Guide
US traders, MT5 and prop firms: who still lets you in
We opened seven of the biggest prop firms from a US connection. Six of them won't sell Americans an MT5 account, and two checkouts still offer it anyway.
Last updated Oct 1, 2026
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If you learned to trade on MetaTrader, here’s the short version: most big prop firms will sell you a challenge in the US, but not on MT5. You’ll be moved to Match-Trader, TradingView, DXtrade or TradeLocker. The firms say so in their own help centers, and in several cases the checkout enforces it.
FundedNext states the reason plainly. Its US client guide says US clients are limited to Match-Trader “due to MetaQuotes (MT4/MT5) restrictions in the United States.” MetaQuotes makes MetaTrader.
What each firm gives Americans
| Firm | MT5 for US? | US platforms | How we know |
|---|---|---|---|
| Eightcap Challenges | No | TradeLocker, TradingView | Checkout test |
| FTMO (US site) | Yes | MT5, TradingView | US site |
| FundedNext (CFD) | No | Match-Trader | Help center |
| FundingPips | No | Match-Trader | Help center |
| The5ers (CFD) | No | TradingView | FAQ |
| Alpha Capital Group | No | DXtrade, TradeLocker | Checkout test |
| FXIFY | No | DXtrade, TradingView | Checkout test |
Checked 1 October 2026, from a US connection, on each firm’s own site.
The exception: FTMO’s US site
FTMO serves Americans through a separate operation, FTMO US at ftmo.oanda.com. Choosing “United States” in ftmo.com’s region menu sends you there. Its homepage offers a choice between MetaTrader 5 and TradingView. Its legal footer says the service “is only available to residents of the US and legal entities incorporated in the US.” If MT5 is non-negotiable for you, it’s the one to look at. Our FTMO notes →
Two checkouts that let you pick the wrong platform
At two firms, the checkout offered Americans platforms their own help center says are off-limits to them:
- FundedNext preselected MT5 on its CFD checkout for our US connection. Its US guide limits US clients to Match-Trader.
- FundingPips showed MT5, Match-Trader and cTrader. Its help center says US residents can use neither MT5 nor cTrader.
If you buy from either, choose Match-Trader yourself before paying. Don’t assume the checkout will stop you.
Three firms did enforce it. Eightcap’s checkout showed only TradingView and TradeLocker with a US billing address, and added MT4 and MT5 back when we switched the country to the UK. FXIFY hid MT4 and MT5 for our US connection whatever country we picked. Alpha Capital offered only DXtrade and TradeLocker.
Which replacement platform should you pick?
- TradingView (Eightcap, The5ers, FXIFY, FTMO US): the easiest move if you already chart there. You place orders from the same screen.
- TradeLocker (Eightcap, Alpha Capital): browser-based, with TradingView charts built in.
- DXtrade (Alpha Capital, FXIFY): a web platform common among prop firms. Check whether your strategy needs EAs, because MetaTrader EAs won’t run there.
- Match-Trader (FundedNext, FundingPips): the only option at those two firms for US forex accounts.
Some firms, including FTMO and FundedNext, offer a free trial. Spend a week on the platform before you pay for a challenge. The rules are hard enough without learning a new order ticket on day one.
What about futures?
None of this applies to futures props. Firms like Topstep, MyFundedFutures and Take Profit Trader run on futures platforms such as Tradovate, NinjaTrader or their own (TopstepX), and they’re built around US customers. If MetaTrader was only ever a means to an end, futures may be the simpler route. See every US-friendly firm →