City Traders Imperium Review
City Traders Imperium offers 1-step, 2-step, and instant funding programs with balance-based drawdowns and profit splits up to 100%.
- HQ
- San José, Costa Rica
- Founded
- 2018
- Regulation
- Unregulated
Operated by City Traders Imperium Limited
Written by the Proptary Team · Updated 28 Oct 2026
Researched with AI assistance and verified by our editors
Overview
City Traders Imperium (CTI) is a multi-asset proprietary trading firm offering two-step evaluations, single-phase challenges, and direct instant funding accounts across forex, metals, commodities, and digital assets.
Co-founded in 2018 by Daniel Martin and Martin Najat, the firm began as a startup in London, United Kingdom. The company is registered as City Traders Imperium Limited in the Union of the Comoros. It runs operations from San José, Costa Rica, and its education arm, CTI FZCO, sits in Dubai Silicon Oasis. The firm says its leadership remains involved in coaching and risk oversight.
Review summary
Pros and cons
What works
5 strengths
- Static 10% maximum drawdown calculated from initial balance, preventing open profits from trailing your loss limit higher
- No calendar time limits across Phase 1 and Phase 2 evaluation stages
- News trading and weekend position holding are permitted, though straddle or news-bracket orders placed right before major releases are prohibited
- Starting profit split of 80% that scales up to 100% through the VIP program
- Scaling plan lifts the maximum simulated account size to $4,000,000 across two Instant or Direct Funding accounts
What doesn't
3 to plan around
- Mandatory hard stop-loss required within 60 seconds of opening any position
- Subsequent payouts on standard challenge accounts follow a monthly schedule
- First payout on challenge accounts requires logging at least seven profitable trading days
Cost of entry
City Traders Imperium pricing
| Account Size | Phase 1 Target | Phase 2 Target | Max Daily Loss | Max Total Drawdown | One-Time Fee |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| $2,500 | $250 (10%) | $125 (5%) | $125 (5%) | $250 (10%) | $39 |
| $5,000 | $500 (10%) | $250 (5%) | $250 (5%) | $500 (10%) | $59 |
| $10,000 | $1,000 (10%) | $500 (5%) | $500 (5%) | $1,000 (10%) | $99 |
| $25,000 | $2,500 (10%) | $1,250 (5%) | $1,250 (5%) | $2,500 (10%) | $199 |
| $50,000 | $5,000 (10%) | $2,500 (5%) | $2,500 (5%) | $5,000 (10%) | $329 |
| $100,000 | $10,000 (10%) | $5,000 (5%) | $5,000 (5%) | $10,000 (10%) | $549 |
Challenge pricing starts at $39 for the entry-level $2,500 2-Step Challenge and scales up to $549 for the $100,000 account size. On the standard $2,500 evaluation account, your upfront payment grants unlimited trading days across both phases without recurring monthly subscription fees. This structure means you never face billing deadlines or ongoing membership overhead while proving your trading strategy. However, the one-time registration fee is non-refundable on failed evaluations, and traders seeking the instant funding track must pay higher entry fees that begin with a lower baseline profit split of 50% to 70%.
Rule clarity
City Traders Imperium rules
Score95 / 100The 2-Step evaluations require reaching a 10% profit target in Phase 1 and 5% in Phase 2 under a 10% static drawdown cap. On the $2,500 account, your 5% daily loss limit is fixed at $125 from the day's opening balance, while the 10% maximum drawdown sits permanently at $2,250 without trailing your open equity gains. Because both thresholds track closed account balance rather than intraday equity, profitable open positions never pull your loss floor higher. The trade-off is the mandatory stop-loss rule, which requires every trade to have a hard stop placed within 60 seconds of execution or face automated closure.
- Profit target
- 10%
- Max daily loss
- 5%
- Max total drawdown
- 10%
- Drawdown type
- Static (Balance-based)
- Min trading days
- 3
- Time limit
- None
- Consistency rule
- Not enforced
- Max leverage
- Not stated
- Scaling plan
- Instant/Direct up to $4M; challenges $400K
- Platforms
- MT5, Match-Trader
- Instruments
- Forex, Metals, Indices, Commodities, Crypto
- Not accepted from
- Cuba, Iran, North Korea, Russia, Syria
What a static drawdown means for you
The limit is fixed against the account starting balance and does not move as the account grows or shrinks. It is the most forgiving type: once you are in profit, the same dollar buffer stays in place rather than trailing up behind your equity.
What changes once you are funded
Passing both evaluation phases moves you to a funded account, which, like every CTI account, trades in a demo environment using virtual capital rather than live client money. There you unlock an initial 80% profit share that can scale up to 100% through the VIP program. While evaluations require three profitable trading days per phase, requesting your first payout requires logging seven profitable days of at least 0.5% gain each.
Strategy rules
- News trading
- Allowed
- EAs / bots
- Allowed
- Weekend hold
- Allowed
- Hedging
- Not allowed
- Copy trading
- Allowed
- HFT / tick scalping
- Not allowed
Payout reliability
City Traders Imperium payouts
Score60 / 100The firm pays funded traders an 80% baseline profit split on a monthly schedule, with your first withdrawal eligible on demand. On a funded $2,500 account, making a 5% gain generates $125, allowing you to take home $100 after completing the mandatory seven profitable trading days and reaching the $100 minimum threshold. Once your first payout clears, subsequent requests are processed monthly during the final five days of each month via bank transfer or cryptocurrency, with the firm stating it aims to process payouts within 24 hours. The trade-off is that requesting payouts before qualifying for the Bronze VIP tier locks you into monthly withdrawal windows.
- Profit split
- 80%
- Payout cycle
- Monthly
- Reported payout speed
- 1-2 business days
- Withdrawal fee
- None stated
- Minimum withdrawal
- $100
- Payout methods
- Bank Wire, Crypto
Customer support
Customer support
Score95 / 100The firm provides trader assistance through live chat on its website, a 24/7 email desk, Discord community rooms, and a WhatsApp line for formal complaints. As of October 2026, Trustpilot reviewers describe the support staff as professional and responsive. You should direct onboarding or platform questions to the website live chat, while formal withdrawal discrepancies or compliance appeals must be routed via email with relevant trade logs.
- Channels
- Live chat, Email, Discord, WhatsApp
- Availability
- 24/7
- Reported response time
- Under a day
- Reports collected
- 28 Oct 2026
Track record
Track record and transparency
Score85 / 100Operating continuously under the same brand name since 2018 is how the firm describes itself on its About page, and it publishes a contact page with a documented complaints process. As of October 2026, the comparison site PropFirmMatch reports that the firm has adjusted platform configurations and liquidity provider relationships over time, and Trustpilot reviewers report consistent reward processing for accounts that follow the risk guidelines. However, company registration remains offshore, and every trade must comply with the firm's strict 60-second stop-loss rule.
Community sentiment
Community sentiment
Score90 / 100Community sentiment around the firm reflects a Trustpilot rating of 4.3 across 1,635 reviews as of October 2026. Positive feedback frequently praises the balance-based static drawdown and regular payout fulfillment through crypto and bank wires. Conversely, critical feedback centers on strict risk rules, specifically the mandatory 60-second stop-loss placement requirement and account reviews for perceived gambling behavior. The Trustpilot profile also shows the firm replied to 96% of negative reviews, explaining the specific policy breaches involved.
Decision
Final verdict
City Traders Imperium offers a structured evaluation environment and says it has operated under the same brand since 2018. Its balance-based drawdown model and absence of time limits give swing traders and disciplined position managers more room to hold positions. However, manual traders who enter trades impulsively without immediate stop orders risk soft breaches under the mandatory 60-second stop-loss rule. While entry fees are competitive and profit splits scale to 100%, the offshore Comoros corporate structure and monthly payout frequency on standard funded accounts require patience and thorough trade journaling.
Is City Traders Imperium right for you?
The firm is right for you if you seek a calm, patient evaluation environment with no calendar deadlines and a static, balance-based drawdown. It works particularly well for swing traders holding positions over weekends. It will not suit traders who execute high-frequency momentum strategies without immediate stop losses or those who demand weekly payouts from day one.
Who should trade with City Traders Imperium?
Disciplined forex and commodities traders who prioritize capital preservation and long-term scaling over rapid account turnover should trade with the firm. If your strategy relies on precise risk management with hard stops placed immediately upon entry, the firm's static drawdown leaves a fixed dollar buffer below your starting balance. Impulsive scalpers and news-bracket traders will quickly trigger compliance flags.
Questions
FAQ
What Is City Traders Imperium?
The firm describes itself as a UK-founded proprietary trading firm operating since 2018 that provides evaluation challenges and instant funding accounts across forex, commodities, indices, and crypto markets.
Who Operates City Traders Imperium, and Is It Regulated?
The firm operates as an unregulated proprietary trading firm registered as City Traders Imperium Limited in the Comoros Union, and says it has operated since 2018. Its terms state that all trading activity occurs in a demo environment using virtual capital. As of October 2026, its Trustpilot page showed a 4.3 rating across 1,635 reviews, and the firm processes payouts via bank transfer and cryptocurrency.
What Is the Profit Split at City Traders Imperium?
The firm provides an 80% baseline profit split to funded traders on standard 1-step and 2-step evaluation challenges. Through its VIP progression program, funded traders who qualify for the Bronze and Silver VIP tiers can scale their profit share to 90% and ultimately 100% with anytime payouts.
Does City Traders Imperium Allow News Trading?
Yes, the firm allows news trading across evaluation and funded stages without high-impact event restriction windows. Traders may execute manual or automated positions during economic releases provided trades do not exploit price feed delays. However, opening opposing straddle or news-bracketing orders immediately before major economic data releases is strictly prohibited.
Is Copy Trading Allowed at City Traders Imperium?
Yes, the firm permits copy trading provided your CTI account acts as the master account copying outward to personal or other prop accounts. You may also mirror positions between your own CTI accounts. However, copying trades from external accounts or third-party signal services into CTI is strictly prohibited.
Related firm reviews
Compare all prop firms
Before you pay
Many prop firms operate without a financial services license. They argue that traders use simulated accounts and the firm risks its own capital, so no client money is held and no license is required. That arrangement is common in this industry, but it also means no regulator supervises the firm and there is no compensation scheme if it stops paying. What matters instead is whether the company behind the brand is named and traceable, and whether it has a payout record you can check.
This page is for information only and is not investment or trading advice. Trading through a funded or proprietary trading program carries real risk, including the loss of evaluation fees and any funded account. Rules, pricing, and payout terms vary by firm and can change without notice. A Proptary Grade reflects our most recent check and may not capture very recent changes, so confirm current terms directly with the firm before buying an evaluation.
Before you pay
Many prop firms operate without a financial services license. They argue that traders use simulated accounts and the firm risks its own capital, so no client money is held and no license is required. That arrangement is common in this industry, but it also means no regulator supervises the firm and there is no compensation scheme if it stops paying. Proptary is not a financial institution, not an investment adviser, and is not supervised by any financial regulator.
Nothing here is advice. Our grades, scores and write-ups are information only. They are not investment or trading advice, not a recommendation to buy an evaluation, and not tailored to your circumstances. Read the firm’s own terms and decide for yourself.
A grade is not a guarantee. A Proptary Grade summarises the evidence we were able to verify on the date shown. It is not a measure of the firm’s financial strength, not a promise that it will pay you, and not an assurance that it will still be operating next month. Payout records, review scores and support times we cite are historical evidence, never a forecast.
The fee is at risk from the moment you pay it. An evaluation buys an attempt, not an account. Most traders do not pass. Breaching a drawdown or consistency rule can cost you the entire fee and any funded account, with no refund.
Prices and rules change without notice. Firms change fees, rules and payout terms, sometimes days after we check. Confirm the current terms on the firm’s own site before you pay for anything. Proptary is not liable for losses arising from reliance on information published here.
Links to firms leave Proptary. We do not open, hold or operate trading accounts. Payment, identity checks, data handling and payouts are between you and the firm, under that firm’s own terms and privacy policy.
How this page is researched. Data is gathered with AI assistance and verified by our editors against the firm’s own documents before publishing.