Traders can have many difficulties when they decide to start trading with a live account. Among these are the low initial capital and the high risk involved. This can lead to a great deal of insecurity. Funded trading programs combine the best of both worlds. They offer you the opportunity to trade and make money without putting your capital at risk. This guide will cover everything you need to know to understand the concept of funded trading accounts. From what is a funded trading program to how to pass and get a funded trading account.
Last but not least, we will go through Earn2Trade’s funded trader programs. It’s the best way to qualify for joining a proprietary trading program enjoyed by thousands of traders worldwide.
What is a Funded Trading Account?
A funded trading account is a proprietary trading account that allows a qualified individual to trade on behalf of a company.
Funded trading accounts exist because they provide individuals with flexibility and ease their way into the trading world. They bring a plethora of advantages.
First, they grant access to a real trading account on behalf of the company and allow individuals to use the corporate license and trade in compliance with the regulatory requirements. That way, they can cut the hassle of dealing with paperwork, ensuring the minimum required funds, getting the appropriate trading licenses and certifications, and more.
Next, trading accounts help you start small. By qualifying for a funded trading program, individuals can trade with a portfolio that significantly exceeds the capital they normally have at their disposal. This means if a trader is good enough, it doesn’t matter if they lack the needed capital.
The benefit for the trading company, on the other hand, is that it sources the best traders through a specific program and then takes a subscription fee and/or a share of their profits.
In a nutshell, funded trading accounts benefit both parties: the company, funding the account, and the individual who trades with it.
There are different types of funded trading accounts based on size and traded instruments. Depending on the firm, these can range from stocks, futures, FX, options, etc.
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- How to Become a Prop Trader? Check our Complete Guide
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What does a Funded Trader Do?
In general, a prospective funded trader has to enroll in an evaluation program or a training course and pass a final exam that reflects their skills and competencies. If the trader fits the requirements, they receive an offer to open a proprietary-funded trading account with the company.
Next, they get access to an account of a particular size. The trader is free to trade with the funds in the account at their discretion. However, every company will have some rules, and the trader will need to comply with them to keep things going. For example, at some companies, these rules might require a specific profit target. Other possible rules include maximum drawdown rates, daily loss limits, and maximum position size, to name a few.
The accounts you get for passing Earn2Trade’s Gauntlet Mini™ and classic Gauntlet™ programs, for example, do require you to meet any profit targets after getting funded. However, they do still set profit goals for the tests themselves. For the mini, these range from 6-7%, depending on the account. In the classic version, it’s a fixed 10%.
How to Get a Funded Trading Account
There are a variety of trading programs that, upon completion, grant you a funded trading account. However, not all are created equally fair to you. That is why, before making a choice, you should consider several things.
First of all, you should take care to check what profit split they offer. As well as whether they charge any additional fees and do they give you any special tax status. For instance, some companies may offer you competitive rates for their funded trading accounts. On the other hand, they may also charge you for trading platform licenses, educational courses, data fees, and so on. When all these add up, you will have a pile of fees to cover.
In addition, try to find a company that has a well-developed educational program. It is in your best interest to go through extensive if you have that option. That way, you will be well-equipped and prepared to navigate the markets.
Joining The Gauntlet Mini™ Program
The programs are designed to make traders push their skills to the limit. Successfully completing them is a testament to being a capable trader.
Earn2Trade offers you two funding programs among its four products. For now, we’ll focus on just one of them and leave the rest for later. Let’s go through the steps you should follow to make the first move towards getting a funded trading account by signing up for The Gauntlet Mini™:
Step 1: Choose an account type
Go to The Gauntlet Mini™ page to see what your options are. Depending on your needs, you can choose from 4 different account types. You can opt to begin your examination with virtual capital from $25 000 to $150 000.
Once you choose the account type that works best for you, all you have to do is click the “Login Now” button, as seen below.
Discount Codes
Look out for our constant promotions to grab one of our programs at a significantly reduced price. Once you have a discount code, make sure to add it before finalizing your order in the field visualized below.
Step 2: Choose the data provider
After you click the “Login Now” button, you will be directed to the page where you can complete your order. Before you do that, though, you should specify the exchanges you plan to trade on so that you can get real-time pricing data.
Step 3: Create your account
Next, you have to create your account and define the login information. You should also include the billing details regarding your order. The process is straightforward and takes no more than a few minutes.
Step 4: Complete your order
The last step in the process is to complete your order by defining the preferred payment method. After you do this, you should read the Terms and Conditions, then agree to them by ticking the box and clicking the “Complete Purchase” button.
And voila! You are ready to rock. Now you just need to pass the test.
How to Pass a Funded Trading Program
Okay, enrolling in a funded trading program was quite easy. But how to pass it? There is one clear answer to this question, and it is: dedicate yourself fully to training.
Like anything else, the key to passing a funded trading program is to put as much effort into preparation as possible. Success is a reflection of your dedication during the training course.
Let’s get more specific. First of all, make sure to go through all the educational content featured in the program. In the case of Earn2Trade’s educational course, this means over 60 explanatory videos (six to ten minutes each) that cover everything from market fundamentals and analysis (technical and fundamental) to advanced trading concepts. Do your best in the quizzes after each video and treat them as a mini-test for the final exam.
Next, make sure to dip your toes into the real trading world via a trading simulator. This is the natural and necessary step in the process of putting the theory into practice. You will apply the knowledge and know-how you gained through the educational course by placing and managing your own trades.
Last but not least, follow the rules to show that you are a disciplined trader who can be successful. This is important because, in the end, you will be trading someone else’s funds, and no company will let you get carried away. That is why you should make a trading plan.
A list of rules to adhere to if you want to pass a funded trading program
A trading plan will include a set of rules established by the provider of the funded trading program. Some companies, for example, set and seek adherence to stringent requirements, which basically limits the freedom of the trader.
In the case of Earn2Trade’s programs, the rules set by our proprietary trading partner, Helios Trading Partners, allow each trader to be flexible and play to their strengths. They vary depending on the program. For the Gauntlet Mini™, they are the following:
- Stay within the drawdown & daily loss limits.
- Avoid exceeding the maximum position size.
- Don’t hold positions overnight.
To pass, you also need to meet three requirements:
- Reach a specific profit target depending on your account size.
- Trade a minimum of 15 days.
- Don’t have any trades that make up more than 30% of your total PnL.
As you can see, these rules are just a framework you should operate within. They are designed to keep your consistency in place and prove that you can be successful with real money. The way they are formulated doesn’t limit how you trade or prevent you from applying your favorite strategies.
However, it is essential to not break any of them. Otherwise, your account might be terminated. Once you deviate from the rules and your account gets terminated, you have to restart the program.
To avoid breaking the rules and make sure you can adhere to them, visit the pages of The Gauntlet Mini™ and The Gauntlet™ To learn more.
Earn2Trade’s Funded Trader Programs
Earn2Trade offers two different funded trader programs tailored to the needs of different market participants. Here is how they work:
The Gauntlet Mini™
The most popular program in Earn2Trade’s portfolio is The Gauntlet Mini™. Upon successful completion, the intraday futures trading exam guarantees an offer for a funded trading account.
The product has proven to be one of the most affordable ways for traders with the skill but lacks the funds to get involved in futures trading and fulfill their potential. The Gauntlet Mini™ tears down all barriers and fast-tracks your career as a professional trader.
The Gauntlet Mini™ is divided into several account sizes. The difference is how many positions they allow, how much loss they permit, the amount of the virtual starting capital (ranging from $25 000 to $150 000), profit goals, monthly subscriptions, and more.
Throughout the program, the trader must adhere to specific rules that include active trading for a minimum of 15 trading days, staying above the daily loss limit and the maximum position size, trading only during the approved time frames, maintaining consistency, etc.
The trader’s performance is evaluated until they meet the target without breaking the rules or until the plan is canceled.
More information about The Gauntlet Mini™ can be found here.
The Gauntlet™
The custom-developed 60-days futures trading evaluation tool serves as the final step in Earn2Trade’s educational program. It helps you determine whether you are destined for success in the trading world and grants you a guaranteed funded trading account from our partners at Helios Trading.
To better evaluate traders’ potential without limiting them and be as flexible as possible, The Gauntlet™ requires adherence only to a couple of rules. These include managing a $25 000 virtual account over 60 calendar days, trading a minimum of 30 calendar days, and once per week, hitting the 10% profit target by the program ends, and a maximum drawdown of 10%.
The Gauntlet™ program comes for $429.00 as a one-time payment with no automated rebilling. This ranks it above the most affordable programs for those willing to become professional proprietary traders.
The best thing, however, is that the overachievers can take advantage of a refund. Just prove you can do it, and you will get it for free!
When you successfully complete it, you will receive an official certificate from Earn2Trade. To find out more about The Gauntlet™, please visit its official page.
Advantages of Becoming a Funded Trader
The list of advantages of becoming a funded trader is lengthy. Let’s focus on the most notable ones and help you realize why it is worth it:
Risk-free trading
If you become a funded trader, you don’t have to risk your own money. You are trading on behalf of the company and operating with its capital, so you don’t have to worry about yours.
Start with no money
Depending on the company, you may need significant starting capital to become a professional trader. However, when you are a funded trader, you get access to that capital instead and are free to trade it at your discretion.
Save yourself the licensing part
Becoming a professional trader on your own is a tough process. Depending on local regulations, you may have to get yourself a license, pass certification programs, comply with an extensive set of rules, etc. You’ll also often need a high amount of minimum capital to start trading and more. When you become a part of a trading company, you don’t have to deal with all this. You just trade!
Trade from wherever you like
Unlike working as a full-time trader within a particular company’s offices, funded trading programs grant you the freedom to trade from wherever you like, be it your home or on the beach.
There are many other advantages of being a funded trader. However, if we should summarize why so many people switch their focus to such programs, we should say that they allow you to trade someone else’s money but retain the major part of the profits. No risk, great returns!
How do Funded Traders Make Money?
Funded traders make money by making profitable trades with their dedicated accounts. Let’s say that a series of winning trades makes you a profit of $1,000, a part of which you keep for yourself.
The key here is how much exactly of this hardly-earned profit you get for yourself. This depends on the company you’re with. Some will keep up to 50% of your profits, which basically cuts them in half.
That is why it is crucial to find a proprietary trading firm that will leave the major part of the profit for you, the trader who earned it. With Earn2Trade and Helios Trading Partners, for example, you can retain 80% of the profits. This means just 20% of what you have earned (or $200 based on the example above) will go for the company providing you the account and capital you trade with.
What can you trade when you become a funded trader?
Once you become a funded trader, the assets you can trade depend on the prop trading firm and the account type. Most funded trading accounts allow you to trade stocks, FX, futures, and options.
However, you should also bear in mind that you may have restrictions on the instruments you are allowed to trade. For example, some service companies limit you to trading only US-listed stocks that trade on leading exchanges like the NYSE, NASDAQ, AMEX, etc.
Risks Associated with Funded Trading Accounts
To be honest, there are no major risks associated with funded trading accounts. Considering the abundance of advantages that funded trading programs bring to the table, it becomes even more evident why they are so popular among beginner traders.
However, if we should single out a potential downside of funded trading programs, we have to highlight the risk of failing to pass the evaluation and losing the money you paid for the enrollment. Even if this is the case, though, the money is basically not “lost.” Consider it the cost of learning. Such programs give you access to valuable content and industry know-how that you can capitalize on and use to streamline your trading career.
However, even if you fail to pass the program the first time, you can always focus on analyzing your mistakes, going through the educational content once again, and spending some time on a trading simulator. After you have mastered some trading strategies and start feeling confident in your abilities, you can re-enroll in the funding trading program and pass the exam easily.
Even if you consider the risk of not passing the program the first time a deal-breaker, don’t forget that funded trading programs are the shortest path to a professional trading career. The significant opportunities they open for you are worth the risk of enrolling in a problem.
After all, if you are serious about making it on financial markets, you won’t have a problem completing the program successfully.
What do you need to know before becoming a funded trader?
You should know that the most successful funded traders treat the funds they can use as if they were investing their own money. The fact that you are granted access to external capital to trade with and retain the majority of the profits doesn’t mean you are free to be more aggressive, underestimate the importance of proper risk management, or fail to control your emotions. Trading is the same, no matter whether you do it with your own money or with someone else’s.
Another thing you should bear in mind is to make sure that you do proper research before choosing which funded trading program to enroll in. Go through the terms and conditions, get familiar with the most important characteristics (profit goals, trailing drawdowns, maximum position size, etc.), and, last but not least, the program’s cost. Some offerings may cost you up to $10,000 or more, which is much more than you should be paying.
In the end, you are looking for a cost-efficient way to become a professional trader and build a career out of it. That is why you should make sure to lay the right foundation.
Ready to Kickstart Your Trading Career?
Subscribe now to our Gauntlet Mini™ and begin your path to professional trading
- The Gauntlet Mini™
- Trading Simulator (Data Feed Included *)
- 60 day Journalytix License
- Complimentary Access to the Beginner Crash Course over your Subscription Period
- Guaranteed Funding Offer After Successful Completion
F.A.Q
The interest in funded trading programs is growing by the day. That is why it is essential to answer some of the most widely spread questions regarding the best opportunity to kick-off your trading career:
The funded trader program targets traders who have some experience but lack the capital to make trading full-time profitable.
Funded trader companies make money by taking a share of the trader’s profits. Their share varies. Some companies may keep up to 50% of your hardly-earned profits. This percentage is as low as 20% in other cases, which puts the trader in a much more favorable position.
This isn’t possible, thanks to things like max drawdowns and daily loss limits. They indicate the amount you can lose before your account is suspended. The limits are usually a percentage of the funded amount. For instance, if the maximum drawdown is 10% and you are funded with $25,000, the maximum loss is capped at $2,500.
Get to know the Trader Career Path
We hope you enjoyed this article.
Put your skills to the test with the Trader Career Path, our funding evaluation designed for traders to prove their skills and build a trading career. Traders who pass the evaluation get a funding offer from a proprietary trading firm and keep 80% of the profit they make from it. Don't miss this opportunity! Contact us to learn more. Take the first step towards your new trading career today
