Guides
Understand first. Pay later.
What drawdown, profit targets, payouts and supervision really mean. Every figure in the text links to its source and date.
- “Funded” explained: simulated account, counterparty, feesWhat sits behind a “funded” account: who the counterparty is, where prop firms' money comes from, and what FMA, FSMA, Consob and ČNB say about it.9 min read12 sourcesRead
- Drawdown types explained: static, trailing, daily lossStatic, end-of-day, intraday or closed-balance trailing: how loss limits are calculated, with worked examples and real rules from five prop firms.10 min read8 sourcesRead
- Consistency rules explained: three kinds, worked examplesBest day against total profit, against the profit target, or lot size: how prop firms measure consistency, with worked examples and sources.8 min read10 sourcesRead
- Checklist before you buy a prop firm challengeWhat to check before you buy a challenge: the legal entity, rule changes, KYC, country rules, payout methods, refunds and regulators' warning lists.8 min read35 sourcesRead
- When a prop firm closes: chargebacks, crypto, evidenceWhat happened at My Forex Funds and True Forex Funds, when a card chargeback can help, why crypto does not come back, and which records to keep.7 min read13 sourcesRead
- Futures vs forex/CFD prop firms: the differencesFutures vs forex/CFD prop firms, rule by rule: instruments, data fees, drawdown, contract limits, payouts and oversight, every figure sourced.7 min read22 sourcesRead
- Instant funding: prop trading without a challengeWhat instant accounts are, how their rules differ from challenges and what they cost. With sourced figures from FTMO, GOAT, FundedNext and CTI.9 min read12 sourcesRead
- Prop trading platforms: MT5, cTrader, TopstepX and moreMT5, cTrader, Match-Trader, TradeLocker, TradingView, TopstepX, Tradovate, NinjaTrader and Rithmic: what they are, who offers which, US limits.8 min read33 sourcesRead
- What a futures prop challenge really costsSubscription or one-time fee, activation, resets, CME data and commissions: the full bill at seven futures prop firms, with cost per 1,000 of buffer.11 min read24 sourcesRead
- News, EAs, copy trading, hedging: what prop firms allowNews blackout windows, EAs, copy trading and hedging: what prop firms allow, restrict or forbid in their own rules, with sources and dates.12 min read30 sourcesRead
- Scaling plans explained: what grows and what does notHow six prop firms grow the simulated account: conditions, pace, caps and split, and why a bigger simulated balance is not money you own.9 min read14 sourcesRead
- Resets and retakes: what further attempts costWhat a reset costs at prop firms, when resets are free and why attempts add up. Prices from the firm records, no estimated pass rates.10 min read19 sourcesRead
- Payouts: methods, fees, limits and fee refundsHow prop firms pay out: bank, Rise, Wise, crypto. Plus fees, FTMO's conversion deduction, minimums, caps, waiting periods, fee refunds and KYC.11 min read14 sourcesRead
- Country restrictions and KYC at prop firmsWhy prop firms exclude countries, what the profiles show for CH, DE, AT, UK and US, when KYC happens, which documents it takes and what happens if it fails.9 min read30 sourcesRead
- Prop trading glossary: the terms, briefly explainedFrom challenge to scaling: prop trading terms explained neutrally, with worked examples from FTMO and Topstep rules and a source for every figure.8 min read16 sourcesRead
Not yet proofread by the operator
These guides touch tax and law. They are sourced and checked, but not yet proofread by the operator. Until then they are closed to search engines.
- Prop trading in Switzerland: firms, francs, FINMA and taxNot yet proofreadWhich prop firms accept Swiss residents per their records, what paying in euros or dollars can cost, what FINMA says and which tax questions are still open.10 min read15 sourcesRead
- Prop trading and taxes in Germany: what is still openNot yet proofreadBusiness, other or investment income? What German law and the tax authorities say, what is still open for prop payouts and when trade registration comes up.10 min read27 sourcesRead
- Prop trading from Austria: FMA, firms and taxNot yet proofreadWhat Austria's FMA says about prop trading and paid challenges, which firms accept Austrian residents, and what is still open on tax.9 min read10 sourcesRead
How we write: every figure has a source with the date we read it, usually the firm's own page or a regulator's. We analyse published rules; we do not test firms.