Best Forex Prop Firms in 2024

What Is Forex Prop Firm Trading?

Proprietary trading or simply prop trading is a type of investing where traders have the ability to use Forex funds from a prop trading company in a mutually beneficial manner.

Forex prop trading in particular is specific to trading in the FX market and Forex prop firms seek skillful investors who will be able to take their capital further and earn revenue for themselves in doing so.

Prop trading is also an industry that is democratizing investing and giving everyone the opportunity to trade with substantial capital by first proving themselves as a trader and unlocking higher tiers of capital along the way.

In short, you can start trading FX with no starting capital if you’re able to show a Forex prop trading firm that you know what you’re doing and that their capital is safe in your hands.

Forex Prop Firms Worth it?

To an experienced Forex investor or even someone who’s willing to learn and develop as a trader they certainly can be. It’s important to keep in mind that proprietary traders trade with someone else’s capital and that the companies who provide the capital (prop firms) need to be sure that their money’s in safe hands.

There are two vectors to consider when considering the profitability of prop trading and those are profit split and leverage. 

The way in which Forex prop firms split profits with their traders varies greatly from firm to firm and depending on their particular funding programs or level of trader this may differ internally.

High profit splits, or profit-sharing, may indicate lower leverage (less money to trade with) or a very complex approval process, while lower profit splits may still require a complex approval process but the sum of money available to the trader may be substantially larger.

All of these factors can make prop trading profitable as long as the investor knows what they’re doing. There’s usually very little room for error allowed with most firms imposing a strict daily loss limit.

Are Forex Prop Firms Legal in the U.S.?

Forex prop firms are still legal in the U.S., however, the market isn’t well-regulated. This means that there are no particular protections for traders and as a result many scams exist.

Sticking to reputable firms is the best course of action when it comes to any type of prop trading and given that the prop trading market is relatively new, it’s safe to assume that regulation can be expected in the near future.

Are Forex Prop Firms Legit?

Forex prop trading is a completely legit way to trade and the prop firms that provide real money to prop traders are too. However, this question arises a lot due to the questionable nature in which some prop firms operate.

Legislation and regulation concerning prop trading is currently lacking and this is because most prop firms operate with their own money rather than other investment institutions such as more traditional Forex brokers. As a result, they get to avoid most of the regulation traditional brokerages or hedge funds contend with. 

On top of that, prop firms may use virtual funds to test and simulate trades, simulating real market conditions to further analyze traders, even on live accounts which can influence payouts if traders are still being tested.

With all that said however, legitimate forex prop firms do in fact pay if you manage to be at the very top of their ‘trader talent pool’. A very small percentage of people manage to complete all of the prerequisites set by prop firms to go on and make a stable income prop trading since prop firms are willing to fund only the best of the best.

How do Forex Prop Firms Make Money?

Prop firms in general make their money by sharing profits with investors and requiring some kind of fee for either account maintenance or the ability to enroll in their selection process. Some forex prop firms offer refunds of this money once a certain level of trading potential is earned and a trader makes it to a high stage on their account. 

Considering that only a very small percentage of traders make it through and get funded, prop firms make considerable income on fees alone and further generate income through the successful trades and successful trading strategies made by the investors indirectly working for them. 

What Is the Most Reliable Forex Prop Firm?

The firms we’ve listed here are quite reputable and not just for Forex prop trading. These firms are well-known in the world of prop trading as a whole and have a lot of online reviews from users going over individual experiences.

Our advice would be to get involved with the trading community of your chosen firm to understand both the culture of it and to get in touch with people who have traded there in the past.

Social media is a great place to learn more about your chosen prop firm. You should also evaluate things like withdrawal conditions and any imposed restrictions before signing up.

What Is the Success Rate of Prop Firms?

A ballpark estimate is that more than 70% of traders fail the required evaluation given by most prop firms, which is only natural given that anyone can sign up to try trading at a prop firm.

Granted, these evaluations vary drastically and the leverage capital can be very different. It’s important to remember that in general only a small percentage, about 10% of Forex traders, make profit gains, regardless of where their capital comes from. 

In a sense, Forex prop trading firms want to make sure that their capital will be handled correctly and the trade portion of the equation is pretty similar to more traditional investment methods.