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Comparison · Forex

Detailed Comparison: Funded Trader Markets vs QT Funded (2025)

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1. Business Structure and Operational Transparency

Comparing the corporate foundations of these two firms reveals distinct approaches to geographical presence and operational setup:

  • Geographical Presence: Funded Trader Markets is based in Cyprus, a traditional hub for financial services, although they list Cyprus itself as a banned country for clients. QT Funded operates from South Africa, providing a different regulatory landscape and wider access to African and international markets.
  • Brokerage and Execution: QT Funded uses its own broker, Quant Tekel, which suggests tighter control over the trading environment but requires traders to trust their internal execution. Funded Trader Markets utilizes a Liquidity Provider model across a wider array of platforms including MT5, cTrader, TradeLocker, and MatchTrader, offering more technical flexibility.
  • Transparency: Both firms identify their leadership (Revin Zabala for Funded Trader Markets and Tanswell Sassman for QT Funded), which adds a layer of accountability often missing in the prop firm industry.

2. Evaluation Models and Capital Scaling

The choice between these firms depends heavily on the trader's preferred evaluation path:

  • Step Diversity: Funded Trader Markets focuses on 1-step (Nitro) and 2-step (Prime/Plus) evaluations. QT Funded offers 2-step and 3-step models. The 3-step model at QT Funded allows for a lower entry price point, which is beneficial for traders with limited initial capital.
  • Instant Funding: Both firms offer Instant Funding accounts. However, Funded Trader Markets provides a broader range of sizes (up to $100,000), while QT Funded limits Instant accounts to $99,000 total allocation.
  • Maximum Allocation: Funded Trader Markets allows for a much higher total limit of $1,800,000, compared to QT Funded’s $400,000. This makes Funded Trader Markets more suitable for professional traders looking to scale to high six-figure or seven-figure management.

3. Drawdown Dynamics and Risk Protocols

The way drawdown is calculated is perhaps the most critical difference for a trader's account longevity:

  • Daily Drawdown: QT Funded uses a Balance-based daily drawdown, which is generally considered more trader-friendly as it ignores floating profits. Funded Trader Markets uses an EOD (End of Day) High-watermark for its daily drawdown. This means if you have a large floating profit that retracts before the day ends, your drawdown limit for the next day could be significantly tighter.
  • Static vs. Trailing Drawdown: Both firms use Static Max Drawdown for their premier 2-step accounts, which is the industry gold standard. However, both switch to Trailing Drawdown for their Instant Funding models.
  • The Shield Risk Protocol (Funded Trader Markets): This is a specific constraint where accounts like 2-Step Plus have a Maximum Floating Loss limit of 1%. Breaching this does not lose the account immediately but reduces the profit split significantly (down to 50% or lower), adding a layer of "soft-breach" complexity not found in QT Funded.

4. Trading Restrictions and Strategy Freedom

There is a clear divide in how much freedom a trader has regarding their execution style:

  • News Trading: Funded Trader Markets allows news trading without explicit restrictions across its plans. QT Funded imposes a 5-minute "no-trade" window before and after high-impact news (except for the QT Prime On Demand plan).
  • Expert Advisors (EAs): Funded Trader Markets allows EAs freely. QT Funded requires a pre-approval process for EAs, which could be a hurdle for traders using proprietary or commercial bots.
  • Mandatory Stop Loss: QT Funded requires a Stop Loss to be placed within 60 seconds of opening a trade on funded accounts. Funded Trader Markets does not have a mandatory SL rule, though they use it as a criteria for their "Profit Breach" payouts.
  • Position Stacking: QT Funded strictly prohibits having three or more open positions on the same asset simultaneously. Funded Trader Markets allows stacking, which is essential for traders who scale into positions.

5. Payout Structures and Profit Sharing

While both firms offer high potential splits, the "fine print" differs:

  • Profit Split Percentages: Funded Trader Markets offers up to 100% on Nitro X accounts and a sliding scale for others. QT Funded offers an 80-90% split, but their QT Prime On Demand can reach 100%.
  • Payout Fees: Funded Trader Markets charges a 5% processing fee on crypto payouts, which is a significant cost to consider. QT Funded does not explicitly list a processing fee of that magnitude but requires a 1% to 5% profit hurdle depending on the plan.
  • Payout Guarantee: Funded Trader Markets offers a 24-hour payout guarantee for amounts up to $1000. If they fail, they double the payout. This provides a unique level of security regarding liquidity.
  • Consistency Rules: Both firms employ consistency rules. Funded Trader Markets uses a profit cap per day (e.g., 20-25% of total profit) to prevent "gambling" a single news event. QT Funded uses a similar 25-35% rule.

6. Summary of Differences: When to Choose Which?

Choose Funded Trader Markets if:

  • You want to manage large capital (up to $1.8M).
  • You prefer 1-step evaluations with fast paths to funding.
  • You trade News or use EAs without needing manual approval.
  • You value a payout speed guarantee and don't mind the 5% crypto fee.
  • You are comfortable with EOD High-watermark drawdown calculations.

Choose QT Funded if:

  • You prefer Balance-based daily drawdown (safer for your trading style).
  • You are looking for a 3-step evaluation to save on initial entry fees.
  • You are a disciplined trader who already uses Stop Losses and doesn't stack more than 3 positions.
  • You want the potential for a 100% profit split on a 2-step model without a 5% crypto withdrawal fee.
  • You prefer a firm with a physical HQ in South Africa and a dedicated internal broker.
Field by field

Funded Trader Markets and QT Funded, side by side

Rules, plans, platforms, leverage, commissions and payouts of both, with the option to see only what differs.

Head to head

52 differences

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Headquarters

56 Alekou Konstantinou, Strovolos, 2024, Nicosia, Cyprus

Cape Town, South Africa, Western Cape, 7764, ZA

CEO

Revin Zabala

Tanswell Sassman

Country

Cyprus

South Africa

Foundation

2024

2023

Banned Countries
Cuba, Syria, Iran, Lebanon, Iraq, Yemen, North Korea, Cyprus
Cyprus, Iran, North Korea (Democratic People's Republic of Korea), Sudan, Syria, Russia
Assets
Commodities, Forex, Indices, Crypto
Forex, Commodities, Indices, Crypto
Brokers

Liquidity Provider

Quant Tekel
Refund
Yes

Full refund after 3rd payout. Not available for Instant Funding Accounts and 1-step Nitro X Accounts

Yes

Only when purchasing with add-on

Payout Fee

5% processing fee on crypto payouts (covers blockchain costs, liquidity swaps, and infrastructure). Only TRC20 USDT supported for crypto payouts.

No data
Platforms
cTrader, TradeLocker, MatchTrader, Metatrader 5
Metatrader 5, cTrader, TradeLocker
Demo Account
MatchTrader
ID-Passwordpzddx08j7q
TradeLocker
ID-PasswordK8aqkT,YR_gn
cTrader
IDctid8638354Passwordspreadtest
Metatrader 5
ID100003PasswordAemI1#0n0G0ServerFundedTraderMarkets-server
Metatrader 5
ID10255137Password6M!3h%PzFrServerQuantTekel-Server
TradeLocker
IDspreads@qtfunded.comPassword5Tagx>J}SnpKServerQTEKEL
Stop Out Level

100%

No data
Payout Methods
Crypto, Rise
Crypto, Transfer, Card
Payment Methods
Card, Crypto
Crypto, Transfer, Card, PayPal
Margin Call Level

110%

No data
Payout Frequency

On Demand, provided you have met these specific criteria:

  • Consistency Rule
  • Minimum Payout Amount of 1% of Initial Balance (Before-Split)
  • Minimum Trading Days

Infinity Plus: requests any day, including weekends, once eligible. Requests require review and approval; trading pauses during review.

  • QT ONE: 4-day cycle
  • QT TWO: 14-day cycle
  • QT INSTANT: 4-day cycle
  • QT Power: 14-day cycle for accounts purchased from August 11, 2026. Accounts purchased on or before August 10 receive the first payout on demand, then move to a 14-day cycle.
  • QT 1 Step (BNPL): 14-day standard cycle
  • QT Bonus (promotional accounts): 30-day cycle
Payout Guarantee

The 24-hour payout guarantee ensures that you are eligible to receive your full payout within 24 business hours of your payout request. If Funded Trader Markets fail to meet this time frame, they will double the requested payout and issue a free account of the same size. This guarantee is only applicable for payouts up to $1000.

No data
Alternative Currency
No data
GBP
Maximum Withdrawal
  • 2-Step Prime: $15,000 per month
  • 1-Step Nitro X: $5,000 per account and request, and required to leave a buffer of 50% of the profits
  • Crypto payouts: $5,000 per transaction (TRC20 USDT only)

Infinity Plus: no cap per payout and no mandatory balance buffer. After the first approved payout, the loss floor is the initial balance; a withdrawal must not cause balance or equity to touch that floor.

No data
Minimum Withdrawal
  • 1-Step Nitro X: Must make at least a 3% profit before withdrawal
  • All other accounts: 1% of initial balance

Infinity Plus: minimum request $50; balance must be at least 1% above initial capital to request. No additional new-profit requirement between consecutive requests.

1% of profit ($100 min) — except QT INSTANT: 5% of profit, and a 3% buffer applies (8% profit must be reached before the first payout request).

Forex
100:1
50:1
Metals
30:1
15:1
Energies
30:1
10:1
Indices
30:1
20:1
Crypto
  • BTC, ETH: 5:1
  • Other crypto: 2:1
1:1
Forex
7 / lot
4 / lot
Metals
7 / lot
4 / lot
Energies
7 / lot
4 / lot
Indices
0
4 / lot
Crypto
0
4 / lot
Commission-Free Option
No data
Yes
Swap Free
Yes

All accounts are swap free

Yes
Account Reset

A reset gives a trader who has violated their account rules (such as exceeding the Daily or Overall Loss Limit) the ability to restore the account to its original starting balance paying a fee, and begin trading again.

1-Step Nitro X (Evaluation Phase)

  • Reset Limit: Unlimited
  • Reset Window: Within 30 days of the original purchase date

1-Step Nitro and 1-Step Nitro X (Funded Phase)

  • Reset Limit: One-time only

Instant Standard

  • Reset Limit: One-time only
  • Reset Window: Within 24 hours after the breach

Phase 2 reset available with add-on

Add-ons
Yes

90% Profit Split (2-Step Plus): It has no cost on money but Shield Risk Protocol will apply now on evaluation phase as well

Infinity Plus: upgrade for 1-Step Infinity; removes the mandatory payout buffer, payout caps and additional profit requirement between consecutive requests.

Yes
  • Variable Spreads
  • Usage of EA
  • Swap Free
  • 10% Profit Split Extra (80% → 90%)
  • Refund on First Payout
  • 14 Day Payout cycle
  • 7 Day Payout cycle
Instant
Yes
Yes
One Step
Yes
Yes
Account scaling
No
Yes
Two Steps
Yes
Yes
Max Drawdown
  • Instant, 1-Step: Trailing
  • 2-Step: Static

Infinity Plus: static floor during evaluation and until the first approved funded payout. It then moves once to the initial balance and stays there permanently; touching it with balance or equity breaches the account.

  • QT ONE: 6% static
  • QT TWO: 8% static
  • QT INSTANT: 6% trailing, locked at starting balance once a withdrawal is made
  • QT Power: 8% static
  • QT 1 Step (BNPL): 6% trailing
Profit Split

Instant Standard, Instant Pro

  • 1st payout: 50%
  • 2nd payout: 60%
  • 3rd payout: 70%
  • 4th payout and next: 80%

Instant Plus

80%

2-Step Plus

70% (up to 90% with 2-Step Plus add-on)

1-Step Nitro

90% for the first $10,000 and 80% after that

1-Step Nitro X

100%

  • QT ONE: 70%
  • QT TWO: 80%
  • QT INSTANT: 100%
  • QT Power: 80%
  • QT 1 Step (BNPL): 80%
    Upgradeable to 90% with the "10% Profit Split Extra" add-on on eligible plans.
Free Trial
No
No
Profit After Breach

If your Simulated Funded account with Funded Trader Markets is in profit but has been breached, you may still qualify for a withdrawal with a 50% split, provided the following conditions are met:

  • Stop Loss Usage: Every trade had an SL in place.
  • Loss Limits: No single position incurred a loss exceeding 1% of the account's initial balance.
No data
Daily Drawdown

Highest balance or equity recorded at the end of the day (EOD high-watermark

Infinity Plus: daily loss allowance is based on initial capital; the daily stop-out resets at 5 PM ET from the higher end-of-day balance or equity.

  • QT ONE: 3% trailing (fixed amount, threshold recalculated daily on the higher of previous close balance or equity)
  • QT TWO: 4% fixed (balance-based)
  • QT INSTANT: 3% fixed
  • QT Power: 4% fixed
  • QT 1 Step (BNPL): 3% daily trailing
Three Steps
No
No
Max Allocation

Evaluations

  • 2-Step Plus: $200,000
  • 1-Step Nitro: $300,000
  • 1-Step Nitro X: $150,000

Instant Funding

  • Instant Standard: $100,000
  • Instant Pro: $100,000
  • Instant Plus: $100,000

Infinity Plus: maximum allocation $20,000. Combined 1-Step Infinity and Infinity Plus allocation: $60,000.

  • Max total funded allocation: $300,000
  • Max Instant funded allocation: $100,000
  • No duplicate asset trading when at limit
Merge Accounts
Yes
Yes
Maximum Trading Days

Unlimited

Unlimited

Minimum Trading Days

Infinity Plus: no minimum trading days in evaluation or funded.

  • QT ONE: no minimum on the evaluation (can pass in a single day); 4 days when funded
  • QT TWO: 4 days per phase
  • QT INSTANT: 4 days when funded
  • QT Power: 4 days in each evaluation phase and 4 days per funded payout cycle
  • QT 1 Step (BNPL): no minimum on the evaluation; 5 days when funded
Monthly Competition
No
No
Minimum Profitable Days

1-Step Nitro / 1-Step Nitro X

  • Evaluation: no minimum days.
  • Funded Simulation: 5 minimum days, only days with ≥0.5% profit count.

2-Step Plus

  • Evaluation: 3 minimum days per phase.
  • Funded Simulation: 5 minimum days, only days with ≥0.5% profit.

Instant Standard / Pro / Plus

  • Payout eligibility: 5 minimum days, only days with ≥0.5% profit count.
  • Instant Pro: trading-day requirement can be removed with a checkout add-on.
  • QT TWO: 4 days of +0.5% profit per cycle
  • QT INSTANT: 4 days of +1% profit per cycle
  • QT ONE: not required
Expert Advisor (EA)
Yes
Limited

Before using EAs, they must go through a pre-approval process.

VPN
Yes
Yes
Hedging
Yes
Yes
Requires Stop Loss
No
Yes

A Stop Loss must be placed within 60 seconds of opening a trade. Applies to QT TWO and QT INSTANT (funded accounts). QT ONE has no stop loss rule.

Scalping
Yes
Yes
Stacking / Layering (DCA)
Yes
No

Cannot have three or more open positions on the same asset at the same time (only funded account

Martingale
Yes

Martingale and layering are allowed per account (increasing position size after a loss, or opening multiple positions in the same direction at different price levels). Running these strategies across multiple accounts simultaneously is prohibited and counts as abusive behavior.

No data
Maximum Risk Limit
Yes

Shield Risk Protocol

Maximum Floating Loss Limits

  • Instant Plus, 2-Step Plus: Maximum floating loss = 1% of account balance

Breach Consequences

  • Breach it once = 80% profit split drops to 50%
  • Breach it repeatedly = payout share reduces permanently to 40%, 30% and finally 20%

Infinity Plus: no additional risk limits; daily and overall drawdown limits still apply.

Yes
  • QT ONE (Funded): 1% max floating loss across all open positions
  • QT TWO (Funded): 1% max floating loss (first violation is a soft breach, second is a hard breach)
  • QT TWO (Evaluation): exposure must stay under 75% of the daily drawdown limit
  • QT INSTANT (Funded): 1% max exposure per instrument
  • QT Power (Evaluation): exposure must stay under 75% of the daily drawdown limit
  • QT Power (Funded): no exposure limit
  • QT 1 Step (BNPL, Funded): 2% floating loss
Copy Trading
Yes

Built-in Copy Trading lets traders link their own FTM accounts and mirror trades, including from Evaluation to Funded phases. Available across supported platforms. Account sharing and group trading remain prohibited.

Yes

Allowed without restrictions when allocation is lower than $300,000.
Not allowed when the allocation is $300,000 or above.

News Trading
Yes
Limited
  • No new entries or exits within the 10-minute window around a restricted news event (5 minutes before and 5 minutes after).
  • Order modifications ARE permitted during that window: adjusting stop loss, modifying take profit and cancelling orders.
  • Positions or limit orders placed more than 5 minutes before the release (with SL and TP set) may remain open or be triggered during the event.
  • Restricted releases: CPI, FOMC statement and meetings, Non-Farm Payrolls and USD PMI. Red folder events restrict every pair involving that currency and any index priced in it.
  • News source: Forex Factory.
  • The News Rule does NOT apply to QT ONE, QT INSTANT, QT Power or QT 1 Step (BNPL) accounts.
Inactivity Rule

Accounts inactive for 30 days are subject to closure.

  • QT TWO: no inactivity rule
  • QT INSTANT, QT Power, QT 1 Step (BNPL): 14 days
  • QT ONE: the comparison table states 7 days while the plan article states 14 days; confirm with support before relying on it.
    The period runs from the purchase date if no trade has been placed, or from the most recent closed trade.
Consistency Rule
Yes

Instant (all)

  • If a single day's profit is more than 20% of your total profit in the Instant Funding Account, you have to keep trading until the best day profit is less than 20% of the total profit.

1-Step Nitro

50% on evaluation phase and 45% on funded phase

1-Step Nitro X

25% on funded phase

2-Step Plus

No consistency rule on evaluation. No consistency rule on funded phase.

Infinity Plus: no consistency rule in evaluation or funded.

Yes
  • QT INSTANT: 30%
  • QT Power: 35% in both evaluation and funded
  • QT 1 Step (BNPL): 20%
  • QT ONE, QT TWO: no consistency rule
Hold Weekend
Yes
Yes
Prohibited Strategies
  • Using Manipulative Software or Techniques
  • Non-Standard Trading Practices
  • Using External or Slow Data Feeds
  • Exploiting Service Errors
  • Manipulative Trading
  • Hedging Across Accounts
  • Account Management Services
  • Group Trading
  • High-Frequency Trading
  • News Scalping
  • Arbitrage Trading
  • Multi-Account Reverse Trading
  • Tick Scalping
  • Internal Reverse Trading
  • Group Hedging
  • Account Management Services
  • Account Sharing
  • All-or-Nothing
  • Latency Trading
  • Arbitrage Trading
  • High-Frequency Trading
  • Tick scalping
  • Reverse Trading or Group Hedging
  • Order book spamming
  • Flooding the server with messages due to incorrect use of algorithm
  • One side betting
  • Trading behaviours that the Risk Department deem Toxic
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