The Funded Trader FAQ
138 Real Questions Answered (2026)
The Funded Trader (TFT) is a Texas-headquartered forex/crypto/indices prop firm co-founded in 2021 by Angelo Ciaramello (CEO), Blake Olson, and Carlos Rico Jr. HQ at 14001 W HWY 29, Suite 102, Liberty Hill, TX 78642, with a Cayman Islands trading entity added during the 2024 restructure. Current plan lineup: Standard, Rapid (1-step), Knight, Knight Pro, Royal, Royal Pro, and Dragon. Profit splits up to 99% on Knight, 95% on Royal Pro / Knight Pro via VIP. Knight scales up to $2.5M combined challenge + funded. After the March 2024 payout pause (DXtrade migration backlog), TFT resurfaced in August 2024 and cleared larger payouts from January 2025. Trustpilot ~3.3/5 from ~22,000 reviews (May 2026). Platforms: DXtrade, Match-Trader, cTrader (Voyage Markets), and Platform 5 (Thaurus LTD).
We strive for accuracy, but prop firm rules change frequently — always verify details on the official firm website before funding an account or trading.
The Funded Trader Basics
12 answersWhat is The Funded Trader (TFT) and how does the prop firm model work?
Who founded The Funded Trader and where is it headquartered?
When was The Funded Trader founded?
Is The Funded Trader regulated?
Is The Funded Trader legit or a scam in 2026?
What is TFT's Trustpilot rating?
How much has The Funded Trader paid out to traders cumulatively?
What asset classes can I trade on TFT?
Does TFT trade real money or simulated capital?
How does TFT compare in size to FTMO and FundedNext?
Does TFT have a Discord or trader community?
What sets TFT apart from competitors?
2024 Payout Pause & Recovery
9 answersWhat happened to The Funded Trader in March 2024?
Why did TFT pause payouts in 2024?
How long did the TFT payout pause last?
Did all 2024-pause traders eventually get paid?
How did TFT restructure after the pause?
Is TFT safer now in 2026 than in 2024?
Did the 2024 pause affect TFT's reputation permanently?
What lessons did TFT learn from the pause?
Should the 2024 history stop me from using TFT today?
Plans Overview: Standard, Rapid, Knight, Royal, Dragon
12 answersWhat challenge plans does TFT offer in 2026?
What is the TFT Standard Challenge?
What is the TFT Rapid Challenge?
What is the TFT Knight Challenge?
What is the TFT Knight Pro Challenge?
What is the TFT Royal Challenge?
What is the TFT Royal Pro Challenge?
What is the TFT Dragon Challenge?
Which TFT plan is best for beginners?
Which TFT plan has the fastest path to funding?
Which TFT plan has the best profit split?
Does TFT offer instant funding?
Account Sizes & Pricing
10 answersWhat account sizes does TFT offer?
How much does a TFT $5K challenge cost?
How much does a TFT $25K challenge cost?
How much does a TFT $50K challenge cost?
How much does a TFT $100K challenge cost?
How much does a TFT $200K challenge cost?
Can I combine multiple TFT accounts?
What is the maximum allocation per trader at TFT?
Is the TFT challenge fee refundable on first payout?
Are there monthly fees on funded TFT accounts?
Profit Targets, Drawdown & Daily Loss
14 answersWhat are the profit targets on the TFT Standard Challenge?
What are the profit targets on the TFT Rapid Challenge?
What is the profit target on the TFT Knight Challenge?
What is the profit target on the TFT Knight Pro Challenge?
What are the profit targets on the TFT Royal Pro Challenge?
What are the profit targets on the TFT Dragon Challenge?
What is the daily drawdown limit on TFT Standard?
What is the daily drawdown on TFT Knight Pro?
What is the daily drawdown on TFT Royal Pro?
Is the TFT drawdown trailing or static?
What is the max overall drawdown across TFT plans?
When does the TFT daily drawdown reset?
Is there a consistency rule on TFT?
Can I hold positions over the weekend on TFT?
Payouts, Splits & Withdrawals
14 answersWhat is the TFT profit split?
How often does TFT pay out?
How fast is the first TFT payout after funding?
How long do TFT payouts take to process?
What payout methods does TFT support?
Is there a minimum payout amount on TFT?
Does TFT refund the challenge fee with the first payout?
Do TFT payouts include any tax withholding?
What is the soft-breach payout buffer on Royal Pro?
What is the TFT VIP program?
Can I split a TFT payout across crypto networks?
What happens if I miss a payout cycle on TFT?
Is there a payout proof channel I can review?
What if my payout is delayed past 5 business days?
News, Hedging, EAs & Prohibited Strategies
12 answersIs news trading allowed on TFT?
Is hedging allowed on TFT?
Are Expert Advisors (EAs) allowed on TFT?
Are trading bots allowed on TFT Match-Trader?
Is copy trading allowed on TFT?
Is high-frequency trading (HFT) allowed on TFT?
What strategies are explicitly prohibited on TFT?
Are scalping strategies allowed on TFT?
Does TFT require a stop-loss on trades?
Can I use VPS hosting with TFT?
What happens if I violate a TFT trading rule?
Does TFT allow martingale / grid strategies?
Scaling, Minimum Days & Account Growth
8 answersDoes TFT have a scaling plan?
How does TFT's 25% scaling work on Royal Pro?
How does Knight scaling work?
What is the minimum trading days requirement on TFT?
How long can I take to complete the TFT evaluation?
How do I qualify for VIP at TFT?
Can I move my profit between TFT accounts?
What is the max profit I can earn before a payout cap kicks in?
Trading Platforms: DXtrade, cTrader, Match-Trader, Platform 5
10 answersWhat platforms does TFT support in 2026?
Why did TFT migrate away from MT5?
What is TFT Platform 5?
What is TFT Match-Trader?
What is TFT cTrader?
Which TFT platform is best for US traders?
Which TFT platform is best for EA traders?
Can I use TradingView with TFT?
Can I trade TFT on mobile?
Does TFT support DXtrade?
Automation via PickMyTrade
12 answersHow do I automate The Funded Trader with TradingView?
Is PickMyTrade allowed on TFT?
Which TFT plan works best with PickMyTrade?
Can PickMyTrade run multiple TFT accounts simultaneously?
How much does PickMyTrade cost for TFT automation?
Does PickMyTrade work with TFT Platform 5 or DXtrade?
How fast does a TradingView alert reach my TFT account via PMT?
Can I copy my TFT trades to other prop firms via PickMyTrade?
How do I size positions across multiple TFT accounts with PMT?
Does PMT support TFT's news trading windows?
Can PMT manage stops and targets on TFT trades automatically?
How do I set up PickMyTrade for TFT in 10 minutes?
Can I set trading time restrictions in PickMyTrade for The Funded Trader?
Countries, US Traders & KYC
8 answersWhat countries does TFT accept?
Does TFT accept US-based traders?
Is TFT available in India / Pakistan / Nigeria?
Is TFT available in the EU and UK?
What KYC documents does TFT require?
How long does TFT KYC take?
Can I trade TFT on a corporate / business account?
Do I need to be 18 to trade TFT?
Promotions, Resets & Affiliate
7 answersDoes TFT have discount codes?
Does TFT run Black Friday and Cyber Monday sales?
Can I reset a failed TFT challenge?
How much does a TFT reset cost?
Does TFT have an affiliate program?
Is the TFT challenge fee non-refundable if I fail?
Can I stack TFT promo codes?
TFT vs Competitors & Misc
10 answersTFT vs FTMO — which is better?
TFT vs FundedNext — which is better?
TFT vs FundingPips — which is better?
TFT vs The5%ers — which is better?
TFT vs Goat Funded Trader — which is better?
Should I run TFT alongside other prop firms via PMT?
Do I owe taxes on TFT payouts?
Where can I see TFT payout proof?
Can I trade TFT and FTMO simultaneously?
Is TFT good for swing traders or day traders?
Automate The Funded Trader with TradingView
TFT supports forex on DXtrade, cTrader, Match-Trader, and Platform 5. PickMyTrade executes trades within approximately 200–500 milliseconds of receiving a TradingView webhook alert on your TFT Match-Trader account — MatchTrader is the only PMT-compatible TFT platform; cTrader, DXtrade, and Platform 5 are NOT supported by PMT. Check pickmytrade.io for current pricing — subscription covers all your TFT accounts and additional supported prop firms.
Start Free TrialDisclaimer
This FAQ is for informational and educational purposes only and is not financial, legal, or tax advice. The Funded Trader rule references are compiled from thefundedtraderprogram.com, the official TFT help center (help.thefundedtraderprogram.com), the Funded Trader Discord, real user discussions in trader forums and trading communities, Trustpilot reviews (~22,000 reviews averaging ~3.3/5, 68% 5-star, as of May 2026), independent reviews on ProTradingVibes, TheTrustedProp, FuturesFury, BlueberryFunded, PropFirmMatch, TradingFinder, Forex Prop Reviews, news coverage from Finance Magnates and TradingView News (covering the March 2024 DXtrade-migration pause and August 2024 resurfacing), and our work helping traders automate TFT Match-Trader accounts (MatchTrader is the only PMT-supported TFT platform). TFT updates rules — verify directly on the official help center.
The Funded Trader is multi-asset (forex, indices, metals, crypto) across four currently offered platforms: DXtrade, cTrader (Voyage Markets, non-US), Match-Trader (Voyage Markets, global including US), and Platform 5 (Thaurus LTD, non-US). US clients are limited to DXtrade and Match-Trader. Rules differ between products — drawdown style (5% daily EOD-rebased / 10% overall from initial balance on Standard / Rapid / Royal / Royal Pro; 3% daily / 8% overall balance-based on Knight Pro; Dragon up to 6% daily / 12% max via add-ons), news rules, hedging permission. This page covers the seven current tracks (Standard, Rapid 1-step, Knight, Knight Pro, Royal, Royal Pro, Dragon) and the post-August-2024 resurfacing structure.
Historical context: TFT effectively paused payouts in late March 2024 after a botched DXtrade platform migration created a major backlog (with MetaQuotes/Purple Trading complications as contributing but not proximate factors). The firm resurfaced in August 2024 and continued clearing larger payouts from January 2025 onward via Rise/Riseworks crypto rails (USDC ERC-20 + Polygon, ETH, BTC). Approximately 70% of affected accounts were restored, with around 30% of payouts owed cleared by end of 2024 — those two figures are distinct. The firm added a Cayman Islands trading entity during the 2024 restructure (HQ remains 14001 W HWY 29, Suite 102, Liberty Hill, TX 78642). As of May 2026, TFT operates with diversified platform/broker partners and rebuilt risk infrastructure. Trustpilot still reflects the 2024 complaints; recent 2025-2026 reviews skew more positive.
PickMyTrade is an automation bridge. PickMyTrade is not a broker, not a prop firm, and not affiliated with The Funded Trader. PMT does not hold customer funds, does not place trades without your alert, and does not guarantee trade outcomes.
Past performance does not predict future results. Prop firm trading carries a real risk of loss. TFT accounts are simulated assessment programs. Consult a licensed financial advisor and a tax professional before trading.
"The Funded Trader," "TFT," "Knight," "Knight Pro," "Royal," "Royal Pro," "Dragon," "Rapid," "Standard," "Daily March," "FTMO," "FundedNext," "FundingPips," "The5%ers," "Goat Funded Trader," "MetaTrader," "MT5," "cTrader," "Match-Trader," "Platform 5," "DXtrade," "Thaurus," "Voyage Markets," "Rise Works," "TradingView," "Pine Script," "PickMyTrade" are trademarks of their respective owners.
Last updated: May 2026.