Deriv vs FTMO Comparison & Reviews

FeatureDerivFTMO
Company TypeOnline Trading PlatformProprietary Trading Firm
Founded19992015
RegulationRegulated by multiple authorities, including the UK Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), Vanuatu Financial Services Commission (VFSC), Malta Financial Services Authority (MFSA), and Labuan Financial Services Authority (Labuan FSA)Operates as a proprietary trading firm; not regulated as a traditional broker
Trading InstrumentsForex, Commodities, Indices, Stocks, Cryptocurrencies, Synthetic IndicesForex, Commodities, Indices, Cryptocurrencies
Trading PlatformsProprietary platforms: DTrader, DBot, DMT5; MetaTrader 5 (MT5)MetaTrader 4 (MT4), MetaTrader 5 (MT5), cTrader, Proprietary platform
Account TypesReal and Demo AccountsEvaluation Accounts leading to Funded Accounts upon successful completion
Minimum Deposit$10Evaluation fee starting from €155
LeverageUp to 1:1000Up to 1:100
Profit SharingNot applicable; traders retain 100% of profits80% to 90% profit share for traders
Evaluation ProcessNot applicableTwo-step evaluation: FTMO Challenge and Verification
Trading Period for EvaluationNot applicableFTMO Challenge: 30 days; Verification: 60 days
Profit Target for EvaluationNot applicableFTMO Challenge: 10% profit target; Verification: 5% profit target
Maximum Daily LossNot specified5% of initial account balance
Maximum Overall LossNot specified10% of initial account balance
Educational ResourcesArticles, Videos, Webinars, Demo AccountsComprehensive educational resources, including performance coaches and webinars
Customer Support24/7 support via live chat and email24/7 customer support in 18 languages
Deposit and Withdrawal MethodsBank Wire, Credit/Debit Cards, E-wallets (Neteller, Skrill), Cryptocurrencies (Bitcoin, Tether)Not applicable; profits are withdrawn by traders from their own accounts
Additional FeaturesSynthetic Indices offering unique trading opportunitiesFree trial available; scaling plan increasing account size by 25% every four months
SpreadsVariable spreads, competitive, as low as 0.1 pips on major forex pairsCompetitive spreads, typically raw spreads with commissions on some accounts
Commission FeesNo commissions on most accounts, built into spreadsCommission-based pricing on raw spread accounts, no commission on standard accounts
Trading Hours24/7 for synthetic indices, market hours for other instrumentsMarket hours only, no synthetic indices
Order Execution SpeedFast execution with minimal slippageLow-latency execution optimized for professional traders
Slippage and RequotesMinimal slippage, no requotes on synthetic indicesSlippage possible due to real market conditions, no requotes
Stop-Loss and Take-Profit FeaturesStandard stop-loss and take-profit, trailing stop availableStop-loss and take-profit allowed, but strict loss limits apply in funded accounts
Scalping & HedgingAllowedAllowed
Algorithmic TradingSupported through MT5 and DBot (a drag-and-drop bot builder)Allowed, but must comply with FTMO’s risk management rules
Risk Management ToolsNegative balance protection, stop-loss settings, demo accountsDaily and maximum loss limits, scaling plan, free trading journal, risk calculators
Payouts (For Traders)Instant withdrawals via various methodsMonthly payouts to traders, processed within a few days
Funding & Capital ScalingSelf-funded, no external capitalFunded accounts up to $400,000, scaling plan increases capital over time
Challenge Refund PolicyNot applicableChallenge fee refunded if trader successfully completes evaluation and gets funded
News TradingAllowedAllowed but with restrictions during high-impact news events
Copy TradingAvailable via Deriv’s platformNot supported
Mobile TradingAvailable via DTrader and MT5 mobile appsAvailable via MT4, MT5, cTrader mobile apps
Affiliate/Referral ProgramYes, offers commissions for referralsNo direct affiliate program, but traders can promote and earn through their performance
Community & Trader SupportActive community forums, Telegram, and Discord supportDedicated trader support, performance coaches, and active social media engagement
Proprietary TechnologyCustom-built synthetic indices, DBot automationFTMO Trader application for tracking performance, real-time analytics
Global AvailabilityAvailable worldwide, except in restricted regionsAvailable worldwide, but some countries may be restricted
Market Data FeesNo additional fees for market dataNo additional fees, market access included in evaluation cost
Custom Indicators & ScriptsSupports custom indicators on MT5Custom indicators allowed on MT4 and MT5
Leverage FlexibilityUsers can adjust leverage up to 1:1000Fixed leverage up to 1:100, depending on instrument
Minimum Position Size0.01 lots0.01 lots
Maximum Position SizeDepends on the asset and account balanceNo strict limit, but risk management rules apply
Margin Call & Stop-Out LevelsMargin call at 100%, stop-out at 50%No margin call in funded accounts; traders must adhere to drawdown limits
Overnight & Weekend HoldingAllowed, swap fees applyAllowed, but traders must manage risk carefully due to loss limits
Islamic (Swap-Free) AccountsAvailable on requestNot offered
VIP or Premium Account TiersNo distinct VIP tiers, but higher balances may access better conditionsNo tiered accounts, all traders follow the same evaluation and funding process
Bonuses & PromotionsOccasional promotions and deposit bonusesNo deposit bonuses, but successful traders receive full challenge refund
Withdrawal Processing TimeUsually within 24 hours, depends on methodProfit withdrawals processed within a few business days
HFT (High-Frequency Trading)Limited, as execution speed may not support extreme HFT strategiesNot explicitly allowed, traders must comply with risk management rules
API TradingAvailable for advanced usersNot provided
Account Currency OptionsUSD, EUR, GBP, BTC, and moreEUR, USD, GBP, CAD, AUD, CZK
Transaction FeesNo deposit fees, some withdrawal fees may applyNo fees for withdrawing profits
Taxes on ProfitsTraders manage their own tax obligationsTraders are responsible for their tax obligations in their country
KYC RequirementsVerification required for withdrawalsKYC required before receiving a funded account
Regulatory Oversight on Funded AccountsSelf-funded, no external oversightFTMO is not regulated as a broker but follows proprietary trading policies
Multiple Account OwnershipTraders can have multiple accounts under different trading conditionsMultiple funded accounts allowed, up to $400,000 in combined funding
Asset RestrictionsSynthetic indices exclusive to DerivNo synthetic indices, only real market instruments
Historical Data AccessAvailable via MT5Limited historical data in trading platforms
Trading Competitions & RewardsOccasionally hosts contests for tradersNo formal competitions, but traders can scale accounts by meeting profit targets
Social Trading & LeaderboardsCopy trading available through platformNo leaderboards or social trading features
Withdrawal LimitsNo strict limits, depends on account balance and payment methodNo withdrawal limits, traders withdraw their share of profits
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Deriv is a retail broker offering self-funded trading with high leverage and synthetic indices, while FTMO is a proprietary firm providing funded accounts with strict risk management rules. Deriv suits flexible traders, whereas FTMO is ideal for those seeking external capital.