Step by step
- Read the rulebook for your exact account. Write down the profit target, daily loss limit, max loss (static or trailing), minimum trading days, news rules and any consistency rule. Programs at the same firm can have different rules.
- Know how "daily loss" is measured. Firms differ: some use your balance at the daily reset, some include open (floating) losses, and the reset time is often the firm's server midnight, not yours. Convert it to your local time (SAST, WAT or EAT).
- Size every trade from the limit, not the target. See the maths below.
- Set your own daily stop below the firm's. If the limit is 5%, stop for the day at around 2–3%. You can't breach a limit you never get close to.
- Mark the news calendar. Check the week's high-impact events on our economic calendar and stay flat around them if your firm restricts news trading.
- Slow down near the target. You don't get a bonus for passing fast. Many traders breach on the last 1–2% by forcing trades.
- Keep a journal. Screenshot every trade. If a payout is ever disputed, records help.
The risk maths
Take a $100k 2-step with a 5% daily limit, 10% max loss and an 8% phase-1 target.
| Risk per trade | $ at risk | Losses in a row to hit 5% daily | Losses in a row to hit 10% max |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2% | $2,000 | 3 | 5 |
| 1% | $1,000 | 5 | 10 |
| 0.5% | $500 | 10 | 20 |
At 0.5% risk with a 1:2 reward-to-risk ratio, each winner adds about 1%. You'd need roughly eight more winners than losers to hit 8% — slow, but very hard to blow up. Losing streaks of five or more happen to every trader, so 2% risk leaves almost no room.
Breaches that catch people out
- Holding through news on an account that bans it.
- Holding over the weekend where it isn't allowed.
- Copying signals or a group's trades. Firms compare accounts, and identical trades can be flagged as "group trading" — a common reason payouts get denied.
- Using a bought EA where only your own EA is allowed.
- One huge day breaking a consistency rule.
- Logging in from shared devices or VPNs that the firm treats as account sharing.
After you pass
Funded accounts often have stricter rules than the challenge. Re-read them, keep risk low, and take your first payout as soon as you're eligible — it proves the firm pays. Then read how to get paid in Africa.
FAQ
Should I pay for a challenge-passing service?
No. It breaks every firm's terms, the account will be closed when it's detected, and some of these services are scams themselves.
How long should a challenge take?
Most firms now have no time limit, only minimum trading days. Take the time you need.
Can I practise first?
Yes. Trade your plan on a demo account at the same risk per trade for a few weeks first. Some firms also offer free trials.
This guide is general information, not financial advice. Most people who buy a challenge don't pass it — only pay a fee you can afford to lose.