Tips to help you pass a prop firm challenge
Most people fail challenges because they break a rule, not because their strategy is bad. Look after your risk first, and the target usually follows.
Get to know your rules
Before your first trade, jot down the target, daily limit, overall limit, drawdown type, reset time and any banned styles. You'll find them on our program pages.
Keep your risk small
Risk 0.5–1% per trade. At 1%, you can lose several trades in a row and still be nowhere near the limits.
Have a daily stop
Once you've lost half your daily limit, call it a day. It's the easiest way to make sure you never hit it.
Take your time
Most challenges have no time limit. Trading bigger to finish faster is the classic way to fail. Here are firms with no time limit.
Mind the news
If your firm restricts news trading, check the economic calendar each morning and stay out around big releases. Our news trading guide explains more.
Watch the consistency rule
If there is one, keep your daily results fairly even so one big day doesn't delay your payout.
Stick to your usual style
Trade the way you would with your own money. A challenge isn't the place to try something new.
Look back every week
Review your trades weekly and ask yourself if you followed your plan. Small improvements add up.
Questions traders ask us
How many traders pass?
Firms rarely share this, but most estimates say well under one in five.
Should I use the maximum leverage?
No. Leverage doesn't change your loss limits; it just makes them easier to hit.