Alpha Capital vs Crypto Fund Trader - Prop Firm Comparison (March 2026)
Head-to-head comparison of Alpha Capital and Crypto Fund Trader. Check max funding, profit splits, daily and overall drawdown rules, leverage, tradable assets, payout frequency, payment and payout methods, trading permissions and KYC restrictions before you buy a challenge. Data refreshed March 2026.
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Alpha Capital
Alpha Capital Group (Alpha Capital) is a UK-based CFD prop firm (founded 2021) that provides simulated-funded "Qualified Analyst" accounts via ACG Markets and lets traders choose between a 1-step (Alpha One), multiple 2-step options (Alpha Pro 6% / 8% /...
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Crypto Fund Trader
Crypto Fund Trader (CFT) is a Switzerland-based crypto-first evaluation firm operated via SWISS RLCRATES AG that offers 1-phase, 2-phase, Instant and Ascend models with no time limits on standard challenges, trading via MT5, Match Trader and Bybit, simulated allocations up...
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| Overview | ||
| Trustpilot Rating | 4.7 | 4.4 |
| Trustpilot Reviews | 17,698 | 1,106 |
| Headquarters | United Kingdom | Switzerland |
| Age (Years) | N/A | 5 |
| Max Funding | $400,000 | $300,000 |
| Profit Split Start | 80% | 80% |
| Profit Split Max | 80% | 90% |
| Platforms | MT5 cTrader DXtrade TradeLocker | MT5 Match-Trader Bybit |
| Assets | FX Metals Indices Oil (Energy) | Crypto Forex Indices Commodities Stocks |
| Leverage | ||
| FX Leverage | 100 | 100 |
| Metals Leverage | 30 | 100 |
| Crypto Leverage | 0 | 100 |
| Risk & Drawdown Rules | ||
| Max Daily Loss | Maximum Daily LossAlpha Capital Group enforces a plan-specific daily drawdown limit that is measured from defined daily reference points (based on balance or equity, depending on the plan). The daily loss limit is evaluated against the current equity value, and breaches are treated as a hard breach (trades are closed automatically).Alpha Pro 10%: 5% balance-based daily drawdown.Alpha Pro 8%: 4% balance-based daily drawdown.Alpha Pro 6%: 3% daily drawdown calculated over the higher of end-of-day balance or equity.Alpha Swing: 5% balance-based... | Maximum Daily LossCrypto Fund Trader calculates daily drawdown based on equity. For standard evaluations, the daily maximum loss is measured from the starting balance at 12:05 AM UTC. CFT lists the default daily limits as 5% on 2-phase evaluations and 4% on 1-phase evaluations.Add-ons may modify certain limits (for example, a 2-phase add-on that increases daily drawdown to 6%). Ascend also adds a specific news window risk constraint (see “News Trading”). |
| Max Total Loss | Maximum Overall LossMaximum total loss is defined by the plan’s maximum drawdown model and is set as a percentage of the initial starting balance. If balance or equity drops below the maximum drawdown threshold, the account is breached and trades are closed automatically.Alpha Pro: static max drawdown of 10% (Pro10) / 8% (Pro8) / 6% (Pro6).Alpha Swing: 10% static max drawdown.Alpha Three: 6% static max drawdown.Alpha One: 6% trailing max drawdown based on the high-water mark (maximum balance achieved). | Maximum Overall LossCFT’s standard evaluation structures use different overall loss models:2-Phase: maximum loss is typically fixed at 10% of initial balance.1-Phase: a 6% trailing drawdown applies (equity-based), and once the account exceeds +6% profit, the trailing line locks at the initial balance instead of continuing to trail upward.3-Phase (if selected): CFT states a 5% fixed maximum loss with a 5% daily max loss.Add-ons may increase max loss limits (e.g., a 2-phase add-on raising max loss to 12%). |
| Drawdown Type | Drawdown ModelAlpha Capital Group uses both static and trailing drawdown models depending on the plan:Static max drawdown: Used on Alpha Pro (6% / 8% / 10%), Alpha Swing (10%) and Alpha Three (6%). The maximum-loss line is fixed from the initial starting balance and does not move up as the account grows.Trailing max drawdown (high-water mark): Used on Alpha One (6%). As new balance highs are made, the trailing drawdown line moves up; once the account reaches a high-water mark... | Drawdown ModelCrypto Fund Trader’s drawdown enforcement is primarily equity-based. The daily loss limit resets using the account’s starting balance at 12:05 AM UTC. For overall drawdown, CFT uses static/fixed overall loss on 2-phase challenges (e.g., 10% of initial) and a trailing model on 1-phase challenges (6% trailing that later locks at the initial balance after +6% gain).Accounts that breach max daily, max overall, or trailing drawdown are deactivated and the trader is notified by email. |
| Payouts | ||
| Payout Frequency | Payout FrequencyAlpha Capital offers two payout schedules for qualified accounts, depending on the payout type selected at checkout:Bi-Weekly: performance-fee requests are available every 14 days (starting 14 days after the initial trade on the qualified account). The first request requires a minimum of 5 trading days using the same trading strategy, and the minimum withdrawal is $100 gross profits.On-Demand: traders can request a payout at any time once they have at least 2% gross profit in the account and meet... | Payout FrequencyIn the final-stage simulation, scholarship requests can be made after at least 15 trading days, or alternatively every 30 calendar days (if rules were not violated). Certain program variants (e.g., 3-phase rules) note a first request possible after 5 trading days, and an add-on may allow eligibility after 7 active trading days.For Instant accounts, CFT also supports a scale milestone: once the account reaches +10% profit, traders can request a “Withdrawal & Update” to both withdraw and double the account size. |
| Days to First Payout | 14 | 15 |
| Payout Processing Time | Payout ProcessingPerformance-fee requests are submitted via the Alpha Capital dashboard and are processed and paid within about 2 business days once approved. Traders must close all trades before requesting, and the account remains locked while the balance is reset.Scaling requests (where applicable) are handled separately and are typically completed within 24–48 business hours. | Payout ProcessingCFT states that once a scholarship is requested, its team verifies the information and sends payment within 48 business hours. After the payment is sent, CFT states the user receives the scholarship in no more than 24 hours (timing depends on the payment rail). |
| Payout Methods | Bank Transfer (WIRE/ACH/SWIFT) Wise Rise (Riseworks) | Bank Transfer (EUR USD) Crypto (USDT ERC20 USDT TRC20 BTC ETH) |
| Payments | ||
| Payment Methods | Credit/Debit Card Crypto PayPal | Credit/Debit Card Crypto (11 supported currencies) |
| Trading Permissions | ||
| News Trading | News trading is permitted, but Alpha Capital applies plan-specific rules around certain high-impact announcements on Qualified Analyst accounts.Alpha Pro 8%/10% Qualified: no executing trades (opening or closing, including pending orders, stop-loss or take-profit fills) on targeted instruments within 2 minutes before and 2 minutes after the specified news releases.Alpha Pro 6% / Alpha One / Alpha Three Qualified: the same restriction applies within 5 minutes before and 5 minutes after the specified releases.Alpha Swing: trading during major news is allowed;... | News trading is allowed on CFT evaluations according to its FAQ. For Ascend evaluations, CFT adds a news-window constraint: within 2 minutes before and after high-impact news or market opening, accounts must not open/add positions or raise maximum theoretical loss above 2% of initial balance. |
| Weekend Trades | Weekend holding rules depend on the plan and stage.Alpha Pro: holding trades over the weekend is allowed during the Evaluation phase, but is not allowed on the Qualified Analyst account stage (treated as a soft breach with profits removed).Alpha Swing / Alpha One / Alpha Three: weekend holding is allowed during both the Evaluation phase and on the Qualified Analyst account stage.Swap/rollover charges still apply when positions are held over weekends. | Weekend/overnight holding is generally allowed (CFT states it accepts swing trading strategies and keeping trades open over the weekend). Market availability still follows instrument schedules: crypto trades 24/7 while forex is typically Monday–Friday and other CFDs follow their own market hours. |
| Copy Trading | Copy trading is allowed but tightly controlled. Alpha Capital permits copy trading only where the trader can provide proof of ownership of the master account (e.g., account number/investor password/server) when requested. Copy trading between two Alpha Capital accounts can also be permitted with both account numbers disclosed.Copy trading is currently supported on MT5 only; copying trades on or from cTrader, DXTrade or TradeLocker is not possible. Only one master account can be connected at a time, and copying other traders or group trading arrangements is prohibited. | CFT does not present a simple “copy trading allowed” rule in its public FAQ. However, it explicitly restricts multi-account coordination through rules such as the reverse trading/hedging constraints, and it states that copy trading between Ascend accounts is prohibited (including coordinated or mirrored behaviour that cannot be attributed to chance). |
| EA Allowed | Expert Advisors (EAs) are permitted on MT5 accounts, provided they comply with Alpha Capital’s rules. Traders must enable the EA feature at checkout and contact support for approval; Alpha Capital may request the EA's EX5 file and MQ5 market link for review.EAs are not supported on TradeLocker, DXTrade or cTrader accounts. Automated strategies that attempt to exploit unrealistic fills or use high-frequency/latency-style execution are prohibited. | Automation is partially supported: CFT lists categories of prohibited EA types (notably HFT, tick scalping, arbitrage and demo-environment exploitation). EAs that do not fall into these categories are not explicitly banned in the FAQ, but traders remain responsible for ensuring automation complies with all rules. |
| KYC & Restrictions | ||
| KYC Required | Yes | No |
| KYC Stage | Alpha Capital requires identity verification (KYC) after passing an assessment and before issuing Qualified Analyst account credentials. Traders complete KYC via a third-party provider (Veriff) and must also provide the necessary withdrawal/payment details; qualified credentials are typically issued within a maximum of 2 working days after completing KYC.Payment details may be cross-checked against the verified identity, and third-party payments are not accepted. | KYC is required as part of the scholarship/withdrawal workflow. After a scholarship request is submitted in the dashboard, CFT states the trader receives a contract to sign and a KYC to complete before funds are sent. (Bybit evaluations may additionally be subject to Bybit’s own KYC rules, which are the trader’s responsibility.) |
| Restricted Countries | Afghanistan Belarus Burundi Central African Republic Chad Cuba Democratic Republic of the Congo Eritrea Iran Iraq Libya Myanmar (Burma) North Korea Regions of Ukraine: Crimea Donetsk and Luhansk Republic of the Congo (Congo Brazzaville) Russia Somalia South Sudan Sudan Syria Venezuela Vietnam Yemen | N/A |