The Funded Trader Prop Firm Review – What You Need to Know in 2025
Founded in May 2021, The Funded Trader (TFT) is a proprietary trading firm headquartered in Miami, Florida, USA, operated by The Funded Trader LLC and led by CEO Angelo Ciaramello. It offers funded accounts from $5,000 to $1.5 million, scalable to $3 million, with profit splits up to 95%. Traders can access forex, indices, commodities, stocks, and cryptocurrencies on MetaTrader 4 (MT4), MetaTrader 5 (MT5), DXtrade, and cTrader, partnered with brokers like Eightcap and Purple Trading Seychelles. With over $180 million paid out and a 4.7/5 Trustpilot rating from 22,670 reviews, TFT is known for flexible challenges and a vibrant community, though payout delays and strict consistency rules raise concerns.
The Funded Trader Best suited for:
- Beginners: Affordable Standard Challenge starting at $59 with relaxed rules.
- Experienced Traders: High capital access, up to 95% splits, and scaling to $3 million.
- Diverse Traders: Supports scalping, news trading, and crypto trading across multiple platforms.
Pros & Cons of The Funded Trader
Pros
- Beginners: Affordable Standard Challenge starting at $59 with relaxed rules.
- Experienced Traders: High capital access, up to 95% splits, and scaling to $3 million.
- Diverse Traders: Supports scalping, news trading, and crypto trading across multiple platforms.
Cons
- Weekend trading not available on most accounts:
- Payout timelines may vary based on verification speed:
How Does The Funded Trader Work? (Step-by-Step Guide)
- Select Account & Challenge: Choose Standard, Rapid, Royal, Knight, or Dragon ($5,000-$1.5M).
- Pass Evaluation: Meet profit targets (5%-10% per phase) with 5-10 minimum trading days.
- Get Funded: Trade a funded demo account with real profit potential.
- Earn Profits: Receive 80%-95% profit splits, paid bi-weekly or weekly with add-ons.
The Funded Trader Account Types & Funding Options
- Account Sizes: $5,000, $10,000, $25,000, $50,000, $100,000, $200,000, $400,000, $1.5M (Dragon only), scalable to $3M. Funding Models: Standard (Two-Step): 10% (Phase 1) + 5% (Phase 2), 5% daily/10% max drawdown. Rapid (Two-Step): 8% + 5%, 3% daily/6% max drawdown, relaxed consistency rules. Royal (Two-Step): 8% + 5%, 4% daily/8% max drawdown, higher leverage. Knight (One-Step): 10% profit target, 3% daily/6% trailing drawdown. Dragon (Two-Step): 10% + 5%, 5% daily/10% max drawdown, up to $1.5M accounts. Profit Splits: 80% default, up to 95% with scaling or add-ons
- 10%-20% challenge profit share. Fees: $59-$1,899, non-refunded
- discounts like 20% off with code “TFT20” available.:
Profit Targets & Payouts
- Profit Targets: 5%-10% per phase, depending on challenge.
- Payouts: Via bank transfer, crypto (BTC, USDT), or Deel, processed in 5-14 days, bi-weekly or weekly with add-ons.
- Drawdown Limits: 3%-5% daily, 6%-10% overall (static or trailing).
- Comparison: TFT’s 3%-5% daily drawdown is more flexible than FunderPro (5%), but its payout delays (5-14 days) are slower than SFX Funded’s hours.
Leverage & Trading Conditions
- Leverage: Up to 1:100 (forex), 1:50 (indices), 1:20 (commodities/stocks), 1:10 (crypto).
- Lot Sizes: Flexible, with risk management via drawdown limits
- commissions at $3-$7/lot.
Allowed & Restricted Trading Strategies
Allowed Trading Strategies
- Scalping
- swing trading
- news trading (with a 2-minute buffer for high-impact events)
- hedging, Expert Advisors (EAs).
Restricted Trading Strategies
- High-frequency trading (HFT)
- arbitrage
- latency trading
- cross-account copy trading
- exploiting platform errors
- gambling-style trading.
How Long Does It Take to Get Funded by The Funded Trader?
- Challenge Duration: Unlimited, with 5-10 minimum trading days per phase.
- Evaluation Speed: One-step can take days
- two-step may take 1-2 weeks.
- User Experiences: Fast funding (24-48 hours post-KYC), with traders praising support but noting payout issues for consistency violations.
How Long Has The Funded Trader Been Around?
Operating since May 2021, TFT has paid out over $180 million and serves traders in 170+ countries. Its 4.7/5 Trustpilot score, partnerships with regulated brokers like Eightcap, and large community (80,000+ Discord) solidify its reputation. However, payout issues, US trader restrictions, and platform issues (e.g., DXtrade slippage) compared to FTMO (2014) suggest caution.
Who Owns The Funded Trader? (Founder & Company Background)
Founder: Angelo Ciaramello, CEO with trading and entrepreneurial expertise. Headquarters: Miami, Florida, USA (7901 4th St N, STE 300, St. Petersburg, FL 33702). Mission & Vision: Empower traders with capital, flexible challenges, and a supportive community for long-term success. Regulatory Status: Unregulated prop firm, partners with regulated brokers (Eightcap, Purple Trading Seychelles).
What Can You Trade with The Funded Trader? (Supported Markets & Assets)
Markets: Forex (70+ pairs), indices, commodities, stocks, cryptocurrencies. Assets: EUR/USD, S&P 500, gold, silver, BTC, ETH, Apple. Restrictions: No weekend crypto trading, bans on HFT, arbitrage, and latency trading.
Does The Funded Trader Offer Education & Trader Support? (Learning Resources & Coaching)
Limited, includes blog posts, trading tips, and YouTube tutorials, no formal webinars or academy. Trader Development: Real-time dashboard with analytics for risk management. Coaching Programs: None, relies on community and support team. Community & Networking: Vibrant 80,000+ Discord, X (@fundedtrader), and YouTube with trader interviews and updates.
How Good is The Funded Trader’s Customer Support? (Response Time & Availability)
Support Channels: Live chat, email, Discord, ticket system. Response Times: Typically within hours, praised for resolving KYC and funding issues, some report delays in payout disputes. Operating Hours: 24/7 for Discord and tickets, live chat during business hours. Trader Feedback: Positive for quick responses and community support, negative for payout issues and inconsistent handling of “inconsistent trading” claims.
Is The Funded Trader a Scam or a Legit Prop Firm?
The Funded Trader is legitimate, verified by US registration (The Funded Trader LLC), a 4.7/5 Trustpilot rating from 22,670 reviews, and over $180 million in payouts. Its partnerships with regulated brokers (Eightcap, Purple Trading), transparent challenges, and large Discord community (80,000+) add credibility. However, concerns include payout delays (5-14 days), vague “inconsistent trading” or consistency rule violations, US trader restrictions, and platform issues (DXtrade slippage). Trustpilot reviews praise fast funding and high splits but criticize strict rules and occasional support lapses.
Alternatives to The Funded Trader – How It Compares
- FTMO: Higher trust score (4.9/5), 90% split, two-step evaluation, robust education, no US restrictions. FundedNext: 95% split, MT4/MT5/cTrader, scaling to $4 million, faster payouts. The 5%ers: Up to 100% split, no crypto, excludes US traders, extensive education.
Final Verdict – Should You Trade with The Funded Trader?
The Funded Trader is ideal for traders seeking high profit splits (up to 95%), flexible challenges (one- or two-step), and diverse markets (forex, crypto, stocks), with scaling to $3 million and multiple platforms (MT4/MT5/DXtrade/cTrader). Its low fees ($59+), no-time-limit evaluations, and 80,000+ Discord community make it accessible for beginners and pros. However, its unregulated status, payout delays (5-14 days), strict consistency rules (30%-50% best day cap), US trader restrictions, and platform issues (DXtrade slippage) raise concerns compared to FTMO or FundedNext. Traders should use discounts (e.g., “TFT20”), test smaller accounts, and monitor X feedback ( @fundedtrader ) before committing in 2025, balancing its flexibility and high splits against potential risks.