hyperliquid.
- FTM Perps is the better setup for discretionary scalpers and news traders who want to avoid consistency rules, trade with higher Forex leverage, and value the flexibility of 24/7 trading across all assets.
Frequently asked questions
Which firm is cheaper to start a $5,000 challenge, E8 Markets or FTM Perps?
E8 Markets Perpetuals is significantly cheaper, offering a $5,000 account for as little as $32 in its Pro Perpetual version or $48 in its One Perpetual version. In contrast, FTM Perps requires an investment of $68 for its Infinity plan or $78 for the Infinity Plus plan for the same account size.
Does E8 Markets or FTM Perps offer faster payouts for profitable traders?
Both firms are highly competitive, but E8 Markets Perpetuals allows for daily payout requests specifically on its E8 Pro Perpetual accounts. FTM Perps also allows payouts on any day, including weekends, provided the balance is at least 1% above the starting balance. FTM adds extra security with a guarantee to double the payout (up to $1,000) if it is not processed within 24 business hours.
Can I use Expert Advisors (EAs) on both E8 Markets and FTM Perps?
No. E8 Markets Perpetuals fully allows the use of EAs and copy trading, making it suitable for automated strategies. However, FTM Perps currently does not support EAs, although they have announced that API access for bots will be available in the future. Currently, FTM is strictly for manual trading or strategies that do not rely on external scripts.
Which firm offers higher leverage for Forex trading, E8 Markets or FTM Perps?
FTM Perps offers higher leverage for Forex, reaching up to 50:1 on major pairs like EUR and JPY. E8 Markets Perpetuals limits its Forex leverage to 25:1 across both its E8 One and E8 Pro plans. This makes FTM more suitable for traders who require higher buying power for currency pairs.
