This article was written with AI assistance and reviewed by our editorial team. It is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial advice.
The real money in prop trading comes from scaling. Start with a $10K account and grow to $4 million. Here is how each firm's scaling plan works.
Scaling Potential by Firm
| Firm | Starting | Max Scaling | Timeline | Code |
|---|
| The5ers HyperGrowth | $5-20K | $4,000,000 | Performance-based | PFKEY 5% |
| FundedNext | $6-200K | $4,000,000 | Every 4 months | PFK 50% |
| FXIFY | $5-100K | $4,000,000 | Performance-based | PFK 28% |
| FTMO | $10-200K | $2,000,000 | Every 4 months | — |
| FundedTradingPlus | $5-200K | $5,000,000 | Performance-based | — |
| Bulenox | $10-250K | $250,000 | Limited | PFK 90% |
How Scaling Works (The5ers Example)
- Pass evaluation ($10K account)
- Reach profit target on funded account
- Account doubles to $20K
- Repeat: $20K → $40K → $80K → $160K → $320K → $640K → $1.28M → $2.56M → $4M
- Profit split increases at each milestone: 50% → 60% → 70% → 80% → 90% → 100%
FTMO Scaling Plan
FTMO scales every 4 months:
- Consistent 10%+ profit over 4-month period
- Account increases by 25%
- Max: $2,000,000
- Profit split stays at 90% (never reaches 100%)
Which Scaling Plan Is Best?
| If You Want... | Choose |
|---|
| Highest max ($4M+) | The5ers, FundedNext, FXIFY |
| Fastest scaling | The5ers (performance-based, no time gates) |
| 100% profit split | The5ers (only firm offering 100%) |
| Predictable timeline | FTMO (fixed 4-month cycles) |
Realistic Timeline
For a skilled trader starting with a $10K account:
- $100K: 6-12 months
- $500K: 12-24 months
- $1M+: 18-36 months
- $4M: 24-48 months (exceptional performance)
Conclusion
Scaling is where prop trading becomes truly lucrative. A $4M account at 100% profit split with just 2% monthly returns = $80,000/month. The5ers offers the clearest path to this level.
Start with code PFKEY for 5% off The5ers, or PFK for 50% off FundedNext.
