Trade The Pool typically uses a straightforward one-time evaluation challenge to qualify traders for funded accounts, while Funded Trading Plus offers multiple paths—including one-step, two-step, and instant funding—along with flexible drawdown rules, variable profit splits, and more frequent payout options for crypto traders.
The reader outcome is behavioural: turn this guidance into a repeatable decision without relying on urgency, hindsight or one-off results.
The Behaviour to Practise
Use a written due-diligence checklist before you pay for, recommend or rule out a firm.
Why This Behaviour Matters
Comparison pages are useful only when they improve a decision. A fixed checklist reduces brand bias, prevents one attractive headline from dominating the choice, and makes changing fees or rules easier to verify.
Key Takeaways
- Trade The Pool generally uses one-time challenge fees with fixed profit targets.
- Funded Trading Plus provides multiple challenge formats and instant funding accounts.
- Drawdown rules differ significantly between programs and account types.
- Funded Trading Plus profit splits can scale up with trader performance.
- Trade The Pool payouts typically begin after a short waiting period once funded.
- Funded Trading Plus commonly offers weekly payout options.
- Choosing between the two depends on budget, preferred risk structure, and trading style.
This guide compares two proprietary trading programs relevant to crypto traders in 2025: Trade The Pool and Funded Trading Plus. The article reviews differences in evaluation structure, fees, drawdown limits, profit targets, profit splits, and payout schedules. Trade The Pool generally uses a single-fee evaluation model with fixed profit targets, leading to funded accounts that typically offer profit splits around 80% and payouts after a short delay. Funded Trading Plus provides multiple entry paths, including one-step challenges, two-phase evaluations, and instant funding options. These programs vary in drawdown enforcement, payout frequency (often weekly), and scaling profit splits. Understanding these differences helps crypto traders choose a funding program aligned with their strategy, risk tolerance, and trading experience.
Prop Firm: A company that provides trading capital to traders who pass a performance evaluation.
Evaluation / Challenge: A testing phase where traders must reach profit targets without breaching risk rules.
One-Time Fee: A single payment required to attempt a challenge.
Instant Funding: Access to a funded trading account without completing a traditional evaluation phase.
Profit Split: The percentage of profits paid to the trader.
Drawdown Limit: The maximum allowable loss before the challenge or funded account fails.
Maximum Daily Loss: The maximum loss permitted in a single trading day.
Payout Frequency: How often traders can withdraw profits.
Quick Answer
Trade The Pool typically requires traders to pay a single evaluation fee and achieve a set profit target without exceeding drawdown limits to qualify for a funded account.
Why it matters
This structure is straightforward and predictable, making it easier for traders to understand the requirements and costs. However, it may offer fewer customization options compared with multi-phase funding programs.
How it works
- Choose an account size.
- Pay the evaluation fee.
- Reach the profit target (commonly around 6–8%).
- Stay within the allowed drawdown limits.
- Pass the challenge and receive a funded account.
Common mistakes
- Taking excessive risk early in the challenge.
- Ignoring minimum trading day requirements.
- Failing to plan trades around the drawdown limit.
Example
A trader attempting a $40,000 challenge may need to generate roughly $2,400 in profit while staying within the allowed drawdown limits to qualify for funding.
Quick Answer
Funded Trading Plus offers several funding paths, including one-step challenges, two-phase evaluations, and instant funded accounts.
Why it matters
This flexibility allows traders to select a funding model that matches their experience level and trading strategy. More aggressive traders may prefer instant funding, while others may choose structured evaluation programs.
How it works
- Choose a challenge type (for example: Experienced, Advanced, Premium, or Master).
- Pay the required entry fee.
- Trade while following the program’s risk rules.
- Achieve the required profit targets.
- Move to a funded account and begin withdrawing profits.
Common mistakes
- Selecting a challenge with risk limits that are too restrictive.
- Confusing trailing drawdown with static drawdown rules.
- Not reviewing payout eligibility requirements.
Example
An Advanced Trader program might require:
- 8% profit target in phase one
- 5% profit target in phase two
- Maximum drawdown of around 10%
Quick Answer
Trade The Pool usually charges fixed one-time evaluation fees, while Funded Trading Plus pricing varies depending on the challenge type and account size.
Why it matters
Fee structures affect the total cost of attempting a challenge, particularly for traders who may need multiple attempts.
How to compare fees
- Identify the account size you want.
- Compare evaluation fees between firms.
- Check whether challenge fees are refundable after passing.
Common mistakes
- Paying high fees for instant funding without reviewing the rules.
- Overlooking the cost of resets or additional attempts.
Example
A $50,000 one-phase challenge at Funded Trading Plus may have a different fee than a similar account with instant funding or a two-step evaluation.
Quick Answer
Trade The Pool generally applies fixed drawdown rules, while Funded Trading Plus programs may include daily loss limits and overall drawdowns depending on the challenge.
Why it matters
Risk rules determine how much volatility your trading strategy can tolerate—an important factor for crypto markets.
How to manage drawdown risk
- Carefully review the drawdown limits before trading.
- Use stop-loss orders to control risk.
- Avoid oversized positions during volatile periods.
Common mistakes
- Misunderstanding trailing drawdown mechanics.
- Ignoring crypto volatility when planning trades.
Example
Some Funded Trading Plus programs allow:
- 5% daily drawdown
- 10% maximum drawdown
Exceeding either limit may result in challenge failure.
Quick Answer
Trade The Pool typically offers profit splits of up to around 80%, while Funded Trading Plus provides weekly payout options and profit splits that can increase with performance.
Why it matters
Payout timing and profit splits determine how quickly traders can access their earnings.
How payouts typically work
- Reach the required profit threshold.
- Submit a withdrawal request after the payout period begins.
- Receive profits according to the program’s split.
Common mistakes
- Expecting payouts earlier than the program allows.
- Not tracking eligibility requirements.
Example
Funded Trading Plus traders may be able to withdraw profits weekly, depending on the account program.
Quick Answer
The best program depends on your budget, risk tolerance, and desired payout frequency.
Why it matters
Crypto trading involves higher volatility than many other asset classes, so drawdown flexibility and payout schedules can significantly affect trading outcomes.
How to choose
- Compare the drawdown rules carefully.
- Review entry fees and reset costs.
- Consider payout timing and profit split percentages.
Example
Traders who prefer weekly payouts and flexible program options may prefer Funded Trading Plus, while those wanting simple one-time challenges might choose Trade The Pool.
Before choosing a crypto prop firm, make sure you:
- Review the fee structure for each firm.
- Understand drawdown and risk rules.
- Know the required profit targets.
- Check payout schedules and minimum withdrawal amounts.
- Confirm which crypto instruments are available.
- Test your strategy in demo conditions first.
- Budget for possible multiple challenge attempts.
- Understand instant funding options if offered.
- Track your trading performance relative to challenge rules.
- Carefully read the firm’s official terms and policies.
Can I trade crypto with both firms?
Funded Trading Plus explicitly supports crypto trading in some programs. Trade The Pool traditionally focuses on equities but may provide crypto-related instruments depending on the account structure.
Which firm has lower entry fees?
Trade The Pool typically uses straightforward one-time challenge fees. Funded Trading Plus pricing varies depending on the program and account size.
Which platform pays traders faster?
Funded Trading Plus commonly offers weekly payouts, while Trade The Pool payouts typically begin after a short waiting period following funding.
Which firm offers higher profit splits?
Funded Trading Plus profit splits may increase with performance and can reach higher levels in certain programs. Trade The Pool commonly offers splits up to around 80%.
Are challenge fees refundable?
Some Funded Trading Plus challenges offer fee refunds once traders pass the evaluation. Policies vary by program and should be verified before purchasing.
Which program works better for crypto volatility?
Programs with flexible drawdown rules may be easier to manage for highly volatile crypto assets.
Are weekend positions allowed?
Rules vary depending on the specific program. Traders should review each firm’s trading rules before participating.
Is there a time limit to pass challenges?
Some evaluation programs include time limits, while certain instant funding models allow traders to skip the evaluation phase entirely.
This article is for educational purposes only and does not constitute financial advice. Proprietary trading programs involve risk, including the potential loss of evaluation fees. Rules, payout structures, and trading conditions vary between firms and may change over time. Always review official program documentation and risk disclosures before participating.
Recognise the Trigger
- Trigger: You feel ready to choose a firm after seeing one attractive fee, payout split or promotional claim.
- Automatic response: Buy immediately or compare firms from memory.
- Coached response: Pause, verify the current official terms, score the same decision criteria for every firm, and record the date checked.
- Stop condition: Do not proceed when a decisive rule, restriction, fee or payout condition is unclear.
How to Practise the Behaviour
- Write the non-negotiable rules that fit your strategy and market.
- Verify each material claim on the firm’s current official website or terms.
- Compare total cost, drawdown method, trading restrictions, payout conditions and support.
- Score each option using the same criteria; do not change the weighting midway.
- Wait until the next day, review the evidence again, and then decide.
Worked Example
A trader reviewing trade the pool vs funded trading plus (crypto): fees, drawdown rules, and payouts compared (2025) notices the trigger before acting. Instead of making an immediate decision, the trader follows the written steps, records the evidence and accepts a no-trade or no-purchase outcome when a required condition is missing. The coaching win is following the process; one profitable or unprofitable result does not prove the rule works.
Common Mistakes and Reset
- Changing the rule after seeing the outcome. Reset by returning to the version written before the decision.
- Treating confidence as evidence. Reset by naming the observable condition that is present or absent.
- Increasing risk to recover time or money. Reset by applying the pre-agreed limit or ending the session.
After a mistake, do not try to repair the outcome with another impulsive action. Record the trigger, step away, and resume only when the checklist and risk conditions are valid again.
Self-Coaching Questions
- What exactly triggered the decision?
- Which observable evidence supported the action?
- Did I respect the risk limit and stop condition?
- What is the one behaviour I will repeat or reset next time?
Sources & Further Reading
- FTMO’s official Trading Objectives — Defines the current objectives and loss limits that must be checked before evaluating an FTMO programme.
- Topstep’s official Trading Combine parameters — Explains the current objectives, loss limit, consistency target and account parameters for Topstep evaluations.
- NFA BASIC registration and disciplinary checks — Shows how to verify US derivatives firms and review regulatory or disciplinary history.
- CFTC’s checks before trading leveraged forex — Provides independent guidance on leverage, counterparties, withdrawals and registration.
- FCA guidance on contracts for difference providers — Sets out risk warnings and retail protections relevant when assessing leveraged trading offers.
Now Practise This Behaviour
Immediate exercise: use the next 10 minutes to complete this practice loop.
- Write the trigger for this behaviour in one sentence.
- Write the coached response and the condition that means stop.
- Apply the rule to one recent chart, decision or firm comparison.
- Record whether you followed the process, without scoring the financial outcome.
Open the 60-Day Challenge Ready
Now practise this behaviour.
