FTUK vs SFX Funded - Prop Firm Comparison (August 2026)

Head-to-head comparison of FTUK and SFX Funded. 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 August 2026.

FTUK vs SFX Funded - Prop Firm Comparison (August 2026)

	FTUK FTUK (FTUK Inc.) is a US-based prop firm offering simulated Forex and Futures funding via Instant Funding and 1-step/2-step evaluation programs, with trading on DXtrade, MatchTrader and TradeLocker, profit shares that scale up to 80%, and a published maximum scaling... Visit FTUK	SFX Funded SFX Funded is a Dubai-based prop firm (SFX International FZCO) trading since 2023, with six routes to capital — Rapid 1-Step, 1-Step Pro, Ascend 2-Step, Ignite, Instant Funding and a $7 Pass First, Pay Later model — on Match-Trader and... Visit SFX Funded
Overview
Trustpilot Rating	4	0
Trustpilot Reviews	802	0
Headquarters	United States	United Arab Emirates
Age (Years)	N/A	3
Max Funding	$6,400,000	$500,000
Profit Split Start	50%	80%
Profit Split Max	80%	100%
Platforms	Match-Trader DXtrade TradeLocker	Match-Trader Platform5
Assets	FX Metals Indices Commodities Crypto Futures	Forex Indices Commodities Metals Crypto
Leverage
FX Leverage	100	30
Metals Leverage	10	10
Crypto Leverage	2	2
Risk & Drawdown Rules
Max Daily Loss	Maximum Daily LossDaily drawdown limits depend on the program: Instant Funding uses a 5% daily drawdown, One Step uses a 4% daily drawdown, and Two Step uses a 5% daily drawdown in both evaluation phases and funded levels.FTUK states daily drawdown is calculated using the higher value of balance or equity at the end-of-day snapshot (22:00 UTC), which means open profit can increase the daily-loss threshold but open losses still count toward it.	Maximum Daily Loss The daily loss limit varies by program: 3% on Rapid, Instant Funding and Pass First Pay Later, 4% on Ascend 2-Step, and none at all during the 1-Step Pro evaluation phase. How it is calculated: at the daily reset SFX takes the higher of your account balance or your account equity and subtracts the percentage to set that day's floor. Because the higher of the two is used, an account sitting in floating profit gets a higher...
Max Total Loss	Maximum Overall LossFTUK applies different overall drawdown models across programs: Instant Funding uses a 6% relative max drawdown, One Step uses an 8% relative max drawdown, and the Two Step program uses static maximum drawdown limits of 10% (Phase 1) and 5% (Phase 2) calculated on equity.	Maximum Overall Loss SFX Funded's overall loss limit tops out at 8% on the Ascend 2-Step and tightens to as little as 4% on Rapid. The headline percentage is the less important half of the answer, because only one SFX program uses a static limit: Ascend 2-Step: 8% static, measured from the initial account balance Pass First, Pay Later: 7% trailing in evaluation, 6% trailing once funded 1-Step Pro: 6% trailing Instant Funding: 6% trailing Rapid 1-Step: 4% trailing Why...
Drawdown Type	Drawdown ModelFTUK distinguishes between relative (trailing) drawdown and static drawdown. On One Step and Instant Funding, the trailing max drawdown is based on balance (not equity) and only moves upward as profits accumulate. On the Two Step program, drawdown is static and calculated on equity, meaning floating profit/loss is included in the drawdown check.	Drawdown Model Mixed — and this is the most consequential difference between SFX programs. Trailing (most programs): Rapid (4%), 1-Step Pro (6%), Instant Funding (6%) and Pass First Pay Later (7% eval / 6% funded) all use a trailing maximum drawdown anchored to your highest-ever account value. In SFX's own words the level "moves up whenever your account reaches a new high" and "never moves down, even if your account value decreases later." Static (one program): Ascend 2-Step uses an...
Payouts
Payout Frequency	Payout FrequencyInstant Funding: Payouts are available on demand, subject to meeting the Consistency Score requirement.One Step & Two Step: Payouts are typically available every 14 days (bi-weekly) once the trader meets minimum trading-day requirements and other eligibility checks (including the challenge-program Payout Locker terms where applicable).	Payout Frequency SFX Funded runs a Payout on Demand model on its Ignite, Ascend and Rapid funded accounts. The first request can be made 3 trading days after your first trade, provided you have made at least 3% profit on the account size and your SFX Stability Index is inside your program's threshold. That first withdrawal is processed at a reduced 40% split; the standard 80%+ split applies from the second payout onward. After the first payout, requests are accepted...
Days to First Payout	14	3
Payout Processing Time	Payout ProcessingFTUK states payout requests are usually approved within 1–2 working days after account review. After approval, funds are typically reflected in the trader’s wallet within 1–3 working days depending on the payout method.	Payout Processing SFX Funded states that withdrawal requests submitted through the dashboard are processed within 2 business days, and markets an average payout time of under 8 hours. It backs this with a Payout Guarantee: paid within 48 hours of risk-team approval, or SFX pays you $1,000. The 48-hour clock runs on business days only (Mon–Fri, Dubai time, 09:00–17:00, excluding UAE public holidays) and pauses over weekends, and it starts at approval rather than at submission — so the risk...
Payout Methods	RiseWorks USDT (TRC20)	Bank Transfer Cryptocurrency (USDT TRC20)
Payments
Payment Methods	Credit/Debit Card Crypto	Credit/Debit Card Cryptocurrency Bank Transfer Mobile Money
Trading Permissions
News Trading	Instant Funding: News trading is permitted at all stages with no restrictions.One Step & Two Step: FTUK applies a 10-minute no-trade window around major economic releases (from 5 minutes before to 5 minutes after). Trades opened or closed inside this window are treated as a soft breach where profits are erased and losses are not compensated.	Evaluation phases: news trading is allowed, on every program. SFX only warns about the volatility risk. Funded accounts: news trading is restricted. A 4-minute blackout window applies around every red-folder event on the Forex Factory calendar — from 2 minutes before to 2 minutes after the release. Inside that window SFX blocks market-order execution, pending limit-order activation, and stop-loss/take-profit triggers. Red-folder events marked "All Day" are exempt because they have no fixed release time. Penalties escalate and differ by program:...
Weekend Trades	Forex programs: Holding positions overnight and over the weekend is allowed on Instant Funding, One Step and Two Step accounts.Futures programs: FTUK Futures does not allow holding positions overnight or over the weekend; positions must be closed by the daily cutoff time specified by FTUK.	Weekend crypto trading is allowed on all account types. SFX Funded is unambiguous on this: "you can trade crypto during the weekend with SFX Funded. This applies to all account types." Positions may be held open over the weekend and new positions may be opened. This is a genuine advantage over firms such as FTMO, which require Normal-account positions to be closed before the weekend break. Note two practical caveats: crypto leverage at SFX is only 1:2, and there are no swap-free accounts, so weekend and overnight financing costs apply and count against your loss limits.
Copy Trading	Forex programs: Copy trading is allowed between your FTUK account and your personal external accounts, but copying between multiple FTUK accounts (or running identical trades across multiple FTUK accounts) is prohibited.Futures programs: Copy trading is not permitted.	Copy trading is not allowed at SFX Funded, in any form. The rule is one of the strictest in the industry: "the use of Copy Trading Software is not permitted." The ban covers automatic or manual copying of trades or strategies from other traders or signal providers, and applies to every account combination — evaluation to evaluation, funded to funded, funded to evaluation. Running identical trades simultaneously across your own multiple accounts is also caught by the rule, as is...
EA Allowed	Expert Advisors (EAs) and automated trading are permitted for standard intraday strategies, but FTUK’s permitted-styles matrix restricts EAs from a range of behaviors (e.g., martingale, scalping, tick scalping, hedging, and prohibited arbitrage styles). FTUK also warns that any trading style that constitutes high-frequency trading is not allowed.	EAs are allowed only under unusually restrictive conditions — this is one of the strictest EA policies among mainstream prop firms. Permitted: EAs you developed yourself and own the source code to Trade managers and risk managers Calculators and utility tools Prohibited: Any third-party EA. "Using any other third-party Expert Advisor is not allowed." Any EA where you do not own the source code — and SFX requires you to hand over a copy of the source code for verification...
KYC & Restrictions
KYC Required	Yes	No
KYC Stage	FTUK uses RiseWorks for payout processing and requires trader verification to access and withdraw via Rise. FTUK states payouts above $500 are processed via RiseWorks in USD, while payouts below $500 are processed via USDT (TRC20). If Rise is not supported in a trader’s country, FTUK can manually send payouts via USDT (TRC20).	KYC is mandatory and is handled by Veriff, a third-party verification provider. SFX states that "all traders must submit and pass to gain full access to their funded account or become eligible to receive payouts." When it is triggered: On passing an evaluation — Rapid, 1-Step Pro, Ascend and Ignite traders complete KYC after the risk-team review and before the funded account is released. Before the first payout — Instant Funding traders, who skip the evaluation, verify before their first...
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