FTMO Maximum Daily Loss Calculator: Midnight Server Time Balance vs Equity Drawdown
FTMO calculates daily maximum loss (5%) based on whichever is higher between Account Balance or Floating Equity at exactly 23:59:59 CE(S)T server time. On a $100,000 account, if balance is $102,000 at midnight, the daily loss threshold is $96,900 ($5,100 drop allowed) for the entire subsequent 24 hours.
The FTMO maximum daily drawdown rule is the single most common cause of failed prop firm evaluations. Learn how the midnight server time reset works, why floating open profits raise your daily floor, and how to keep your evaluation account 100% compliant.
2026 BENCHMARK & COMPARISON DATA MATRIX
| FTMO Account Size | Standard 5% Daily Loss Cap | 10% Max Overall Loss Cap | Max Recommended Risk Per Trade (1%) |
|---|---|---|---|
| $10,000 Challenge | $500.00 Daily Limit | $1,000.00 Total Barrier | $100.00 Safe Risk |
| $25,000 Challenge | $1,250.00 Daily Limit | $2,500.00 Total Barrier | $250.00 Safe Risk |
| $50,000 Challenge | $2,500.00 Daily Limit | $5,000.00 Total Barrier | $500.00 Safe Risk |
| $100,000 Challenge | $5,000.00 Daily Limit | $10,000.00 Total Barrier | $1,000.00 Safe Risk |
| $200,000 Challenge | $10,000.00 Daily Limit | $20,000.00 Total Barrier | $2,000.00 Safe Risk |
The Midnight Server Time (CE(S)T) Reset Rule Explained
FTMO calculates your daily permissible loss from exactly 23:59:59 CE(S)T server time. If your account balance was $100,000 at midnight, you can lose up to $5,000 during the next day. If equity dips to $94,999 for even a single microsecond, the account is automatically and permanently closed.
The Floating Equity Trap: How Open Profits Raise Your Loss Floor
A dangerous mistake: if you enter a swing trade and are up $3,000 floating profit at midnight, your midnight equity is $103,000. FTMO anchors your daily loss barrier at 5% of $103,000 ($97,850). If that trade retraces back to breakeven ($100,000 balance), your intraday drop is $3,000, leaving only $2,150 before total account failure.
TradeCoreHub Pre-Trade Flight Check Protocol for FTMO Traders
TradeCoreHub's 1-Click Prop Presets automatically load the exact 5% ceiling for $10K, $25K, $50K, and $100K accounts. Always close or trail winning trades before the midnight server rollover to prevent overnight equity inflation traps.
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FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS & EXPERT CLARIFICATIONS
Does closing trades in profit reset my daily loss limit?
No. Your daily loss floor remains fixed based on your starting midnight balance or equity until the next 23:59:59 CE(S)T rollover.
Can broker commissions cause me to breach the daily limit?
Yes. Commissions, overnight swap charges, and slippage count towards your equity drawdown. Always leave at least a $150 safety buffer below the hard breach line.
What is the maximum lot size allowed on a $100K FTMO account?
FTMO has no hard lot size cap, but taking more than 5 to 10 standard lots on Gold without a stop loss risks blowing the $5,000 daily limit in seconds. TradeCoreHub recommends capping risk at 0.5% to 1.0% ($500 to $1,000) per setup.