Reporting on the industry.

Goat Funded Trader Bans VPNs and VPSs on All Accounts, and Its 1-Minute Hold Time Isn't for Everyone

From 6 October, Goat Funded Trader treats any VPN, VPS, proxy or hosted setup used while trading as a straight breach, with payouts from that trading voided. That rules out EAs that need a VPS. It also now allows copy trading between your own accounts, but the cut to a 1-minute minimum hold time only covers challenges bought from 6 October.

10/9/2026

5 min read or listen

Funded Futures Network Makes Its Evaluation Optional: Skip the Eval Costs $475 at 50K, and Promo Codes Don't Apply

Funded Futures Network now sells Skip the Eval on Steady and Max accounts from 25K to 250K, putting traders straight into sim funded with the same funded rules. At 50K it costs $475 (MAX) or $499 (STEADY), discount codes don't apply, and the payout split, consistency rule and sim-to-live terms are unchanged.

10/8/2026

5 min read or listen

Nexgen ProTrader Funding Is Shutting Down, Offers Partial Settlement on Approved Payouts

Nexgen ProTrader Funding said on its own X account on 2 October that it ran out of money and is ceasing operations. Sales and trading stopped on 1 October, approved payouts are being offered a percentage settlement, active evaluations are to be refunded, and Semi-Live traders are being moved to Legends.

10/8/2026

4 min read or listen

My Funded Futures Launches Studio: Static Drawdown and Anytime Payouts, but Micros Only and a Thin Cushion

My Funded Futures has opened MyFundedStudio with two limited-time plans, $10K for $140 and $20K for $280, offering a static Max Loss Limit, no daily loss limit or consistency rule, and payouts anytime. The catches: micros only, $500 or $1,000 of room, one account at a time, a daily profit cap and an end-of-day trailing Live account.

10/8/2026

5 min read or listen

Vest Raises $13M Pitching Real-Capital Prop Trading, but Vest Capital's Terms Call It Simulated

Vest Labs, the team behind perpetual-futures prop program Vest Capital, has closed a $13 million seed round led by Portal Ventures, Fortune reports. Vest pitches funded accounts as real company capital, yet its Prop Terms describe a simulated program with notional balances and no live trades for users.

10/7/2026

5 min read or listen

FundingPips Drops Three Trading Rules on New Accounts, With Catches on Splits and Overnight Holds

FundingPips has removed Risk Per Trade Idea, the Striking System and Profit Concentration for new 1 Step Flex, 2 Step Standard, 2 Step Flex and 2 Step Pro accounts. But the 100% split still uses strikes, two Bi-Weekly splits fell to 80%, and Master trades now close daily without the 10% Swing add-on.

10/7/2026

5 min read or listen

Lucid Trading Makes Its Live Bonus Repeatable and Adds a Pre-Live Step to LucidMaxx

Lucid Trading's live bonus is no longer one-time: hit the profit target plus 20 trading days and it pays again. Invite-only LucidMaxx adds a Pre-Live step, then starts live with a withdrawable balance and a static drawdown.

10/6/2026

4 min read or listen

Top One Futures Launches X-ULTRA: Limited 1,500-Account Eval, No Funded Consistency, Hard-Breach Daily Loss

Top One Futures opened X-ULTRA, a limited 1,500-account one-step eval with no activation fee, no funded consistency rule, no payout buffer and payout caps up to $9,000. The catch: the daily loss limit is a hard breach that fails the account.

10/6/2026

4 min read or listen

Topstep Labs Drops a $50K Static-Drawdown Trading Combine: $149 Once, Floor Fixed at $48,000

Topstep's sixth Labs drop is a limited $50K Trading Combine with a static $2,000 Max Loss Limit that never trails, a $4,000 target, and a one-time $149 fee with no rebills or resets. Funded payouts are capped at $8,000, and quantities are limited.

10/5/2026

4 min read or listen

Tradeify Opens Tradeify FX: Separate CFD/Forex Prop Line on MT5, US Residents Excluded

Tradeify’s futures brand now has a live CFD/forex programme at tradeifyfx.co — Daily, Classic, and Direct plans on MetaTrader 5, with an 80% funded split and a Live path after five payouts. Eligibility is separate from Tradeify Futures: US residents are excluded.

10/4/2026

5 min read or listen

E8 Signature Futures Cuts Max Payouts per Account From 5 to 4 After October 1

E8 Markets’ Signature help article now lists a maximum of four payouts per Futures account for purchases after 1 October 2026 19:00 UTC+2 (five if bought earlier), and tightens the $150K end-of-day drawdown to $4,000 for that same cohort.

10/2/2026

4 min read or listen

BluSky Trading Co Raises Standard Payout Minimum to $500 on Official Help Center

BluSky Trading Co’s Payouts help article now lists a $500 standard baseline minimum withdrawal — double the prior $250 figure — matching the firm’s 1 October package. Orbit Brokerage’s $100 threshold remains on the same page; cash buyout still unconfirmed in help.

10/2/2026

4 min read or listen

Blue Guardian Futures Merges Eligible Funded Accounts Into One Live Seat, Caps Combined Drawdown at $15K

Blue Guardian Futures’ help center now documents a single Live Account at promotion: eligible funded seats merge, Live drawdowns pool (capped at $15,000 for purchases after 28 September 2026), with a one-time 50% Live Buyout option and a milestone Live Bonus.

10/1/2026

5 min read or listen

The 5%ers Connects Evaluation and Pro Accounts to ChatGPT and Claude via Read-Only MCP

The 5%ers launched a Model Context Protocol connector so traders can query live evaluation and Pro account data from ChatGPT, Claude, and other MCP clients. Access is read-only: AI tools cannot place trades, change settings, or submit payouts.

10/1/2026

4 min read or listen

Breakout Launches Spark: $50K Eval With One Target, One Trailing Limit — Initial 1,500 Sold Out

Breakout launched Spark, a capped $50K evaluation at $139 with one $3,000 target and a single $1,500 trailing max-loss limit—and the initial 1,500 seats have already sold out. The product uses Hyperliquid index products, not CME futures, and strips daily loss, min days, and consistency rules.

9/30/2026

5 min read or listen

FundedSeat Closes: Futures Prop Firm Cites Limits From Major Trading Platforms

Amsterdam-founded FundedSeat is shutting down after two years, saying it could not secure the platform access needed to scale. The firm says active accounts will be refunded and pending withdrawals plus positive live balances will be paid out.

9/29/2026

4 min read or listen

My Forex Funds Brand Sold to Dubai's Global Solutions; Liabilities Stay With Traders Global

Finance Magnates reports Global Solutions Operations FZE, led by former My Forex Funds operations director Haider Raza, acquired the My Forex Funds trademarks, domain, and social accounts in a deal closed 1 August 2026. Brand assets only — no products live yet, and pending trader rewards remain Traders Global's responsibility.

9/29/2026

5 min read or listen

CMC Markets Funded Confirms Formal Launch: Passers Get a Verichain Interview Shot, Not a Live CMC Account

On 28 September 2026 CMC Markets formally announced CMC Funded: a uniform $100,000 simulated evaluation launching 1 October, with passers offered a Verichain recruitment interview — not a live CMC brokerage or funded trading account.

9/28/2026

5 min read or listen

Funded Futures Network Says It Is Buying PropEd Capital, Names New CEO, and Flags Payout Delays

FFN told traders on 24 September it is acquiring PropEd Capital, installing PropEd's Ethan Warmuskerken as CEO, and prioritizing a payout backlog — while neither firm's public site had posted the deal as of our 27 September check.

9/27/2026

5 min read or listen

Funded Trading Plus Opens Activation Accounts: $4 to Start, Pay the Rest After You Pass

Funded Trading Plus added Activation Accounts with a $4 challenge fee and a separate activation fee only after a pass. Evaluation rules are loose; funded rules tighten on daily loss, trailing drawdown, and a 25% consistency check at payout.

9/22/2026

5 min read or listen

FTMO Launches Futures With Growth and Pro Plans

FTMO has launched FTMO Futures with Growth and Pro evaluations in $50K–$150K sizes on Tradovate, NinjaTrader, and TradingView. Accounts stay simulated; payouts are performance rewards under a 90/10 split with plan-specific caps.

9/22/2026

5 min read or listen

TradersYard to End FX/CFD Challenges After September 30, Focus on Futures

TradersYard said it will discontinue FX and CFD challenges after 30 September 2026 and make futures its primary focus, citing futures growth, a July funding round led by Andromeda Capital, and a CME data distribution license.

9/21/2026

4 min read or listen

CMC Markets Funded Sets October 1 Public Launch

CMC Markets Funded has put a 1 October 2026 countdown on its site and opened early-access signup. Finance Magnates reports the operator is Dubai-based True North Tech, with CMC Singapore named as exclusive brokerage partner — not the contractual guarantor.

9/18/2026

4 min read or listen

CMC Markets Is Planning a Prop Trading Arm, TradeInformer Reports

Ahead of what became CMC Markets Funded, London-listed CFD broker CMC Markets was setting up a prop trading product, according to TradeInformer — with no confirmed launch date and no comment from the firm yet.

9/18/2026

3 min read or listen

Tradeify Opens Free $1M Premier Trading League With FlyQuest

Tradeify is running a free simulated futures contest with a $1 million cash prize pool and a December live finale in Fort Lauderdale — Open 1 starts September 21. The league is separate from its paid evaluation products.

9/17/2026

4 min read or listen

FundedNext Puts Three Payout Options on Stellar Accounts at Checkout

FundedNext’s Stellar 2-Step and Stellar Lite accounts now let traders pick Standard (80%), 3-Day (60%), or On-Demand (90% with 2% growth and 40% consistency) at purchase — a structural payout choice, not just a headline split.

9/16/2026

5 min read or listen

Match-Trade Launches Match-Prop: Turnkey Prop Firms for Influencers and IBs

Match-Trade Technologies launched Match-Prop on September 15, 2026 — a managed “business-in-a-box” that lets influencers, educators, and IBs brand a prop firm in about seven days for a $2,500 setup fee plus revenue share.

9/15/2026

4 min read or listen

Prop Firm Payout Eligibility: Analyzing City Traders Imperium's 7-Day Rule and Payout Timelines

An analysis of first payout timelines across 219 prop firms, detailing how City Traders Imperium's 7-day rule and Finotive Funding's discount model impact capital efficiency.

8/12/2026

5 min read or listen

Mental Funding, ZeroToFunded, and Apekapital Confirmed Closed: Analyzing Counterparty Risk in Retail Prop Trading

ProprietaryTrading.com has verified Mental Funding, ZeroToFunded, and Apekapital as closed after reviewing sustained operational unavailability and domain activity. Exact business-closure dates are unknown.

8/9/2026

4 min read or listen

For Traders Loyalty Tiers: How XP Changes Profit Share, Drawdown and Profit Targets

For Traders ties profit splits, drawdown allowances and profit targets to earned XP. ProprietaryTrading.com explains how the loyalty tiers work across the Fast, Classic and Strike challenges and what they mean for traders.

8/8/2026

4 min read or listen

EvaluationInstantFirm Capital

City Traders Imperium's 7-Day First Payout Rule: What Traders Should Know

City Traders Imperium sets first payout eligibility at 7 days. ProprietaryTrading.com explains how that compares with other prop firm payout models and what it means for capital de-risking and fee recovery.

8/7/2026

5 min read or listen

Minimum Trading Days, Drawdown Locks and Consistency Caps at Earn2Trade and Tradeify

Earn2Trade has no formal minimum trading-day requirement, while Tradeify's Growth and Select evaluations can be completed in as few as 1 and 3 trading days, respectively.

8/6/2026

5 min read or listen

Tradeify Instant Funding, Drawdown and Consistency Rules Explained

Tradeify offers instant funding alongside its evaluations, with no evaluation drawdown lock and tier-specific consistency thresholds. ProprietaryTrading.com explains how the rules work across its account tiers.

8/4/2026

4 min read or listen

Trader Career Path Removes Minimum Trading Day Requirement

Futures prop firm Trader Career Path (Earn2Trade) has removed the minimum trading day requirement from its evaluation programs, eliminating a common hurdle for traders who can demonstrate profitability quickly.

7/29/2026

3 min read or listen

The Drawdown Black Box: Over 93% of Prop Firms Hide Their Core Risk Rule

An analysis of the ProprietaryTrading.com directory reveals a critical transparency gap in the prop trading industry: 205 of 219 firms, or 93.6%, do not clearly disclose their drawdown calculation method, a core rule that can determine a trader's success or failure.

7/29/2026

4 min read or listen

Top Tier Trader Expands Offering with New Instant Funding Model

In a significant strategy shift, Top Tier Trader has introduced an Instant Funding model, departing from its evaluation-only approach. The move signals increasing competition among prop firms to offer traders multiple pathways to capital.

7/23/2026

3 min read or listen

Topstep Removes Tradovate as Platform Option for Futures Traders

Topstep has officially removed Tradovate as a supported platform, a significant shift for futures traders on the platform. The move requires affected users to migrate to other supported platforms like TradingView, Quantower, or NinjaTrader.

7/18/2026

3 min read or listen

EvaluationInstantFirm Capital

State of Prop Trading 2026: Market Size, Profit Splits & Industry Benchmarks

ProprietaryTrading.com's canonical annual report on the prop trading industry: estimated $19.4B market size, ~720,000 active funded traders, the profit-split divide between evaluation firms and firm-capital houses, and how to read the numbers.

7/5/2026

9 min read or listen

FundingPips Launches '2 Step Flex' Evaluation With More Lenient Drawdown Rules

FundingPips has introduced a new "2 Step Flex" evaluation program, which notably features a 12% maximum drawdown and a 4% daily drawdown. The new model is designed to attract traders who seek more breathing room on a day-to-day basis than typical industry-standard limits allow.

6/21/2026

3 min read or listen

Apex Trader Funding Halts Trading on Key Precious Metals Amid Volatility

Apex Trader Funding has suspended trading for several key precious metals instruments, including gold and silver, citing extreme market volatility and increased margin requirements from its brokers. The move highlights a critical operational risk for funded traders.

6/21/2026

3 min read or listen

Prop Firm Match Delists QT Funded, Citing Payout and Support Issues

Independent directory Prop Firm Match has delisted QT Funded following numerous user reports of payout denials, unresponsive support, and retroactive rule changes. The move highlights the growing importance of platform risk and transparency for traders.

6/19/2026

3 min read or listen

Orion Funded Introduces 'Pay-After-Passing' Nova Program

Orion Funded has launched its new "Nova" program, which uses a pay-after-passing model for its evaluation. This model aims to lower the barrier to entry by deferring the sign-up fee until after a trader successfully completes the challenge.

6/19/2026

3 min read or listen

FXIFY Hits 3-Year Mark, Reports $40 Million in Trader Payouts

Marking its third anniversary, FXIFY announced it has paid out over $40 million to its traders. The milestone signals a growing trend among prop firms to use payout transparency as a key metric for building trader trust and proving sustainability.

6/14/2026

3 min read or listen

EvaluationInstantFirm Capital

Prediction Markets Emerge as Prop Trading's New Frontier, But a Divide Looms

While new retail-focused prop firms for prediction markets are launching, institutional trading firms are approaching the asset class with significant caution. This creates a two-track ecosystem, with retail traders pioneering new strategies while institutional capital waits for greater liquidity and regulatory clarity.

6/14/2026

4 min read or listen

The Complexity Tax: Are Prop Firm Rulebooks Designed to Fail Traders?

Convoluted rulebooks full of obscure restrictions like End-of-Day trailing drawdowns and consistency rules may function as a hidden profit center for prop firms, maximizing revenue from failed challenges rather than identifying trading talent. We analyze this 'complexity tax' and what it means for traders.

6/13/2026

4 min read or listen

Hola Prime Claims Audited Payouts, Sets Sub-3-Minute Speed Benchmark

Hola Prime is making a bid to lead the industry in operational transparency and speed, announcing its trader payouts are now independently audited and processed in an average of under three minutes. The move directly addresses trader concerns about payout reliability.

6/13/2026

3 min read or listen

ATFunded Halts Operations, Citing 'Sustainability' Concerns

ATFunded, the prop trading brand associated with broker ATFX, has abruptly paused all operations, citing sustainability issues. The move highlights the operational risks inherent in the prop industry and the importance for traders to vet firm stability.

6/12/2026

3 min read or listen

For Traders Unveils 'FT 3.0' with Rule Changes and New Account Options

Prop firm For Traders has launched "FT 3.0," a significant update to its offerings that introduces new account types and simplifies trading rules, aiming to create a "fairer, simpler" environment for traders.

6/10/2026

3 min read or listen

Futures vs. FX Prop Firms: A Tale of Two Trading Universes

The prop firm landscape is not one-size-fits-all. The worlds of futures and FX prop trading operate as distinct ecosystems with different rules, leading firms, platforms, and definitions of trader success. Understanding this divide is critical for choosing the right path.

6/10/2026

4 min read or listen

Kalshi Launches Regulated Perpetual Futures in US, Opens New Frontier for Prop Trading

Event contract exchange Kalshi has launched the first-ever regulated perpetual futures in the United States, a move that could significantly impact the prop trading landscape. The development creates a new, regulated asset class that firms specializing in alternative markets may begin to offer.

6/9/2026

3 min read or listen

The Rise of White-Label Prop Firms: What Traders Need to Know

A growing number of prop firms are built on white-label technology platforms, lowering the barrier to entry and creating a crowded market. For traders, this trend brings both opportunities and new risks, making due diligence more critical than ever.

6/8/2026

4 min read or listen

PropMarket Launches as First Prop Firm for Prediction Markets

PropMarket has debuted as the first proprietary trading firm dedicated to prediction markets, offering funded accounts for traders to speculate on real-world events. This move signals a potential expansion of the prop trading model beyond traditional financial assets.

6/8/2026

4 min read or listen

May Jobs Report Volatility Puts Prop Firm News Trading Rules Under the Microscope

The May 2026 jobs report sent shockwaves through the market, creating massive volatility. For prop traders, it was a stark reminder that the biggest opportunities often come with the biggest risk: account termination due to complex news trading restrictions.

6/6/2026

7 min read or listen

The Prop Firm Funnel: Data Shows Just 7% of Entrants Ever See a Payout

New data reveals the stark reality of the prop firm evaluation process. With only 14% of traders passing challenges and just 45% of those who pass achieving a payout, the true success rate from entry to payment is less than 7%. This analysis breaks down the multi-stage funnel traders must navigate.

6/5/2026

6 min read or listen

EvaluationFirm Capital

Citadel LLC's 'Idea Marketplace' for Hedge Funds: The Institutionalization of the Prop Trading Model

Ken Griffin's Citadel LLC is launching a program to pay other hedge funds for their best trading ideas, creating an institutional parallel to the online prop trading model that has reshaped the retail landscape. We analyze what this means for the future of talent sourcing in finance.

6/3/2026

6 min read or listen

EvaluationLeveraged Trader CapitalFirm Capital

The Prop Firm Paradox: Are High Margins and Trader Success at Odds?

A viral claim of 60% profit margins in the prop trading industry ignites a debate on business model sustainability. Are firms built to find talent or to profit from evaluation fees? We analyze the financial incentives and what they mean for traders.

6/3/2026

6 min read or listen

Navigating News Trading Restrictions at Prop Firms

Prop firms vary widely in how they handle trading around high-impact news events. For traders, understanding these rules isn't just about compliance—it's about survival. Here’s a breakdown of the different approaches and what they mean for your strategy.

6/2/2026

7 min read or listen

EvaluationFirm Capital

The Mismatch in Prop Firm Marketing: Why the 'Get Rich Quick' Playbook Is Failing Traders

The aggressive, lifestyle-focused marketing common in the prop trading industry is creating a generation of disillusioned traders. A shift toward transparency and skill-based messaging is overdue and could redefine success for both firms and their clients.

6/2/2026

7 min read or listen

Topstep's Plus500 Partnership Blurs Line Between Prop Firms and Brokers

Topstep's new introducing broker (IB) partnership with Plus500 marks a significant stratefic shift, signaling a future where the distinction between online prop firms and traditional brokerages may be eroding. This analysis examines the implications for traders and the wider industry.

6/1/2026

5 min read or listen

Prop Trader Secures Record $2 Million Payout

Kane Simons, a 32-year-old day trader, set a new record in 2024 for the largest-ever payout from a proprietary trading firm, totaling $2 million.

5/31/2026

1 min read or listen

AI's Influence on Prop Firm Talent Acquisition

The integration of AI is leading proprietary trading firms to adjust their hiring strategies, prioritizing specialized talent over broad recruitment, but not yet resulting in widespread job reductions.

5/31/2026

1 min read or listen

FundedFirm Reports Over $15 Million in Trader Payouts

FundedFirm has announced that it has exceeded $15 million in total payouts to traders. This milestone was reached as of October 25, 2025.

5/28/2026

1 min read or listen

The Funded Trader: Low Success Rates in Proprietary Trading Challenges

The Funded Trader (TFT) reports that only 5-10% of traders pass its evaluation challenges, and a fraction of those subsequently receive payouts.

5/28/2026

1 min read or listen

The Funded Trader Seeks Strategic Investors Amidst Growth

The Funded Trader, a prop trading firm with over 500,000 followers and significant payouts, is now seeking strategic investors. The firm has recently launched proprietary technology.

5/28/2026

1 min read or listen

Kraken Launches Prop Program Offering Up to $200K in Firm Capital

Crypto exchange Kraken enters the funded-trader market with a skill-test evaluation funding traders up to $200,000.

5/27/2026

1 min read or listen

Funded Academy Partners with cTrader to Expand Platform Options

Prop firm Funded Academy adds cTrader alongside existing MT4/MT5 support, broadening platform choice for evaluated traders.

5/27/2026

1 min read or listen

Why Payout Reliability Is the Real Metric

Marketing leans on funding size. Traders should lean on payout history.

5/26/2026

1 min read or listen

PropLynq Crosses $8.4M in Payouts as Broker-Choice Model Spreads

PropLynq says its broker-choice prop firm structure has paid out over $8.4 million, signaling traction for the model.

5/23/2026

1 min read or listen

Ex-Citi MDs Launch Upside Funding with $350K Programs and Mentorship

A new prop firm founded by former Citigroup managing directors launches with a mentorship-heavy model and accounts up to $350K.

5/20/2026

1 min read or listen

Regulation Watch: EU Pressure Builds for Prop Firm Disclosure Rules

European regulators continue informal consultations on whether retail-facing prop firms should fall under existing investor-protection frameworks.

5/19/2026

1 min read or listen