The most comprehensive collection of prop trading industry statistics, data points, and trends. Compiled from public firm disclosures, community surveys, and industry reports.
| Metric | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Estimated global prop firm market size | $2.5B+ annually | Industry estimates |
| Number of active prop firms | 50+ major firms | Market research |
| FTMO total payouts (all time) | $500M+ | FTMO public disclosure |
| E8 Markets total payouts | $68M+ | E8 public disclosure |
| Average challenge pass rate | 5-15% | Industry estimates |
| Average number of attempts before passing | 7-20 attempts | Community surveys |
| Most popular account size | $100,000 | Firm data |
| Average challenge fee ($100K account) | $300-$540 | PropWise data |
| Traders who lose funded accounts within 3 months | ~60-70% | Industry estimates |
| Average monthly return of profitable funded traders | 3-8% | Community data |
The most commonly cited figure is that 5-15% of traders pass prop firm evaluations. However, this varies significantly by firm, account size, and trader experience level.
• Lower profit targets (6% vs 8%) — The 5%ers has lower targets and likely higher pass rates
• Longer evaluation windows — more time = more chances to hit target
• Experience — traders with 1+ year of tracked results pass at 2-3x the rate of beginners
• Lower risk per trade — 0.5-1% risk leads to more consistent results than 2-3%
• Tight daily drawdown limits — 4% daily DD (Topstep) is harder than 5% (FTMO)
• News trading restrictions — FTMO's news restrictions eliminate many strategies
• Time pressure — firms with shorter evaluation windows have lower pass rates
• Overtrading — data suggests traders who take 10+ trades/day pass at lower rates
What traders actually spend before getting funded:
| Pass Rate | Avg Attempts | Cost at $300/challenge | Cost at $500/challenge |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5% | 20 | $6,000 | $10,000 |
| 10% | 10 | $3,000 | $5,000 |
| 15% | 7 | $2,100 | $3,500 |
| 20% | 5 | $1,500 | $2,500 |
| 30% | 4 | $1,200 | $2,000 |
Calculate your personal expected cost with the Challenge Cost Calculator.
| Firm | Founded | Lowest Fee | Max Split | Max Scale |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FTMO | 2015 | $155 | 90% | $400K |
| FundedNext | 2022 | $49 | 95% | $4M |
| The 5%ers | 2016 | $39 | 100% | $4M |
| Topstep | 2012 | $49/mo | 90% | $500K |
| Apex | 2021 | $147 | 90% | $600K |
| E8 Markets | 2021 | $38 | 80% | $1M |
| Maven | 2023 | $13 | 80% | $2M |
| Lux Trading | 2021 | $199 | 75% | $10M |
Full comparison: Compare all 12 firms →
| Traders who revenge trade after 2+ consecutive losses | ~65% |
| Traders who increase position size after losses | ~45% |
| Traders who overtrade (10+ trades/day) | ~35% |
| Traders who track trades in a journal | ~20% |
| Traders who have a written trading plan | ~15% |
| Traders who overestimate their win rate by 10%+ | ~67% |
Test yourself: Am I Ready for a Prop Firm? →