Types of Prop Firms: Futures, Forex, Crypto and Stocks

Prop firms come in four main types, grouped by market: futures, forex, crypto and stocks. The model is the same everywhere: pay a fee, pass the rules, share the profits. What changes is how size, loss limits and targets are measured, and whether you get funded through an evaluation or instant funding.

Key takeaways

• Our directory lists 15 firms: 13 futures firms, 1 crypto firm and 1 stock firm. Forex firms are still being verified.
• Futures rules are in dollars and contracts. Forex and crypto rules are usually percentages.
• Most programs use an evaluation. Instant funding skips it for a higher price.
• Trade the market you already know. An evaluation is the wrong place to learn a new one.

What are the types of prop firms by market?

Counts are firms listed in our directory as of September 27, 2026. A firm is listed once its rules and prices are verified from its own website.

Futures prop firms

You trade exchange-listed futures. Size is counted in contracts, loss limits are dollar amounts, and end-of-day drawdown is the norm. See futures prop firms explained and the list of futures prop firms.

Forex prop firms

You trade currency pairs and often metals and indices. Targets and limits are usually percentages, and many programs have two phases. See forex prop firms explained.

Crypto prop firms

You trade crypto, usually perpetual futures, with leverage caps and markets that never close. See crypto prop firms explained and the list of crypto prop firms.

Stock prop firms

You trade shares with the firm's buying power, under hold-time and position rules. See stock prop firms explained and the list of stock prop firms.

What are the types by funding path?

Across every market, firms fund traders in one of two ways. Most use an evaluation: you pass a paid trial first. Some sell instant funding, which skips the trial for a higher price and usually stricter funded rules. Of the 39 futures programs we track, 33 are evaluations and 6 are instant funding. See how evaluations work and instant funding explained.

A worked example: the same risk in two markets

Say you want about $1,000 of room. In futures, that's a 25K account with a $1,000 drawdown in most programs, and a 20-point stop on one micro Nasdaq contract risks $40. In forex, a program might set a 10% maximum loss on a $10,000 account, which is also $1,000, but your position size depends on the pair and the firm's leverage cap. The dollars at risk are the same. How you size, and what ends the account, is not.

How do you choose a market?

Trade the market you already know. The rules are hard enough without learning a new market during a paid evaluation. Then use how to choose a prop firm to pick a program, and see every firm on our firm pages.

Common questions

Which type of prop firm is best?

The one for the market you already trade well. Each type's rules suit its own market.

Can one firm cover several markets?

Yes. Some firms run separate programs for futures, forex or crypto, each with its own rules.

Are there traditional prop firms too?

Yes. Traditional prop trading firms hire traders and trade their own capital, often with an interview instead of an evaluation. This site covers the online model. See what is a prop firm.

How we got these numbers

Counts come from our directory, reviewed by a person on September 26–27, 2026. See our methodology.