FTMO Verification Phase: Complete Strategy

Congratulations on passing the FTMO Challenge! Now you have the Verification phase — same rules, but the pressure feels different. Let's break it down.

Verification Rules (Recap)

• Same objectives as the Challenge (10% profit target on most accounts)
• Max daily loss: 5% for most accounts
• Max overall drawdown: 10% from initial balance
• Minimum trading days: 10
• Profit split on passing: 80% (up to 90% with consistency bonus)

The Mental Shift

The Verification phase is NOT about hitting the profit target fast. It's about proving you can trade consistently and manage risk.

Strategy for Verification

#### Weeks 1-2: Build a Buffer

Trade with 0.3-0.5% risk per trade. Aim for small, consistent wins. If you get 3-4% profit by day 6-7, you're in a great position.

#### Weeks 3-4: Protect the Buffer

Once you're at 5-6% profit, reduce risk to 0.2-0.3%. Your only job now is to avoid blowing up. Take only A+ setups.

#### Consistency Bonus

FTMO awards traders who reach the profit target in at least 10 trading days with consistent risk. That means similar risk per trade throughout. Don't size up in week 4.

Common Mistakes

• Revenge trading after a daily loss limit hit — takes a day to reset
• Increasing size after 3 good days — always reverts to the mean
• Trading the same strategy that passed the Challenge — market conditions may have changed
• Not journaling — you passed the Challenge, why stop now?

Pro Tip

Log every Verification trade in a journal. You're not just passing a test — you're building the habits that will keep you profitable in your funded account.