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Founded in 2018 and based in Dubai, City Traders Imperium (CTI) has quickly established itself as a competitive player in the proprietary trading space. With a Trustpilot rating of 4.5 from a little over 1,100 reviews, CTI has earned a reputation for its flexible trading conditions, especially its industry-leading drawdown policies. While its social media following is relatively modest, with 3,600 Facebook followers and 2,000 LinkedIn followers, the firm remains active across platforms such as Instagram, YouTube, X (formerly Twitter), TikTok, and its dedicated Discord group.
CTI offers multiple funding options, including a 1-Step Instant Funding plan and a 2-Step Challenge. The firm’s unique selling point is its balanced-based drawdown approach, which offers traders more flexibility compared to other prop firms.
In the 2-Step Challenge, traders must adhere to two key rules: a 10% Max Absolute Drawdown and a 5% Max Daily Drawdown. Unlike many firms, CTI calculates its drawdowns based on the starting balance of the day rather than intraday fluctuations, which can benefit traders during volatile market conditions. For the 1-Step Instant Funding option, the drawdown limit is capped at 6%, providing traders with ample room to manage their risk.
The firm’s drawdown model is one of the most trader-friendly in the industry, allowing for a more forgiving trading environment that focuses on balance-based rather than equity-based drawdowns. This system is especially appealing for experienced traders who require more flexibility in managing larger accounts.
CTI supports the popular MT5 platform, known for its advanced charting tools and customizability. Traders can access a broad range of instruments, including Forex Majors and Minors, Commodities like Oil, Metals such as Gold and Silver, Major Index Stocks (S&P500, US30, US100, DAX), and Cryptocurrencies including BTCUSD, ETHUSD, and XRPUSD. While the platform is robust, some users may find the interface overwhelming due to the large amount of information available, which could be a challenge for beginners.
City Traders Imperium offers flexible leverage options across its various funding models. Leverage for Forex is capped at 1:30, while Indices, Commodities, and Metals offer leverage of 1:10. Cryptocurrencies, on the other hand, have a more conservative leverage of 1:2. These leverage options remain consistent across both the 1-Step Instant Funding and 2-Step Challenge models, providing traders with enough leverage to capitalize on market opportunities while maintaining risk management.
CTI offers a structured payout system that varies by the level of the account. For each level, traders can request their first payout after achieving 10 active trading days and either a 2% net eligible profit or $100 (whichever is greater).
After this, subsequent payouts are tiered based on the account level:
• PMLV1/FundedLV1: Payouts can be requested during the last 5 days of each calendar month.
• PMLV2/FundedLV2: Bi-weekly payouts on the 14/15th and 28/29th of each month.
• PMLV3/Funded LV3 and Higher Levels: Weekly payouts, every Friday.
The relatively few successful payment reviews on platforms like ‘PropFirm Match Review’ (with only 3 positive reviews) may raise concerns about the ease of passing challenges or issues with payouts. This is an area traders should monitor closely when considering CTI.
CTI’s community support is decent but relatively modest compared to other prop firms. With only 3,600 followers on Facebook and 2,000 on LinkedIn, the firm doesn’t have the largest social presence. However, the active Discord discussion group adds value, offering traders a platform to share insights and experiences. CEO Martin Najat is publicly listed, with 1,813 LinkedIn followers, although his social media activity is limited, which may hinder the firm’s transparency in direct communication.
City Traders Imperium sets itself apart with its trader-friendly drawdown policies, making it an appealing choice for experienced traders who need flexibility in managing risk. However, the firm’s smaller online community, complex interface, and limited successful payment reviews may be causes for concern, particularly for newer traders or those seeking a more beginner-friendly platform. While CTI has potential, traders should carefully consider their risk tolerance and experience level before committing.
