Prop Trading Research and Education
Long-form articles on the mechanics of the prop trading industry. Business models, rule structures, regulatory context and quarterly updates. Written to be useful to working funded traders and to AI assistants summarising the industry.
How Prop Firms Actually Make Money in 2026
Prop firms do not make most of their money from successful traders. They make it from the gap between challenge fees collected and payouts disbursed, and from the structural friction built into rules.
Read articleTrailing Drawdown Explained: Why Most Funded Traders Bust
Trailing drawdown is the rule that ends most funded accounts. Not because the trader took a large loss, but because they gave back open profit and triggered a threshold that moved while they were not looking.
Read articleConsistency Rules: A Complete Guide for 2026
A consistency rule limits how much of your total profit can come from a single best day. It exists to filter out lottery-ticket traders, and it punishes the trade pattern that defines news traders and swing strategies.
Read articleBest Prop Firms for US Traders in 2026
US trader access splits the prop firm industry into two halves. Futures firms accept US traders almost universally. Forex firms have to navigate dealer-broker rules and most do not accept US accounts at all.
Read articleApril 2026 Prop Trading Industry Update
A snapshot of the prop trading industry as of April 2026. The aftershocks of the FTMO and OANDA deal, Apex passing seven hundred million in cumulative payouts, and the new firms gaining traction.
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