City Traders Imperium is a Dubai-based CFD prop firm founded in 2018, making it one of the older firms still operating in the evaluation model space. It offers 1-step, 2-step, and instant funding programmes across accounts from $2,500 to $100,000, with a scaling path to $4 million through its Golden Trader programme. Profit splits start at 80% and can reach 100%. Platforms are MT5 (outside the US) and MatchTrader, which includes integrated TradingView charting.
Rating Breakdown
Pros
- Founded in 2018 — one of the longest-running CFD prop firms
- Scaling path up to $4 million across accounts
- No daily loss limit on the 1-step challenge
- No time limits on any challenge programme
- EAs and algorithmic strategies allowed
- News trading permitted
- Overnight and weekend holding allowed
- MatchTrader includes integrated TradingView charts at no extra cost
- Profit split scales to 100% via Golden Trader milestones
- 36,000+ funded traders and $367M+ in allocated capital
Cons
- No MT4 support — US traders limited to MatchTrader only
- 5% trailing drawdown on 1-step is tight relative to competitors
- First payout requires 14-day wait on challenge-based funded accounts
- Withdrawal cap of $1,000/month flagged in user reviews as restrictive
- Cross-account copy trading and hedging across accounts not permitted
- No confirmed public discount code at time of writing
- Instant Funding fees are high relative to account size
- Fee refund policy and consistency rule details not prominently displayed on the site
Account Plans and Pricing
1-Step Challenge Rules
| Evaluation type | Single phase |
| Profit target | 8% of starting balance |
| Time limit | None |
| Min. trading days | 3 days |
| Max drawdown | 5% — balance-based (static, from starting balance) |
| Daily loss limit | None |
| Consistency rule | Applies to scaling eligibility (>80% consistency unlocks scaling) |
| Fee refund | Returned with first payout |
| Profit split | 80%–100% (via Golden Trader programme) |
2-Step Challenge Rules
| Evaluation type | Two phases (Phase 1 + Phase 2) |
| Phase 1 profit target | 10% of starting balance |
| Phase 2 profit target | 5% of starting balance |
| Time limit | None (both phases) |
| Min. trading days | 3 days per phase |
| Max drawdown | 10% — balance-based (static) |
| Daily loss limit | 5% |
| Consistency rule | Applies to scaling eligibility (>80% consistency unlocks scaling) |
| Fee refund | Returned with first payout |
| Profit split | 80%–100% (via Golden Trader programme) |
Instant Funding Rules
| Evaluation type | No evaluation — trade from day one |
| Account sizes | $2,500 to $80,000 (Standard); $5,000 to $80,000 (Pro) |
| Max drawdown | 6% trailing — tied to highest achieved balance |
| Daily loss limit | None |
| Profit milestones | 10% gain to unlock scaling increment |
| Scaling ceiling | Up to $2M (Standard); up to $4M (Pro, across accounts) |
| Payout timing | On demand |
| Profit split | Starts ~50%; scales to 100% via milestones |
Payouts
| First payout (challenge accounts) | After 14 days on the funded account |
| First payout (Instant Funding) | On demand — no waiting period |
| Default payout cycle | Bi-weekly (every 14 days) after first payout |
| Processing time | 1–2 business days |
| Minimum withdrawal | $100 |
| Profit split (challenge) | 80% starting; scales to 100% via Golden Trader tiers |
| Profit split (Instant) | ~50% starting; scales to 100% |
| KYC required | Yes, before trading begins |
| Withdrawal limit | $1,000/month noted in user reports (verify with support) |
Trading Conditions
| Platforms | MT5 (non-US traders); MatchTrader with TradingView charts (all regions including US) |
| Instruments | ~50 total — forex pairs, indices, commodities, metals, crypto |
| Leverage (forex) | 1:30 (challenges); 1:10 (Instant Funding) |
| Leverage (indices / commodities) | 1:10 |
| Leverage (crypto) | 1:2 |
| Commissions | $5/lot round-turn (forex/commodities); $0.50/lot (indices); $0 (crypto) |
| Average spread | From 0.3 pips (EUR/USD) |
| News trading | Allowed |
| Overnight holding | Allowed |
| Weekend holding | Allowed |
| Expert Advisors | Allowed |
| Copy trading (own accounts) | Allowed |
| Cross-account copy trading | Not permitted |
| Hedging within one account | Allowed |
| Hedging across accounts | Not permitted |
| HFT / arbitrage | Not permitted |
| Scaling ceiling | $200K per challenge account; up to $4M via Instant Funding Pro |
Our Verdict
City Traders Imperium has been around since 2018, which matters in a space where firms come and go quickly. Over 36,000 funded traders and $367 million in allocated capital are numbers that carry weight. That track record is the firm’s strongest selling point, and for traders who prioritise dealing with an established operator over chasing the newest model, CTI earns its place in the shortlist of CFD prop firms worth considering.
The 1-step challenge is where CTI differentiates. An 8% target with no daily loss limit gives traders more flexibility than most 1-step products in the market. The balance-based drawdown model is also trader-friendly — your loss limit is calculated from your starting balance, not your peak equity, which removes one of the most common sources of surprise account breaches. The catch is the 5% max loss ceiling itself, which is tight. A single bad session with a 5% drawdown ends your evaluation, and without a daily cap to pace you, that risk is compressed into each individual trade rather than spread across the day.
The platform situation is the most legitimate drawback here. MT5 is solid, but there is no MT4 support. US traders are restricted to MatchTrader. That platform has integrated TradingView charts, which is a meaningful upgrade, but it is not what most experienced forex traders have their setups built around. Traders running MT4 EAs or strategies built in MetaEditor will need to rebuild or adapt before starting a challenge. This is not a deal-breaker, but it is friction that competitors with broader platform support do not impose.
Payouts are bi-weekly on challenge accounts with a 14-day wait for the first withdrawal. That is slower than some newer firms offering on-demand or 7-day first payouts. A reported $1,000/month withdrawal limit has come up in Trustpilot reviews and should be verified directly with support before you commit to an account, particularly if you are trading larger sizes. The Instant Funding accounts do offer on-demand payouts, but the starting profit split of around 50% is a significant trade-off for skipping the evaluation. If you can pass a challenge, the evaluation route gives you a much better split from the outset. Use the consistency calculator to check whether your strategy meets the scaling eligibility threshold before requesting your first payout.
CTI is best suited to traders who want an established firm with a real history, are comfortable on MT5 or MatchTrader, and can work within a 5% drawdown ceiling on the 1-step. It is not the right fit for MT4-dependent traders, those who need on-demand payouts from a challenge account, or traders who want the widest possible instrument range. At 4.3/5 on Trustpilot from over 1,600 reviews, the majority of traders report a smooth experience, but the payout delay and withdrawal cap complaints are worth taking seriously before depositing.
Overall, City Traders Imperium is a credible, well-established prop firm that has outlasted many competitors. It is not the cheapest or the most feature-rich, but it has a track record that most newer firms cannot claim. For traders who value longevity and a proven payout history over cutting-edge platform options or high splits from day one, CTI is a reasonable choice.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is City Traders Imperium a legitimate prop firm?
Yes. City Traders Imperium was founded in 2018 and operates as CTI FZCO, registered in Dubai, UAE. It holds a 4.3/5 rating on Trustpilot from over 1,600 reviews, has funded more than 36,000 traders, and has allocated over $367 million in trading capital. It is not regulated by a financial authority, which is standard for prop firms operating the challenge model globally.
What challenge types does City Traders Imperium offer?
CTI offers three programme types: the 1-Step Challenge (8% profit target, 5% balance-based max loss, no daily cap, no time limit), the 2-Step Challenge (10% Phase 1, 5% Phase 2, 10% max loss, 5% daily loss limit, no time limit), and Instant Funding (no evaluation, 6% trailing drawdown, on-demand payouts). Account sizes range from $2,500 to $100,000 on evaluation challenges and $2,500 to $80,000 on Instant Funding, with scaling paths to $4 million.
What is the City Traders Imperium drawdown model?
Challenge accounts use balance-based (static) drawdown, calculated from your starting balance — not your peak equity. This means a losing position that does not hit your drawdown limit will not affect the ceiling even if your equity drops intraday, as long as you do not close the trade at a loss beyond the threshold. The 1-step has a 5% max loss. The 2-step has a 10% max loss and a 5% daily loss limit. Instant Funding accounts use a 6% trailing drawdown tied to the highest balance achieved.
What platforms does City Traders Imperium support?
CTI supports MT5 for traders outside the United States and MatchTrader for US-based traders. MatchTrader includes integrated TradingView charts at no extra cost, with a toggle to switch between MatchTrader’s native charts and TradingView within the same session. MT4 is not supported on any CTI programme.
How long does it take to get a payout from City Traders Imperium?
On evaluation-based funded accounts (1-step and 2-step), the first payout is available after 14 days. After that, withdrawals can be requested on a bi-weekly cycle with processing in 1 to 2 business days. For Instant Funding accounts, payouts are on demand with no waiting period. A $1,000/month withdrawal limit has been reported in user reviews — verify this with CTI support before opening an account, as it may apply to certain tiers or account types.
Ready to try City Traders Imperium?
Est. 2018 · 1-Step, 2-Step & Instant Funding · Scale to $4M · MT5 & MatchTrader
Visit City Traders Imperium →