10+ Best Prop Trading Firms in March 2024 for US Traders (2024)

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10+ Best Prop Trading Firms in March 2024 for US Traders (1)

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10+ Best Prop Trading Firms in March 2024 for US Traders (2)

Written By

G. Dautovic

Updated

March 11,2024

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Proprietary or prop trading is an increasingly popular investment method, and plenty of firms are joining this rising sector of the industry. In this form of trading, financial firms profit from market activity, rather than commissions on client trades. If you can trade successfully and follow market trends, these companies will speed up your journey toward financial independence.

Traders on prop platforms trade in cryptocurrencies, fiat currencies, stocks, bonds, commodities, and other financial instruments. Finding a platform that deals in assets that are up your alley, under conditions that suit you, can be challenging. To help out, we’ve compiled a list of best prop trading firms for you to choose from.

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Top US-Approved Prop Trading Firms for March 2024

Topstep

4.7 stars Our Rating

Fortunly's Rating: Our editorial team determines the rating based on a set of evaluation criteria developed for each product and service category.

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Topstep

4.7 stars Our Rating

Fortunly's Rating: Our editorial team determines the rating based on a set of evaluation criteria developed for each product and service category.

Tradable assets: Futures

Profit split: 100% on first $10,000 and then 90%

Evaluation: Yes

Refundable registration fee: No

Trading platforms: TSTrader, Quantower, Sierra Chart, T4, MotiveWave and more

Leverage: Up to 1:100

Price: From $49

Maximum capital: $150,000

KEY FACTS

OVERVIEW

ABOUT THE COMPANY

  • Futures trading
  • Digital coaching
  • Buying power up to $150,000 for futures

10+ Best Prop Trading Firms in March 2024 for US Traders (5)

Topstep is one of the best prop trading firms for futures traders. This provider welcomes both experienced traders and beginners and helps them develop healthier trading habits. Topstep’s support traders are experts and are at your disposal to help you achieve your financial goals.

Since Topstep is a place for full-time traders and enthusiasts, the platform has several accounts for futures trading. This means that you’ll be able to choose among accounts with various buying power, ranging from $50,000 to $150,000. The accounts also vary in terms of profit targets, maximum drawdown and loss limits. The daily loss limit starts at $2,000 for the smallest account and goes up to $4,500 for the $150k account. Of course, there is an evaluation process that you need to pass in order to get a real trading account at this company, but keep in mind that the company doesn't offer a refundable registration fee.

Topstep is also one of the best proprietary trading firms for beginners because it features various educational resources and support. Group Coaching is a program led by professional traders, and it’s designed for those who wish to learn how to trade smartly and improve their individual performance. There’s also Digital Coaching, a real-time trading guide that helps you set up your trading plan and achieve trading goals faster.

Topstep is a Chicago-based company founded in 2012, which hosts traders from 143 countries. Since 2020, Topstep’s users withdrew more than $10 million in funded trader payouts. The company has an excellent 4.4/5 score on Trustpilot, and has been featured on the Inc. Magazine’s 5,000 list of the fastest-growing private companies in the US.

4PropTrader

4 stars Our Rating

Fortunly's Rating: Our editorial team determines the rating based on a set of evaluation criteria developed for each product and service category.

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4PropTrader

4 stars Our Rating

Fortunly's Rating: Our editorial team determines the rating based on a set of evaluation criteria developed for each product and service category.

TRADABLE ASSETS: Futures

PROFIT SPLIT: 100% on first $8,000 and then 95%

EVALUATION: Yes

REFUNDABLE REGISTRATION FEE: No

TRADING PLATFORMS: R|Trader Pro, Quantower, ATAS, Bookmap

LEVERAGE: 1:1

PRICE: From $99

MAXIMUM CAPITAL: $250,000

Key Facts

Overview

About the Company

  • Futures trading only
  • Industry-high payout rates
  • Zero platform fees

4PropTrader is a Dubai-based futures trading firm which carved a niche for itself as a go-to destination for skilled futures traders looking to leverage the firm’s capital with accounts going as high as $250,000.

The company has over seven years of operational experience, and hundreds of funded traders, focusing on personalized support and market analysis, while providing its users with the latest innovations in trading tools.

Unlike the majority of proprietary trading firms, 4PropTrader only has one evaluation stage for all of its plans, of which there are 6. There is a monthly subscription price for all of the available plans, starting from $99 for the Beginner Program, and going up to $280 for the all-encompassing Extreme Program.

All of the plans come with a high 95% payout rate, and a 100% payout rate for the first $8,000 of profit, making the offer here one of the best that the prop trading market has to offer right now.

At 4PropTrader, you can trade in a variety of futures contracts on exchanges such as COMEX, NYMEX, CBOT and CME, allowing for great flexibility and the ability to strategize across multiple markets.

Trading with 4PropTrader also comes with no platform fees for using any platforms which supports Rithmic connection, such as the R|Trader Pro, and the deposit and withdrawal process is easy and streamlined, with no time limits imposed in order to be eligible for your first withdrawal.

All you have to do is meet the $1,000 profit requirement before requesting your withdrawal, which is usually processed in 48 hours.

4PropTrader is one of the top prop trading firms specialized in futures trading. With nearly a decade of experience and hundreds of success stories, it has become a staple name on the market and it only continues to improve and grow with time, as the company’s focus on technical innovation and cutting-edge trading experience shines through many of its current offerings.

The Trading Pit

4.7 stars Our Rating

Fortunly's Rating: Our editorial team determines the rating based on a set of evaluation criteria developed for each product and service category.

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The Trading Pit

4.7 stars Our Rating

Fortunly's Rating: Our editorial team determines the rating based on a set of evaluation criteria developed for each product and service category.

TRADABLE ASSETS: CFDs and Futures

PROFIT SPLIT: Up to 80%

EVALUATION: Yes

REFUNDABLE REGISTRATION FEE: Full refund

Trading platforms: MT4, MT5, Bookmap, Quantower, R | Trader

Leverage: 1:30 for CFDs

Price: From $99

Maximum capital: $5,000,000

KEY FACTS

OVERVIEW

ABOUT THE COMPANY

  • Four tools and four platforms supported
  • Up to $320,000 payout for CFD trading
  • Progressive payout increase
  • No hidden fees
  • Low latency and transactional costs
  • FREE trading platforms
  • No time boundaries
  • In-depth mentorship and educational support
  • Cross-platform compatibility

10+ Best Prop Trading Firms in March 2024 for US Traders (10)

What sets The Trading Pit apart from other top platforms for prop trading is its unique level structure. There is no minimum deposit required or complicated and hidden fees to calculate. Instead, trading is organized into opt-in Challenge plans. With every target hit, traders advance to the next level where they are given more contracts, larger drawdown limits, and bigger payouts, which are integral to the company's ambitious $5 million scaling plan.

The Trading Pit caters to brokers of all levels. Beginners can gradually learn how to create better plans and forecasts, trading with significant funds while investing only a fraction of the amount provided by the company, lowering the financial risk. Veterans, on the other hand, can take a skill test, bypass the lower levels, and enjoy similar benefits as beginners but with higher payouts.

In addition to financial support, The Trading Pit offers a comprehensive knowledge library with manuals for tools and platforms, webinars, videos, podcasts, and ebooks. These resources are designed to help traders achieve their trading goals.

To support the diversity of contracts traded and the unique requirements of each Challenge plan, The Trading Pit accommodates a broad range of tools and trading platforms. Depending on the types of contracts traded and the Challenge plan chosen, The Trading Pit offers a wide variety of tools and trading platforms for your workstation, including the Economic Calendar, CME Heatmap, Squawkbox, ATAS, Bookmap, and Volumetrica, among others. These resources create an invaluable workstation that helps traders navigate the intricacies of the financial markets effectively.

In conclusion, The Trading Pit presents a unique, accessible opportunity for proprietary trading. They offer a well-rounded package with low entry requirements, a comprehensive support network, and a generous opportunity for profit. Their goal is to democratize access to trading, provide substantial capital, and offer comprehensive educational resources and robust support to help traders succeed in the financial markets.

In 2021, two financial experts, Illimar Mattus and Christoph Radecker, decided to combine their three and a half decades of experience to create a trading platform. The result is The Trading Pit - a prop trading firm that attracts beginner and veteran traders alike with its small access fee, the opportunity to learn new skills, and access to a large support network. Today, The Trading Pit has traders at all levels of expertise from more than 160 countries globally.

Funding Traders

4.5 stars Our Rating

Fortunly's Rating: Our editorial team determines the rating based on a set of evaluation criteria developed for each product and service category.

Get Funded

Funding Traders

4.5 stars Our Rating

Fortunly's Rating: Our editorial team determines the rating based on a set of evaluation criteria developed for each product and service category.

TRADABLE ASSETS: Forex, Indices, Stocks, Metals, Crypto

PROFIT SPLIT: Up to 100%

EVALUATION: Yes

REFUNDABLE REGISTRATION FEE: Yes

TRADING PLATFORMS: FXCH

LEVERAGE: Up to 1:100

PRICE: From $50

MAXIMUM CAPITAL: $2,000,000

KEY FACTS

OVERVIEW

ABOUT THE COMPANY

  • 25% growth scaling plan every 3 months
  • Knowledge hub and community support
  • Account merging allowed
  • Permits news trading
  • Unlimited trading period

10+ Best Prop Trading Firms in March 2024 for US Traders (13)

With an emphasis on community, learning, and empowering, Funding Traders sets itself apart from other proprietary trading firms. Their mission is to discover and enrich new traders with enough knowledge and funds and thus create a mutually beneficial relationship with traders where everyone profits.

Traders get enough funds for successful large-scale trading while the company gets another valuable member.

In order to become Funding Traders partners, traders first have to complete either a 1-step or 2-step challenge in order to prove they are a good fit for the company. Both challenges have a 10% profit goal, an unlimited trading period, and a minimum of 1 trading day.

The only differences are the maximum account balance loss of 5% and 10%, and the maximum daily loss of 4% and 5% for 1-step and 2-step respectively. traders that choose a 2-step challenge will also have to complete a verification challenge where they'll have to meet a profit target of 5%, maximum account balance loss of 10% maximum daily loss of 5%.

The variety of plans is not the only factor that makes Funding Traders one of the best funded trader programs. Traders that pass the challenge will get access to their funds, Funding Traders large and helpful community of experienced traders, and a knowledge hub with all the necessary material for building a successful trading career.

When it comes to account types, traders can choose between 6 basic and 4 premium plans, all depending on the fee and available funds. Their smallest plan will net traders $5,000 in funding for a $50 fee. On the other hand, their largest plan called "Apex" can get traders $2,000,000 in funding, but with a slightly longer and more difficult challenging process.

All in all, the variety of plans and challenges, helpful online community, and a large resource hub make Funding Traders one of the most exciting prop trading firms on the market right now.

Founded in 2023 by a Wall Street professional by the name of Stan G., Funding Traders is a prop trading firm that aims to empower new aspiring traders by giving them access to necessary funds.

In addition to capital, Funding Traders also provides prospective traders with the knowledge base required for successful trading as well as access to a vibrant and helpful community of traders.

Today, Funding Traders operates on forex, indices, stocks, metals, and crypto markets and aims to establish a mutually beneficial relationship with their traders in which everyone profits.

Darwinex Zero

4.5 stars Our Rating

Fortunly's Rating: Our editorial team determines the rating based on a set of evaluation criteria developed for each product and service category.

Get Started

Darwinex Zero

4.5 stars Our Rating

Fortunly's Rating: Our editorial team determines the rating based on a set of evaluation criteria developed for each product and service category.

Tradable assets: Forex, CFDs, Commodities, US stocks, ETFs

Profit split: 15%

Evaluation: No, start trading immediately

Refundable registration fee: No

Trading platforms: MetaTrader4, MetaTrader5

Leverage: Up to 1:10

Price: $95 initial fee, then $38 per month

Maximum capital: $500,000

Key Facts

Overview

About the company

  • No limitation rules (no min/max drawdown - no max loss)
  • Monthly capital allocation (even in negative months)
  • Available to traders worldwide
  • External investor funding

10+ Best Prop Trading Firms in March 2024 for US Traders (16)

Darwinex Zero is a first-of-its-kind subscription service, with a $38 monthly fee and a $95 sign-up commission. The D-Zero journey starts at the training stage for every new trader, in which the Darwinex proprietary risk engine evaluates and calibrates your virtual trading skill for a minimum of 10 trading days.

After this initial evaluation stage, your personal DARWIN will be created and you will move to the DarwinIA Silver, a monthly seed capital allocation programme where you will compete against other DARWINs to earn allocations of between $25,000 and $250,000 and the chance to keep 15% of the profits you generate in performance fees. Once you become eligible for the DarwinIA Gold stage, the allocation limit is increased to $500,000, and you can test your strategy against other elite managers in order to gain access to investor capital. The Gold stage also allows you to sell your DARWIN strategy to external investors and build your own brand as an asset manager in order to leverage outside capital to you.

D-Zero allows you to trade in Forex, CDFs, Commodities, US Stocks and ETFs, with trading in Futures coming soon. The company offers trading on MT4 and MT5 platforms, and there are dedicated apps available for both iOS and Android users. Darwinex Zero also features some of the most in-depth analytics tools and features, and is available to users worldwide, including those from countries like USA and Japan, who cannot trade on the Darwinex Classic trading account.

Darwinex Zero is a revolutionary subscription-based service launched in 2023 by the trading and asset management company Darwinex. This is not a standard prop-trading platform, and D-Zero instead acts as sort of a scouting system where traders prove themselves and their strategies in order to gain access to seed capital from Darwinex’s regulated asset management sisters. This unique service is therefore best-suited to those traders that seek to build a sustainable medium to long track record, and should not be looked at as a short-term solution.

SurgeTrader

4.4 stars Our Rating

Fortunly's Rating: Our editorial team determines the rating based on a set of evaluation criteria developed for each product and service category.

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SurgeTrader

4.4 stars Our Rating

Fortunly's Rating: Our editorial team determines the rating based on a set of evaluation criteria developed for each product and service category.

Tradable assets: Forex, Equities, Major stock market indices, Oil, Metals, Cryptocurrencies

Profit split: Up to 90%

Evaluation: Yes

Refundable registration fee: No

Trading platforms: Eightcap M4, Eightcap M5

Leverage: 50:1 on FX and metals

Price: From $250

Maximum capital: $1,000,000

KEY FACTS

OVERVIEW

ABOUT THE COMPANY

  • Quick processing times
  • Several pricing tiers
  • Diverse selection of trading securities

10+ Best Prop Trading Firms in March 2024 for US Traders (19)

To become a trader, you need to pass the SurgeTrader Audition and funded traders need to meet a few simple requirements. For starters, there is a 10% profit target, and you’ll need to stay below the daily loss limit of 5% and the maximum drawdown of 5%.

The starter account comes with a non-refundable $250 audition fee and a $25,000 initial balance. Unlike other companies, this prop trading firm doesn’t impose minimum trading days or a 30-day assessment period. It allows traders to keep 75% of their profit share. The trading capital limit is $1 million, depending on the trading account you choose.

As a SurgeTrader broker, you can trade various securities, including forex, stocks, equities, oil, and metals. Moreover, SurgeTrader is a good place for trading cryptocurrency products. SurgeTrarder operates on two platforms - Eightcap M4 and Eightcap M5. It also allows news trading.

SurgeTrader has an easy-to-use trading dashboard with useful analytical tools and features. As a SurgeTrader, you can access trade analytics in real-time and improve your trading performance. Before you decide to start the SurgeTrader Audition, you can test out the platform for free.

Thanks to the availability of the free trial, you can check your trading skills and whether you are good enough to join this proprietary trading company.

Launched in 2021 and based in Florida, SurgeTrader is one of the newest proprietary trading firms on the market. It offers a variety of trading instruments, including stock market indices, forex, metals, oil, and cryptocurrencies. The company holds a strong 4.6 rating on Trustpilot from well over 600 reviews.

Liberty Market Investment

4 stars Our Rating

Fortunly's Rating: Our editorial team determines the rating based on a set of evaluation criteria developed for each product and service category.

Get Funded

Liberty Market Investment

4 stars Our Rating

Fortunly's Rating: Our editorial team determines the rating based on a set of evaluation criteria developed for each product and service category.

Tradable Assets: Futures

Profit Split: Up to 100%

Evaluation: Yes

Refundable Registration Fee: No registration fee

Trading Platforms: VolFix

Leverage: Up to 1:100

Price: From $140

Maximum Capital: $150,000

KEY FACTS

OVERVIEW

ABOUT THE COMPANY

  • 100% profit on the first $30,000
  • No registration fees
  • Wide selection of futures exchanges
  • Trader tournaments

10+ Best Prop Trading Firms in March 2024 for US Traders (22)

Liberty Market Investment has one of the best funded trader program choices in the proprietary trading space in 2023. With $150,000 in account size, and a 100% profit split on the first $30,000 in profits, along with the fact that you can have up to three Funded Session accounts at the same time, the LMI platform is an overall great space for experienced prop traders.

The company has one exclusive trading platform, and that’s VolFix, through which you can track your history and statistics, and adjust your strategy for better profits. There are also trader competitions featured on the platform, and a wide variety of futures exchanges to trade at.

The Liberty Market Investment evaluation program structure stands out from the competition on the prop trading market as well, featuring two different paths toward becoming a funded prop trader. You can either go through the 1-Stage evaluation process called the Qualifying Pro Session, or you can opt for a safer but slower approach with the 2-Stage Program called Practice Session & Qualifying Session.

Both of these evaluation programs have their own benefits and drawbacks, but they lead to the same Funded Session account.

Founded in 2108, Liberty Market Investments is a UK-based prop trading company with headquarters in London. The firm focuses on trading in futures on US and EUREX exchanges, with more than a hundred instruments on offer, including forex, commodities, cryptocurrencies, agricultural and interest rate futures.

LMI was built around the idea of providing the most transparent and user-friendly recruitment programs for beginner and experienced traders alike, along with some of the highest profit splits on the market.

City Traders Imperium

4 stars Our Rating

Fortunly's Rating: Our editorial team determines the rating based on a set of evaluation criteria developed for each product and service category.

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City Traders Imperium

4 stars Our Rating

Fortunly's Rating: Our editorial team determines the rating based on a set of evaluation criteria developed for each product and service category.

Tradable assets: Forex, Commodities, Stocks, Crypto

Profit split: 90%

Evaluation: Yes (skip it with the Direct Funding Program)

Refundable registration fee: No

Trading Platforms: MetaTrader 5

Leverage: Up to 1:33

Price: From $59

Maximum capital: $2,000,000

KEY FACTS

OVERVIEW

ABOUT THE COMPANY

  • Free course before enrolling in the Evaluation program
  • Well-known for trading forex pairs
  • Online material for traders

10+ Best Prop Trading Firms in March 2024 for US Traders (25)

As one of the market’s top proprietary trading firms, City Traders Imperium is best-known for offering direct funding that can go up to $100,000. Hundreds of reviews on Trustpilot and a 4.8 rating only serve to confirm our positive assessment of its spreads, exceptional customer support, and useful online material for brokers.

Like other companies in this line of work, City Traders Imperium has a two-phase evaluation program that you must complete successfully in order to become a trader.

It takes up to one year to complete. This is because the company understands how important it is to lead candidates slowly through the process and offer them the biggest chances for success. Profit targets for phase one and two are 10% and 5%.

Another great thing about this firm is that you can completely skip the Evaluation and start trading as a Portfolio Manager right away. You just need to choose the Direct Funding program. This firm offers scalable trading plans with up to 100% of profit share going to the trader.

When it comes to the assets that you can trade, City Traders Imperium is among the most popular prop firms for forex. There are dozens of forex pairs that you can trade, but you can also trade gold and indices. And as of recently, the company also allows trading in cryptocurrencies.

City Traders Imperium offers a free course for future traders. The course is designed to help traders pass the evaluation procedure.

Founded by Daniel Martin and Martin Najat, City Traders Imperium is another great prop firm. The company has been around since 2014, offering traders the facilities to trade forex, indices, and gold. The company is praised by customers for its excellent and empowering courses that help traders become real professionals. Based in London, City Traders Imperium offers excellent trading benefits once you become a Portfolio Manager.

10+ Best Prop Trading Firms in March 2024 for US Traders (26)

Quick Breakdown

Best Prop Firms Availabe to US Traders in 2024 - Our Picks:

  • Topstep - Best for Forex traders

  • The Trading Pit - Best for futures traders

  • Funding Traders - Highest profit split

  • Darwinex Zero - Best for experts

  • SurgeTrader - Best variety of tradable assets

What Is Proprietary Trading?

Proprietary trading firms have etched a unique space within the financial tapestry. These entities diverge from the traditional financial institutions in their operational approach.

Instead of handling and investing clients' assets, they wield their own capital to speculate on financial markets and recruit professional traders to trade with the company's funds.

Their modus operandi is simple: profit from market movements directly, bypassing the commission-centric and more regulated model of standard brokerages.

Traders who pass the training or evaluation stages and get to trade with funded accounts are rewarded with a 50-90% profit split from their earnings, and in recent times some prop firms have also started awarding bonuses and monthly salaries to their best-performing traders.

Proprietary trading is speculative by nature, and comes with high risk, so there are strict rules and strategies that traders can follow and employ in order to manage this risk, including volatility arbitrage, global micro-trading, merger arbitrage and more.

Advantages of Prop Trading Firms

Prop trading bring a number of unique benefits to the table:

  • Capital Empowerment: One of the standout benefits of prop trading firms is the access to substantial capital. This allows traders, even those with limited personal funds, to take on significant market positions, amplifying their profit potential.
  • State-of-the-Art Technology: Prop firms are technology-driven entities, equipping traders with sophisticated analytical tools and modern trading platforms. The drive to edge out any sort of advantage is paramount, which is why more than two thirds of prop firms invest in consistent technological upgrades.
  • Continuous Learning Environment: Proprietary firms are not just about trading; they're about nurturing talent. They offer comprehensive training modules, mentorship opportunities, and a culture that emphasizes continuous learning. Some 75% of traders note these training programs as instrumental to their success in the business.
  • Access to Diverse Markets: Prop traders usually aren't limited to a specific market or instrument. Numerous proprietary trading firms provide traders with the opportunity to implement diverse strategies across an extensive array of financial markets. This includes foreign exchange (forex), futures contracts, commodities, precious metals, and the burgeoning realm of digital currencies. In fact, a recent study by Acuity has shown that 84% of prop firms are currently trading in crypto derivatives.
  • Leverage and Liquidity: Prop firms provide traders with significant leverage, allowing them to maximize their market positions. Additionally, with their vast inventory of securities, traders can execute trades even in illiquid market conditions.
  • Attractive Compensation Structures: The profit-sharing models in prop trading firms can be incredibly lucrative. Some have recently upped their game even further and are offering profit splits of up to 100% to their most successful traders, making this career possibly highly rewarding.
  • Community and Collaboration: Given their closely-knit operational model, traders in prop firms often benefit from a sense of community, sharing insights, strategies, and collaborating for mutual success.

Disadvantages of Prop Trading Firms

While the allure of prop trading is undeniable, it's essential to understand the challenges and potential pitfalls:

  • High Risk, High Pressure: The speculative nature of prop trading means there's a higher risk of significant losses. Combine this with the pressure to perform and show consistent profits, and it’s easy to see why proprietary trading is considered a highly stressful activity by many traders.
  • Regulatory Hurdles: Post the 2008 financial crisis and the introduction of the Volcker rule, prop trading firms have come under increased regulatory scrutiny, with 50% of prop trading executives stating that regulation is among the biggest challenges that the industry is facing.
  • Variable Income: Unlike traditional jobs with fixed salaries, prop traders earn based on performance. This can lead to income variability, making financial planning essential.
  • Intellectual Property Concerns: Exceptional traders with unique strategies might face the risk of their strategies being replicated or reverse-engineered by the firm.
  • Operational Costs: While prop firms provide access to advanced tools and platforms, they often come with associated costs. These operational expenses can eat into a trader's profits.
  • Limited Diversification for Some Firms: While many prop firms allow diversification, some might specialize in specific markets or strategies, limiting a trader's flexibility.
  • Intense Competition: The world of prop trading is fiercely competitive. Traders are constantly vying for the top spot, ironing out their strategies and using the newest automation tools and technical advantages, with the ever-evolving market dynamics ensuring that traders need to be on their toes at all times.

How to Become a Prop Trader

If you're contemplating a foray into the world of prop trading, here's an example of some of the important steps we’d recommend following:

  1. Gain Foundational Understanding: Before you can master the art of prop trading, it's essential to understand its basic tenets. While formal education in finance or economics can be a boon, it's not a strict necessity. What’s more important is the knowledge of various financial instruments and the systems and rules by which they operate.
  2. Master the Market: You can't just jump in and expect profits. If it were that simple, everyone would be a prop trader. Dedicate significant time to track market trends, understanding both technical and macroeconomic indicators.
  3. Familiarize Yourself With Regulatory Information: Every market operates within a framework of rules. Whether it's being aware of trading timings, understanding margins for futures and derivatives, or ensuring you don't trade on non-public material information, compliance is key. Familiarize yourself with relevant legislations and broker-specific rules to ensure you trade within legal and ethical boundaries, and avoid any prop firms which raise the red flags you need to look out for.
  4. Craft Your Trading Strategy: The world of prop trading is replete with indicators and strategies. For instance, if you're inclined towards the Simple Moving Average (SMA), you'll need to decide whether a 50-period SMA or a 100-period SMA aligns with your goals. Remember, no strategy guarantees consistent profitability. It's always prudent to complement technical indicators with other analytical tools to make well-rounded decisions.
  5. Learn Risk Management and Capital Preservation: In trading, there's no foolproof strategy. Considering the intrinsic risks, particularly when amplifying positions through leverage, it becomes essential to establish and adhere to stringent risk management measures. Tools like stop losses and hedging can be invaluable in mitigating potential losses.
  6. The Power of Practice: Before you're entrusted with a firm's capital, you'll likely be given a simulator account on a trading platform. This 'paper trading' phase is both a learning opportunity and a test of your trading acumen. It's a chance to familiarize yourself with platform features, refine strategies, and demonstrate your potential to prospective employers.
  7. Join a Prop Trading Program: Once you've honed your skills, consider enrolling in a prop trading evaluation program. Such programs assess your capabilities in real-world trading scenarios and can be a stepping stone to joining a reputable prop trading firm.
  8. The Transition to Live Trading: Successful completion of a prop evaluation program can lead to offers from trading partners, allowing you to trade with actual capital. This phase is where theory meets practice, or rubber meets the road, as they say.

For a more detailed explanation, you can check out our guide on becoming a prop trader.

How Much Do Prop Traders Make?

One of the most enticing aspects of prop trading is the potential for substantial earnings. While salaries vary based on performance and location, US prop traders earn an average yearly salary of $102,745, according to Glassdoor. The same source states that the highest salary for a prop trader in the United States is $252k per year.

Review Methodology

How We Evaluate Prop Trading Firms

The key to success with prop trading is finding the right prop firm to work with. Many companies are competing for new traders with advertised benefits and higher profit cuts. However, profit margins aren’t the only important criterion, and there are several factors to consider before committing to a specific firm.

Reputation

Due to the well-established presence of bad actors within the prop trading industry, a good reputation takes lots of work to build up. We’ve examined what users have to say about their experience on each platform and how the company handled any issues their traders faced.

Whether in a large or small organization, complaints that haven’t been clearly resolved are reflected in the company’s Trustpilot rating. The time it takes for the firm to onboard new traders and if it’s making on-time payments are some of the most important factors that reflect how reputable the company is.

Available Assets

What do you specialize in? Some prop firms have a variety of assets for trade, while others prefer to have traders focusing on a select few. You’ll likely have a choice of futures, stocks, forex, and other commodities.

Even though some are specifically designated, like forex prop firms for example, they can also include trading with cryptocurrencies and precious metals.

Fees & Subscription Costs

Fees and profit margins will be determining factors for any prospective trader on the hunt for a platform. You’ll have to make a financial commitment before being accepted as a regular trader and recieving prop firm funding, and some platforms have a higher barrier to entry than others.

The initial one-time fee for the evaluation process varies significantly; on the plus side, some companies do offer a refund for that payment.

Trading Platform and Trading Style

Check what trading platform the proprietary firm is using. When it comes to forex trading, the best prop firms implement MT4, MT5, and cTrader platforms, while others may emphasize technical analysis vs. fundamentals on which your potential investments are built.

Your approach to researching before making an investment may make or break your trading experience with some of the firms on this list.

Customer Support

Having a good support lifeline from the firm you are trading with is going to be essential. You may have important questions or issues to be resolved with your payments, profit splits, platform features, or just about anything else.

That’s where readily available support of a prop firm is incredibly helpful, and an extensive knowledge base will save you the precious time you need to dedicate to research and trading.

Further Reading:

  • Differences Between Prop Trading and Hedge Funds Explained
  • Leading Crypto Prop Trading Firms Reviewed

FAQ

Is proprietary trading legal?

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It depends on the person making the trades: In most situations, prop trading isn’t illegal, unless you are working for some of the most influential banks in the world. Due to the 2008 financial crisis, banks are no longer allowed to conduct proprietary trades.

Which prop firm is better than FTMO?

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While FTMO is easily considered one of the leading platforms for prop trading, some alternatives are popular among traders. Some of these are Topstep, The 5%ers, FundedNext, and others that we listed here.

Are prop trading firms worth it?

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Prop trading is a legitimate method of earning huge profits by making trades. Users who can make it through evaluation quickly get access to funded accounts and can start trading with the firm’s capital, which in some instances can amount to millions of dollars.

Do prop traders make money?

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Yes, they do. Successful proprietary traders can expect to earn between $100,000 and $200,000 per year. Entry positions earn somewhat less, but most prop trading firms pay their traders competitively.

How do prop trading firms make money?

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The main way prop trading firms earn money is by taking a percentage of each trader's profit, usually somewhere between 10% to 50%. There are also some companies which may charge for services like coaching and account opening.

Which prop firm is best for scalping?

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We'd recommend looking at Topstep or FTMO if you're looking for a good prop firm for scalpers in 2024.

10+ Best Prop Trading Firms in March 2024 for US Traders (2024)

FAQs

What is the best funding prop firm in 2024? ›

Comparison of the Best Firms for Prop Trading
Company NameProfit splitMaximum capital
FX2 Funding85%$200000
FTMOUp to 90%$400,000
Lux Trading Firm75%$10 million
Audacity Capital50%$500,000
10 more rows

Which prop firm is the best in USA? ›

Who Are The Best Prop Trading Firms?
  • Best For Stocks Trading (US Only): Funder Trading.
  • Best For Futures Trading (US & Intl): Apex Trader Funding.
  • Best For Options Trading (US ONLY): Funder Trading.
  • Best For Forex Trading: FundedNext.
Apr 5, 2024

What prop firm has the fastest payout? ›

Top Forex Firms Based on Pay-out Frequencies
  • Maven [5 days] Matching Funding Pips, Maven also offers pay-outs every 5 days, understanding the need to provide traders with frequent capital access. ...
  • Traddoo [7 days] ...
  • Funded Trading Plus [7 days] ...
  • Smart Prop Trader [12 days] ...
  • Summary.
Feb 14, 2024

Which prop firm is regulated in the US? ›

OANDA, Axi, and Hantec Markets are three regulated forex and contracts for differences brokers that launched prop trading services.

Which is the most trusted prop firm? ›

The most popular prop trading firms and funded programmes
  • Axi Select.
  • FTMO.
  • The Forex Funder.
  • E8 Markets.
  • True Forex Funds.
  • The 5%ers.
  • Funded Next.

What is the most legit prop firm? ›

Best Prop Trading Firms 2024 - Reviewed by Experts
  1. Topstep: A Leader in Trading Innovation. ...
  2. The 5%ers: Forex Trading with a Twist. ...
  3. Earn2Trade: Empowering Aspiring Traders. ...
  4. SurgeTrader: A Gateway to Diverse Trading Assets. ...
  5. FTMO: Stringent Yet Rewarding. ...
  6. E8 Funding: Innovative and Flexible.
Feb 2, 2024

Why is FTMO banned in US? ›

FTMO have now restricted access to all new US-based traders as of January 2024. This appears to be related to regulatory issues and may have something to do with the recent My Forex Funds case.

Which prop firm has the lowest fees? ›

Best cheap forex prop firms
  • FTMO: evaluations starting at $399.
  • TopStepTrader: Challenges starting at $375.
  • T4tCapital: Flexible evaluation options starting at $299.
  • Funded Trading Plus: Starting at $25.
  • Earn2Trade: $99 Mini challenge.
  • True Trading Group: $49 evaluation with a $25,000 virtual account.
Feb 27, 2024

How do I choose a prop trading firm? ›

Don't just pick the first prop trading firm you find. Choose one with a good reputation, support for traders, good tools, safety measures, fair costs, and a friendly community. This way, you can trade smarter and have a better chance at success.

How much does the average prop trader make? ›

Prop Firm Trader Salary

The salary of a prop trader can vary greatly depending on several factors such as experience, performance, and the size of the firm. On average, a junior prop trader can expect to earn anywhere between $50,000 to $100,000 per year, while a senior trader can make upwards of $500,000 annually.

Which prop firm pays weekly? ›

Proprietary Trading Firm Payout Cycles
Proprietary Trading FirmPayout Cycle
Funded Trading PlusWeekly
FundedNextEvaluation: Bi-weekly Express: Monthly One-step Stellar: Every 5 Days Two-step Stellar: Bi-weekly
FunderProWeekly
Funding PipsEvery 5 Days
36 more rows
Apr 2, 2024

How many traders pass prop firms? ›

The article from Lux Trading Firm provides slightly different results. According to it, 4% of traders, on average, pass prop firm challenges. But only 1% of traders kept their funded accounts for a reasonable amount of time.

Is FTMO available in USA? ›

Please note that FTMO does not provide services to persons in/from (both nationals and residents) Iran, Syria, Myanmar, North Korea and USA, persons listed on sanction lists, persons with criminal records related to financial crime or terrorism, and persons previously banned because of breach of contract.

Why is MetaQuotes removing prop firms? ›

The MetaQuotes move indicates that the company is very cautious when it comes to offering services using its platform to US clients. The two MetaTrader apps were banned on Apple's App Store in 2022 for their alleged use by fraudsters targeting the US citizens and residents.

Is Funded Next trustworthy? ›

Fundednext is one of leading and trusted funding prop firms in the world, if you are looking to start trading a huge capital up to $300,000. Having tested it, I highly recommend you go ahead and sign up with Fundednext.

Do prop firms really pay out? ›

Yes, prop firms do pay. While there are some scams out there popping up everyday, reputable prop trading firms like True Forex Funds, FTMO,5%ers,FundedNext are legitimate and pay traders according to their profit-sharing agreements. As for True Forex Funds, I can vouch for their credibility.

What are the top prop firms for futures trading? ›

What are some of the top futures prop firms? The top futures prop firms are TopStepTrader, Jane Street, FTMO, 3Red Partners and The Trading Pit.

Which prop firm has no daily drawdown? ›

Real Prop Funding: The Prop Firm With No Max Daily Drawdown

At Real Prop Funding you only have to Pay once, pass the test and get virtual funding! Keep up to 90% of profits, trade anytime, and hold trades over the weekend.

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