City Traders Imperium Review 2026 — Trading Conditions, Rules & What to Know Before Buying | PropTradingArea

CITY TRADERS IMPERIUM

4.4 (155 reviews) Forex Trust: 4.3/5 Updated

City Traders Imperium has been around since 2018 and runs a trading education program alongside the prop firm — which either means they genuinely care about trader development or they found a second revenue stream from selling courses. Probably both. Either way, the pass rate tells a more cautious story.

Martin Najat, CEO of  CITY TRADERS IMPERIUM
CEO Martin Najat
🇦🇪 United Arab Emirates 8 years in business
Visit Website
Hidden Rules Meter Free sign up to unlock
HIDDEN RULES METER
1.9 / 10
Low Risk
  • - Stop-loss enforcement is automated — trades without one are closed by the system within 1 minute
  • - Conditions vary significantly between challenge types, particularly around EA usage
  • - First payout requirements differ by model — profitable day minimums apply across all
Overall Pass Rate Free sign up to unlock
OVERALL PASS RATE
19.7 %

Traders who pass this firm’s challenges

Industry Avg: 18%

Trust Score
4.3/5
Excellent
Based on 155 reviews
Trader Feedback
Mixed
Based on 155 reviews
Most Reported Issue
1-Minute Stop Loss Rule
Stop loss must be set within 1 minute of opening — system auto-closes trades without SL and profits don't count, catches traders used to setting stops after entry
(41% of complaints)
Most Praised
News Trading Freedom
News trading fully allowed on all models with no time windows or profit restrictions — one of the most permissive news policies in the industry
Community Sentiment
Mixed
Last 90 days

Who Is This Firm For?

Beginners Stop loss enforced automatically — builds discipline, overnight and weekend holding allowed
Experienced Traders News trading fully allowed, copy trading structured with CTI as master account
Swing Traders Overnight and weekend holding fully allowed — no forced closures or weekend restrictions
EA Traders 1-Step and 3-Step: any EA allowed — 2-Step and Instant: standard restrictions apply
News Traders News trading fully allowed on all models — no windows, no profit caps, no restrictions

About CITY TRADERS IMPERIUM

City Traders Imperium has been around since 2018 — which in prop trading years makes them practically ancient. They fund traders, let you scale if you're consistently profitable, and cover forex, indices, commodities, and crypto. Standard stuff.
The catch is a 18.4% pass rate and a hidden rules score of 2.7. Not terrible. Not the kind of number that makes you want to celebrate either. If you're going to spend time with a firm that's been around this long, make sure the rules they've had a decade to write are actually working in your favour.
Founded
2018
Max Allocation
$100,000
Leverage
1:100
Commissions
$5/lot

Pros

  • - News trading fully allowed on all models — no 5-minute windows, no profit caps
  • - Overnight and weekend holding permitted — swing traders fully accommodated
  • - Copy trading from CTI to personal and other prop firm accounts allowed
  • - Stop loss automatically enforced — builds discipline without relying on trader memory
  • - VPS allowed for EAs and copy trading
  • - Crypto trading allowed on funded accounts

Cons

  • - Stop loss must be set within 1 minute of opening — auto-closed if missed, profits void
  • - Instant Funding starts at 50% capital — full unlock only after +10% profit reached
  • - Minimum 5 profitable days required for first payout on Instant Funding (0.5% each day)
  • - VPNs and proxies not allowed — IP changes monitored
  • - Maximum 2 devices without approval
  • - 30-day inactivity rule — account closed with no trade in 30 days
Community Sentiment Trend
Mixed
Last 90 days

Support is slow but honest

3.7
Had both good and bad moments during my time here. Good documentation on the basics, spotty on the edge cases. Solid middle of the pack. Not a leader, not a lemon.
— Verified Trader (optionoli) See all reviews
Trader Tip

Set your stop loss before you do anything else after opening a trade — you have 1 minute before the system closes it for you and the profits don't count. On Instant Funding, start your position sizing at 50% of the stated account size — the other half only unlocks after you hit +10% profit. News trading is fully free here, but spreads widen significantly during high-impact events regardless of the rules.

Trading Conditions

Drawdown System

  • Margin level cannot exceed 150% — profits from trades above this threshold won't count
  • Instant Funding: Level 1 starts at 50% capital — Level 2 unlocks after +10% profit
  • Funded accounts: minimum 7 profitable days (1-Step, 2-Step) or 5 days (3-Step, Instant)
  • Each profitable day must generate at least 0.5% of account balance
  • 30-day inactivity: account closed

High-Frequency & Fast Trading

  • Not Allowed:
  • Grid trading
  • Martingale (except where explicitly allowed per model)
  • Bracketing strategies
  • Exploiting price feed errors
  • Group or coordinated trading
  • Third-party EAs without source code (2-Step and Instant models)
  • Sharing EAs with other traders

Low Liquidity & Timing

  • News trading: fully allowed on all models — no time window restrictions
  • Stop loss: must be set within 1 minute of opening every trade
  • Trades without SL: auto-closed by system, profits do not count
  • VPS: allowed only for EAs or copy trading purposes
  • No specific session time restrictions

Loss-Chasing & Gambling

  • Not Allowed:
  • Taking extreme risk on a single trade
  • Martingale strategies (standard restriction)
  • Account sharing or reselling
  • Third-party account management
  • Letting someone else trade your account
  • Copying into CTI account from external sources
  • Social trading platforms used as signal source

Risk Management

  • CTI account must always be the Master in any copy trading setup
  • Copying from CTI to personal accounts and other prop firm accounts: allowed
  • Copying into CTI from anywhere: not allowed
  • VPNs and proxies: not allowed — IP changes monitored
  • Maximum 2 devices without prior approval
  • Risk team may apply leverage reduction and position size limits if instability detected
  • Triggers: multiple breaches, sudden strategy changes, high-risk exposure, large drawdowns

Features & Support

PLATFORMS
MetaTrader 5
ALLOWS
News
BROKERS
Institutional Liquidity Provider
ASSET CLASSES
Commodities · Crypto · Forex · Indices · Metals
PAYMENT METHODS
Credit Card · Debit Card · PayPal
PAYOUT METHODS
Bank Transfer · PayPal

1-Step

Price
$449.00
Profit Target
Step 1
8.0%
Profit Target
Step 2
N/A
Steps 1
Profit Split 80%
Daily DD 0.0%
Max DD 5.0%
View Details

2-Step

Price
$549.00
Profit Target
Step 1
10.0%
Profit Target
Step 2
5.0%
Steps 2
Profit Split 80%
Daily DD 4.0%
Max DD 10.0%
View Details

Instant

Price
$1,599.00
Profit Target
Step 1
0.0%
Profit Target
Step 2
0.0%
Steps 0
Profit Split 70%
Daily DD 0.0%
Max DD 6.0%
View Details

Instant Pro

Price
$3,999.00
Profit Target
Step 1
0.0%
Profit Target
Step 2
0.0%
Steps 0
Profit Split 80%
Daily DD 4.0%
Max DD 6.0%
View Details

1-Step

Price
$299.00
Profit Target
Step 1
8.0%
Profit Target
Step 2
N/A
Steps 1
Profit Split 80%
Daily DD 0.0%
Max DD 5.0%
View Details

2-Step

Price
$329.00
Profit Target
Step 1
10.0%
Profit Target
Step 2
5.0%
Steps 2
Profit Split 80%
Daily DD 4.0%
Max DD 10.0%
View Details

Instant

Price
$849.00
Profit Target
Step 1
0.0%
Profit Target
Step 2
0.0%
Steps 0
Profit Split 70%
Daily DD 0.0%
Max DD 6.0%
View Details

Instant Pro

Price
$1,999.00
Profit Target
Step 1
0.0%
Profit Target
Step 2
0.0%
Steps 0
Profit Split 80%
Daily DD 4.0%
Max DD 6.0%
View Details

1-Step

Price
$159.00
Profit Target
Step 1
8.0%
Profit Target
Step 2
N/A
Steps 1
Profit Split 80%
Daily DD 0.0%
Max DD 5.0%
View Details

2-Step

Price
$199.00
Profit Target
Step 1
10.0%
Profit Target
Step 2
5.0%
Steps 2
Profit Split 80%
Daily DD 4.0%
Max DD 10.0%
View Details

Instant

Price
$449.00
Profit Target
Step 1
0.0%
Profit Target
Step 2
0.0%
Steps 0
Profit Split 70%
Daily DD 0.0%
Max DD 6.0%
View Details

Instant Pro

Price
$999.00
Profit Target
Step 1
0.0%
Profit Target
Step 2
0.0%
Steps 0
Profit Split 80%
Daily DD 4.0%
Max DD 6.0%
View Details

1-Step

Price
$79.00
Profit Target
Step 1
8.0%
Profit Target
Step 2
N/A
Steps 1
Profit Split 80%
Daily DD 0.0%
Max DD 5.0%
View Details

2-Step

Price
$99.00
Profit Target
Step 1
10.0%
Profit Target
Step 2
5.0%
Steps 2
Profit Split 80%
Daily DD 4.0%
Max DD 10.0%
View Details

Instant

Price
$259.00
Profit Target
Step 1
0.0%
Profit Target
Step 2
0.0%
Steps 0
Profit Split 70%
Daily DD 0.0%
Max DD 6.0%
View Details

Instant Pro

Price
$399.00
Profit Target
Step 1
0.0%
Profit Target
Step 2
0.0%
Steps 0
Profit Split 80%
Daily DD 4.0%
Max DD 6.0%
View Details

1-Step

Price
$49.00
Profit Target
Step 1
8.0%
Profit Target
Step 2
N/A
Steps 1
Profit Split 80%
Daily DD 0.0%
Max DD 5.0%
View Details

2-Step

Price
$59.00
Profit Target
Step 1
10.0%
Profit Target
Step 2
5.0%
Steps 2
Profit Split 80%
Daily DD 4.0%
Max DD 10.0%
View Details

Instant

Price
$139.00
Profit Target
Step 1
0.0%
Profit Target
Step 2
0.0%
Steps 0
Profit Split 70%
Daily DD 0.0%
Max DD 6.0%
View Details

Instant Pro

Price
$229.00
Profit Target
Step 1
0.0%
Profit Target
Step 2
0.0%
Steps 0
Profit Split 80%
Daily DD 4.0%
Max DD 6.0%
View Details

1-Step

Price
$29.00
Profit Target
Step 1
8.0%
Profit Target
Step 2
N/A
Steps 1
Profit Split 80%
Daily DD 0.0%
Max DD 5.0%
View Details

2-Step

Price
$39.00
Profit Target
Step 1
10.0%
Profit Target
Step 2
5.0%
Steps 2
Profit Split 80%
Daily DD 4.0%
Max DD 10.0%
View Details

Instant

Price
$79.00
Profit Target
Step 1
0.0%
Profit Target
Step 2
0.0%
Steps 0
Profit Split 70%
Daily DD 0.0%
Max DD 6.0%
View Details
4.4
155 reviews
5
31
4
102
3
13
2
5
1
4
Platform Quality
4.3
Customer Support
4.3
Payout Speed
4.3
Challenge Fairness
4.3
Value for Money
4.3
Transparency
4.3
C
cool carl Aug 15, 2025
3.7

Neither fan nor hater

Came over from a different firm hoping for an improvement. Spread widening during news is within reason but not as tight as advertised. Fine for now, not sure about the long run.

V
vikram martin Aug 11, 2025
4.2

Fantastic support team

Did not expect much going in, to be honest. Commissions are competitive compared to what I pay elsewhere. I hope they stay this good as they grow.

L
layla h. Aug 8, 2025
4.3
Funded Paid Out

Retained funding for months

Tried the challenge three times before passing, so I know it well. The profit split feels fair relative to the challenge fee. One of the firms I actively point people toward when asked.

C
chen Aug 4, 2025
4.9
Funded

Scaling plan is motivating

Decided to try them after their founder did a podcast interview. KYC was handled in under a day once I submitted everything. Would absolutely come back if I were starting over.

R
r. lee Aug 2, 2025
4.8
Funded Paid Out

Better than the hype

After comparing about ten different firms I landed on this one. Payouts arrived within the window they advertised every single time. My default answer when people ask which prop firm to try.

M
Meera Tran Jul 28, 2025
4.0
Funded

Wire transfer hit fast

Used their instant funding option instead of the traditional evaluation. The scaling plan is achievable if you trade consistently for a few months. I would comfortably recommend them to anyone serious about prop trading.

R
risk_on_ryan Jul 26, 2025
5.0
Funded

Got funded on first attempt

First time trying a prop firm, so this was all new to me. Their refund policy on challenge fees when you get funded is a nice touch. I would comfortably recommend them to anyone serious about prop trading.

F
futures_freddy Jul 23, 2025
5.0

Strong community vibe

Used their instant funding option instead of the traditional evaluation. Reporting and tax documents at year end were accurate and easy to download. Good work overall and I hope other firms learn from their example.

T
thomas h. Jul 18, 2025
4.6
Funded Paid Out

Professional and transparent

Took the challenge on a whim after watching a YouTube review. Their dashboard makes it easy to see exactly where you stand at any moment. They have earned my loyalty with how they handle the basics.

L
lucas j. Jul 14, 2025
4.8
Funded

Improved a lot recently

I have been with this firm for about three months now. Their bot-detection does not flag legitimate EA users like it does elsewhere. Will continue scaling my account here as long as they keep this level of quality.

No active offers for CITY TRADERS IMPERIUM at the moment.

Check back soon — firms refresh their promos regularly.

No payout data available for CITY TRADERS IMPERIUM yet.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is City Traders Imperium a legitimate prop firm?
City Traders Imperium is an established prop firm with a 4.3/5 Trustpilot score across 1,691 reviews and a Hidden Rules Meter of 2.4/10. They offer multiple challenge models including 1-Step, 2-Step, 3-Step and Instant Funding, with a strong focus on risk discipline and automated stop-loss enforcement.
How does the stop-loss rule work at City Traders Imperium?
A stop-loss must be placed within 1 minute of opening a trade. If not set within this window, the system automatically closes the trade. Profits from trades opened without a stop-loss are not counted toward your balance — this applies across all account types.
How does Instant Funding work at City Traders Imperium?
Instant Funding is not fully unlocked from the start. You begin at Level 1 with half the allocated capital. Once you reach a 10% profit gain, Level 2 is unlocked and the remaining capital becomes available. The first payout requires a minimum of 5 profitable trading days, each generating at least 0.5% of the account balance.
Is copy trading allowed at City Traders Imperium?
Copy trading is allowed but only outbound from your CTI account. You can copy trades from your CTI account to personal accounts, other prop firm accounts or between your own CTI accounts. Copying trades into your CTI account from external sources, social trading platforms or third-party signals is strictly prohibited.
Are EAs allowed at City Traders Imperium?
EA rules depend on your account type. On 1-Step and 3-Step challenges, any EA is allowed. On other models, third-party EAs without source code are prohibited, while trade managers and calculators are permitted. VPS usage is allowed exclusively for EAs or copy trading purposes.
What are the minimum trading day requirements at City Traders Imperium?
Requirements vary by model. On 1-Step and 2-Step challenges, evaluation requires 3 profitable days per phase and the funded stage requires 7 profitable days for the first payout. On 3-Step challenges, evaluation requires 3 profitable days per phase and the funded stage requires 5. Instant Funding requires 5 profitable days. In all cases, each profitable day must generate at least 0.5% of the account balance.
Always do your own research. Never risk more than you can afford to lose. Last updated: