This City Traders Imperium review covers a London-born prop firm, usually shortened to CTI, that has built its reputation on education and generous payout tiers. Our verdict: CTI is one of the cheaper ways into a funded forex account, with challenges from $29, no time limits, balance-based drawdown and a first payout after seven days. The catches are the requirement for profitable (not just active) trading days, a strict trailing limit on the 1-Step, and a corporate structure that now sits offshore. Like every evaluation, most attempts fail, so treat the fee as money you can afford to lose.
City Traders Imperium at a glance
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Website | citytradersimperium.com |
| Markets | Forex/CFD |
| Founded | 2018 |
| Company | City Traders Imperium Limited (Comoros Union, company no. 15969, licence L15969/CTI); academy run by CTI FZCO (Dubai, UAE) |
| Regulation | Not regulated (prop firm); evaluations and funded accounts run in a demo environment with virtual capital. No broker or liquidity provider named. |
| Account sizes | $2.5K – $100K (evaluations); up to $400K total funding, $2M per account on Instant/Direct |
| Challenge fee | From $29 for the $2.5K 1-Step; from $39 for the $2.5K 2-Step |
| Evaluation | 1-step, 2-step, instant funding, direct funding |
| Profit split | 80% (up to 100% via VIP tiers) |
| Max daily / total loss | 5% (2-Step); none on 1-Step / 10% static (2-Step); 5% trailing, balance-based (1-Step) |
| Payouts | First payout after 7 days; weekly from VIP Bronze, on demand from Silver |
| Platforms | MT5, Match-Trader |
Challenge types and pricing
CTI offers four routes. The 2-Step Challenge is the classic two-phase evaluation. The 1-Step Challenge has a single 8% target. Instant and Direct funding skip the evaluation entirely, with no profit target, a 6% static drawdown and lower starting splits (50% and 70%). Prices for the two evaluation programs, as of November 2026, are:
| Account | 1-Step fee | 2-Step fee | 2-Step targets |
|---|---|---|---|
| $2,500 | $29 | $39 | 10% / 5% |
| $5,000 | $49 | $59 | 10% / 5% |
| $10,000 | $79 | $99 | 10% / 5% |
| $25,000 | $159 | $199 | 10% / 5% |
| $50,000 | $299 | $329 | 10% / 5% |
| $100,000 | $449 | $549 | 10% / 5% |
Fees are one-time, with no monthly subscription. They are not refunded with your first payout, which is less generous than many rivals, but a failed challenge can be reset at a 15% discount. CTI also advertised a free trial with no card required during our check.
Trading rules
Drawdown
A notable feature of CTI is that drawdown is measured on balance, not equity, on every program. Open losses only count once a trade is closed. On the 2-Step, the maximum loss is a static 10% of the initial balance and the daily limit is 5%, measured from each day’s starting balance. On the 1-Step there is no daily limit at all, but the maximum loss is a 5% trailing drawdown: the floor follows your highest balance up, sitting 5% of the starting balance below it. That makes the 1-Step much tighter than it looks.
Trading days and consistency
You need at least three profitable trading days in each phase. CTI says there are no consistency rules and no time limit, so you can take as long as you need.
News, weekends and EAs
- News trading, overnight and weekend holding are allowed on both evaluations.
- The 1-Step allows third-party EAs and even martingale strategies.
- The 2-Step, Instant and Direct programs allow only your own EAs and ban martingale.
Profit split, payouts and scaling
Funded evaluation accounts start at an 80% split. CTI’s VIP programme then rewards consistent performers: Bronze lifts the split to 90% and unlocks weekly payouts, Silver gives 100% and on-demand, priority payouts, and Gold is pitched as the top rank with the possibility of a monthly salary for a year. The first payout is available after seven days. Third-party reviewers report withdrawals processed within about 24 hours, but that is the firm’s claim rather than something we could verify.
Scaling on the evaluation accounts goes up to $200K per account and $400K total funding. Instant and Direct accounts scale much further on paper, to $2M per account and $4M total.
Platforms and instruments
Trading runs on MetaTrader 5 and Match-Trader. The instrument list covers major and minor forex pairs, indices such as the S&P 500 and FTSE 100, and commodities including gold, silver and crude oil; crypto is not listed. CTI does not publish leverage on its program pages, but independent directories checked in 2026 report up to 1:30 on forex, with 1:10 on some instruments, so confirm the figure in the platform before trading. Payments are accepted by card, PayPal, Skrill, Neteller, bank transfer and Bitcoin.
Company, trust and payout record
CTI was established in 2018 according to third-party reviews, and older sources list a UK company registered in England and Wales. The current official footer, however, names City Traders Imperium Limited incorporated in the Comoros Union (company 15969, licence L15969/CTI), with an operating address in San José, Costa Rica, and an academy run by CTI FZCO in Dubai. The firm states clearly that neither entity is a broker or adviser and that all trading happens on demo accounts with virtual capital; rewards are paid from the firm’s own funds based on performance. It is not regulated by the FCA or any other financial regulator.
We found no evidence in our sources of CTI halting payouts or closing. The move offshore mirrors what many prop firms did after payment providers and regulators tightened scrutiny, but it does reduce the legal protections a UK company would offer. Reported payout speed and the VIP scheme are positives; the lack of an independently verified payout total is a gap.
Who it suits
- Beginners who want a small, cheap $2.5K account to learn the evaluation process.
- Swing traders who like balance-based drawdown and no deadline.
- Consistent traders who can reach the VIP tiers for 90–100% splits.
For this City Traders Imperium review, we would steer scalpers who take many small losing days, and anyone who wants their fee refunded, toward other firms.
Final verdict on our City Traders Imperium review
CTI is a solid, low-cost option with trader-friendly drawdown mechanics and fast early payouts, plus a realistic path to a 100% split. The trailing 1-Step limit, profitable-day requirement, non-refundable fees and offshore structure keep it short of the top tier. Most traders will not pass an evaluation, so start small and only risk what you can lose. Confirm current prices and rules on the official City Traders Imperium website before buying.
Compare City Traders Imperium with the other top prop trading firms, or read our AudaCity Capital review and Lux Trading Firm review.
FAQ
How much does a City Traders Imperium challenge cost?
As of November 2026 the 1-Step starts at $29 for a $2,500 account and the 2-Step starts at $39 for the same size. The $100K accounts cost $449 (1-Step) and $549 (2-Step). Fees are one-time with no subscription.
What profit split does CTI pay?
Funded traders start at 80%. Through the CTI VIP programme the split rises to 90% at Bronze and 100% at Silver. Instant funding starts at 50% and Direct funding at 70%.
Is City Traders Imperium regulated?
No. CTI says neither of its entities is a broker, dealer or investment adviser and that all trading happens in a demo environment with virtual capital. The assessment provider is City Traders Imperium Limited, registered in the Comoros Union.
How is drawdown calculated at CTI?
CTI uses balance-based drawdown on all programs, so floating losses do not count until a trade closes. The 2-Step has a 5% daily and 10% static limit; the 1-Step has no daily limit but a 5% trailing maximum.
When can I take my first payout?
The first payout is available after 7 days on a funded account. Weekly payouts unlock at VIP Bronze and on-demand payouts at Silver.
Facts compiled on 8 November 2026 from the firm’s published rules and independent reviews listed in the sources. Prop firm rules and prices change often; confirm on the official website before buying a challenge.