The shape of a challenge
You choose an account size and pay a fee. The firm opens a simulated account on its platform and enforces the rules by software. Reaching the profit target with every rule met passes the phase; touching a loss limit ends the attempt immediately. Two-step challenges repeat the process with a smaller target; one-step challenges have a single phase with tighter limits.
The rules and how they are measured
| Rule | Typical value | Measured on |
|---|---|---|
| Profit target | 8 to 10 percent, then 5 percent | Closed balance at most firms |
| Daily loss limit | 4 to 5 percent of starting balance | Equity, from the day's starting balance, on the firm's clock |
| Maximum loss | 8 to 12 percent | Equity, static from the start or trailing from the peak |
| Minimum trading days | 0 to 5 | Days with at least one trade |
| Time limit | None, or 30 to 60 days | Calendar days from the start |
| Consistency | Often none in the evaluation; 30 to 50 percent on funded | Share of profit from the best day |
Where attempts fail
- The daily limit, usually from holding a loser through it or from several correlated positions losing together.
- The maximum loss, usually after oversizing to reach the target quickly.
- Forgotten rules: trading in a news window, missing the minimum days, holding over a forbidden weekend.
- Breaches on open equity that would have recovered had the position been allowed to.
What passes
Small fixed risk per trade, 0.5 to 1 percent, so that streaks stay inside the limits; a daily stop after two or three losses; a method tested elsewhere first; and the patience to take three to six weeks. The firm's price assumes you will do the opposite.
Learn the challenge rules in the course
Trading forex, CFDs and other leveraged products carries a high risk of losing money. This guide is general education, not advice.