AE
3 Years 
Max. allocation$200K
Forex and CFD
City Traders Imperium
Traded on MT5 and Match Trader.
Markets
Platforms
-
MT5
-
Match Trader
- Max. allocation
- $4M
- Leverage on FX
- 1:30
Rules at a Glance
City Traders Imperium rules in full
1-Step Challenge: 8% profit target, 5% balance-based max DD, no daily DD limit, min 3 profitable days, no time limit, news trading allowed. Funded: no profit target, DD maintained, first payout after 10 days. 2-Step: Phase1=10% target, Phase2=5% target, 10% balance-based max DD, min 3 profitable days each phase. Instant Funding: no evaluation, 6% static balance-based DD, no daily DD, no trailing. Profit share Instant: 50% level 1 → 70%–100% as account scales. Scaling plan: 50% balance increase at each milestone up to $4M (Challenge) / $4M (Instant).
Scaling rules
City Traders Imperium review
City Traders Imperium, known as CTI, has funded traders since 2018 and was founded in London. Its evaluations and funded accounts are run by City Traders Imperium Limited, registered in Anjouan in the Comoros with an operating address in San José, Costa Rica, while its trading academy is run by CTI FZCO in Dubai. Traders choose MetaTrader 5, which is not offered to US residents, or Match Trader, which is open to US traders. There are four programs. The 1 Step Challenge asks for an 8% target with a 5% trailing drawdown and no daily loss limit, and costs from $29 for $2,500 to $449 for $100,000. The 2 Step Challenge uses targets of 10% and 5%, a 5% daily limit and a 10% static drawdown, priced from $39 to $549 across the same sizes. Instant Funding skips the evaluation and starts traders on half the chosen size with a 50% split until a 10% gain doubles the balance, with prices from $79 to $1,599. Direct Funding starts on the full balance with a 70% split and costs from $229 for $5,000 to $3,999 for $80,000. Both funded programs use a 6% static drawdown. There is no time limit on any program, and challenge accounts start at an 80% split that can rise to 100% through the VIP program.
Suits
Patient forex and index traders who always use a stop loss and want no time limits, no daily loss limit on the one step model and a route to a 100% split.
Less suited to
Avoid City Traders Imperium if you hedge, trade grids, rely on a VPN or open trades without setting a stop loss straight away.
Pros
- No program has a time limit, and news trading and weekend holding are allowed at every stage.
- The 1 Step Challenge has an 8% target, no daily loss limit and accepts third party expert advisors.
- Instant and Direct Funding use a fixed 6% drawdown from the starting balance with no daily limit.
- The VIP program raises the split to 90% and then 100%, with weekly and then on request payouts.
- Prices start at $29 for a $2,500 one step challenge, and a free trial needs no card.
Cons
- Every trade needs a visible stop loss within one minute, or it is closed and its profit is excluded.
- Hedging and grid trading are banned on all programs, and martingale is limited to the 1 Step Challenge.
- Standard challenge payouts are monthly, and the first needs seven profitable trading days.
- Crypto payouts carry a 5% fee and are capped at $1,000 a month.
- Instant Funding starts on half the chosen balance with a 50% split until the first 10% milestone.
Verdict
CTI's main appeal is freedom of trading style during the evaluation. No program has a time limit, news trading and weekend holding are allowed at every stage, and the 1 Step Challenge has no daily loss limit and accepts third party expert advisors. Its 8% target comes with a 5% drawdown that trails the highest closed balance, so the floor rises as profits build and the room for a losing run does not grow with the account. Payout terms reward traders who stay. Challenge accounts start at an 80% split with monthly payouts, and the VIP program adds weekly payouts and a 90% split at Bronze, then payouts on request and a 100% split at Silver, once set numbers of payouts are completed. The first payout needs seven profitable days of at least 0.5% each and a profit of at least 2% or $100. Several rules deserve attention before buying. Every trade needs a visible stop loss within one minute of opening, or it is closed automatically and its profit does not count. Hedging and grid trading are banned on every program, martingale is only allowed on the 1 Step Challenge within a 2% risk cap, and VPN use is prohibited. Crypto payouts carry a 5% fee and a $1,000 monthly cap. Trustpilot shows a rating of 4.2 from more than 1,600 reviews. CTI suits patient traders who use stop losses as standard and plan to keep an account long enough to climb the VIP ladder.
Payouts
Challenge (Funded phase): 80%–100% profit share. Instant Funding: starts 50% at level 1, scales to 70%–100% as trader progresses through levels. Payouts on demand (any time).
Leverage and Commissions
| Market | Leverage | Commission |
|---|---|---|
| FX | 1:30 | per lot. ($5) |
| Metals | 1:5 | per lot. ($5) |
| Indices | 1:10 | per lot. ($0.5) |
| Energy | Not listed | per lot. ($0.05) |
| Crypto | 1:1 | No commission (No commission) |
| Other Commodities | 1:10 | Not listed |
Leverage is the same on Instant, 1 Step and 2 Step accounts.
Firm Details
- In operation
- 8 years
- Trustpilot
- 4.2 out of 5
- Platforms
- MT5, Match Trader
- Markets
- FX, Metals, Indices, Other Commodities, Energy, Crypto
- Payment methods
- Credit/Debit Card, Cryptocurrency, and Bank Transfer
- Payout methods
- crypto and bank wire transfers
Questions about City Traders Imperium
Is City Traders Imperium legit?
City Traders Imperium has funded traders since 2018 and was founded in London. Its programs are run by City Traders Imperium Limited, registered in Anjouan in the Comoros under licence L15969/CTI, with an operating address in Costa Rica, and its academy is run by CTI FZCO in Dubai. Trustpilot shows a rating of 4.2 from more than 1,600 reviews, and the firm publishes payout proof on its website.
How much does a City Traders Imperium challenge cost?
The 1 Step Challenge costs $29 for $2,500, $79 for $10,000 and $449 for $100,000. The 2 Step Challenge costs $39, $99 and $549 for the same sizes. Instant Funding runs from $79 for a $2,500 account to $1,599 for $80,000, and Direct Funding from $229 for $5,000 to $3,999 for $80,000. All are one time fees with no subscription.
What is the difference between CTI Instant Funding and Direct Funding?
Both skip the evaluation, use a 6% static drawdown with no daily limit and can scale to $2 million per account. Instant Funding starts on half the chosen size with a 50% split, and the balance doubles to full size after a 10% gain. Direct Funding starts on the full balance with a 70% split, and it costs more for the same size.
How do City Traders Imperium payouts work?
Profits move first to the dashboard wallet, which takes up to two business days for a risk review, and wallet withdrawals are then processed within one business day by bank transfer or USDT on the Tron network. The minimum withdrawal is $100. Crypto payouts carry a 5% fee and a $1,000 monthly cap. Standard challenge accounts are paid in the last five days of each month.
Does City Traders Imperium allow news trading and expert advisors?
News trading is allowed on every program with no restricted window, and positions can be held overnight and over the weekend. The 1 Step Challenge accepts third party expert advisors. The 2 Step Challenge, Instant Funding and Direct Funding only allow expert advisors the trader owns, with the source code supplied on request. Bots built on arbitrage, high frequency trading or price feed errors are banned on all programs.
Does City Traders Imperium have a scaling plan?
Yes. On the challenges, an account that gains 10% over four months, with at least two profitable months and a positive balance, grows by 50% of its original size up to $100,000, then in steps to $200,000 per account and $400,000 in total. Instant and Direct Funding balances double after each 10% milestone, subject to a 20% consistency score, up to $2 million per account.
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