Looking for a Prop Firm Alternative? 9 Things to Compare When Paying in Crypto
A 9-point checklist for comparing prop firm alternatives when you want to pay and get paid in crypto, with a scoring table you can fill in yourself.
OctoFunded Trading DeskUpdated ยท 8 min read
A prop firm alternative is another proprietary trading firm you consider when your current choice does not fit, whether because of payment methods, rules or payout terms. If crypto is the reason, the comparison has two halves: the money rails and the trading rules.
Many traders search for an "FTMO alternative" or "prop firm alternatives 2026" when what they really want is a firm that takes crypto. This guide does not rank or describe any firm. It gives you nine criteria and a blank table, so you can compare any firm from its own published rules.
Key takeaways
- Compare criteria, not logos: nine checks cover the payment rails and the rules that decide whether you ever reach a payout.
- Convert every percentage into dollars on the account size you plan to buy.
- Ask for on-chain proof: a public transaction hash per payout is something you can verify yourself.
- Read everything on the same day and keep a copy, since rules and prices change.
- Simulated capital everywhere: funded accounts at prop firms trade simulated capital, and payouts depend on the program rules.
Why do traders look for a prop firm alternative?
Traders look for a prop firm alternative when something in the current offer does not fit the way they pay, trade or want to be paid.
The common triggers are practical. A card is declined for trading-related merchants. A trader holds stablecoins and does not want to convert them. A rule such as a trailing drawdown or a consistency cap clashes with a strategy. Or the trader wants payouts in a form they can check on a public blockchain.
Searching a famous brand name plus "alternative" is a shortcut, but it compares a firm to a name instead of to your needs. The checklist below starts from your needs. For the full picture of how payments and payouts fit together, read our crypto prop firm guide.
What are the 9 things to compare?
The nine things to compare are four payment criteria, four rule criteria and one transparency check.
| # | Criterion | What to look for | Where to find it |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Coins and networks at checkout | Your coin on a network you can send from | Checkout page |
| 2 | Payout coins and networks | A stablecoin your wallet supports | Payout rules |
| 3 | Payout cycle | A fixed, written interval | Payout rules |
| 4 | Profit split from the first payout | A single, stated percentage | Program page |
| 5 | On-chain proof | A public transaction hash per payout | Payout rules |
| 6 | Loss limits in dollars | Daily and max loss on your size | Program rules |
| 7 | Drawdown type | Static or trailing, and how it moves | Program rules |
| 8 | Consistency or best day rule | The cap and when it is checked | Program rules |
| 9 | Fee refund and fee model | One-time or recurring, refund or not | Program page, terms |
The sections below explain each one and show how OctoFunded answers it, using only its published facts.
Which coins and networks does the checkout accept? (1)
The first check is whether the checkout accepts a coin you hold, on a network you can send from. The coin alone is not enough: USDT on TRON and USDT on Ethereum are separate transfers.
OctoFunded accepts USDT (TRC20 and ERC20), USDC (ERC20), BTC, ETH and SOL. Our walk-through of how paying with crypto works covers the network choice and the exchange fee trap.
How are payouts paid, and how often? (2 and 3)
The second and third checks are the payout coin and the payout cycle, both stated in writing.
A stablecoin payout keeps the amount in dollar terms. A fixed cycle tells you when you can request a payout, so you can plan around it. At OctoFunded, payouts are made in USDT or USDC every 14 days, subject to the program rules. The steps from request to hash are in our guide on how USDT payouts work.
When you compare, also note which networks each firm pays on and who covers the network fee, if those terms are published.
What profit split applies from the first payout? (4)
The fourth check is the profit split, and specifically whether it applies from the first payout or only after a number of cycles.
A split that starts lower and rises later changes the first payouts more than the headline figure suggests. At OctoFunded, the split is 80% from the first payout, subject to the program rules.
Can you verify payouts on-chain? (5)
The fifth check is whether each payout comes with a public transaction hash, because a hash is something you can open yourself.
On a block explorer, a hash shows the status, token, receiving address, amount and time of the transfer. OctoFunded provides a public transaction hash with each payout. OctoFunded is a new firm, so there is no payout history to show yet: the hash is a way to check each payout when it happens. To read one, see how to verify a payout hash.
What are the loss limits in dollars? (6)
The sixth check is the loss limits converted into dollars on the size you plan to buy, because you trade in dollars, not percentages.
Here is how the OctoFunded limits read on a $100K simulated account.
| Program | Daily loss limit | Max drawdown | Starting floor |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2-Step | 5% = $5,000 | 10% = $10,000 | $90,000 |
| 1-Step | 4% = $4,000 | 8% = $8,000 | $92,000 |
| Instant Funded | 3% = $3,000 | 6% = $6,000 | $94,000 |
Do the same arithmetic for every firm you consider, at the same account size. Our page with every rule in dollars on $100K shows the targets and best day caps too.
Is the drawdown static or trailing? (7)
The seventh check is the drawdown type, because a static floor and a trailing floor treat the same profit very differently.
A static floor stays fixed, so profit adds to your buffer. A trailing floor follows the account up, so giving back profit eats room faster. At OctoFunded, the 2-Step uses a static 10% drawdown, and the 1-Step and Instant Funded use trailing drawdowns of 8% and 6%. For each firm, write down how the trailing floor moves and whether it stops, as published in its program rules or equivalent page.
Is there a consistency or best day rule? (8)
The eighth check is whether a consistency rule caps your best day, because it can delay a payout even when the account is in profit.
At OctoFunded, the 1-Step caps the best day at 50% of total profit and Instant Funded at 20%. On $10,000 of total profit, that is a largest allowed day of $5,000 and $2,000. Compare the cap and when it is checked, not just whether a rule exists.
Is the fee refunded, and is it one-time? (9)
The ninth check is the fee model and the refund terms, because a refund tied to a payout is different from a refund at passing.
OctoFunded charges a one-time fee with no time limit. On the 1-Step and 2-Step, the fee is refunded with the first payout. Instant Funded has no fee refund. Our article on fee refunds explains the timing.
How do you score firms side by side?
You score firms side by side by filling one table with each firm's own published rules, read on the same day, and marking where each one fits your trading.
Here is an illustrative way to do it. The OctoFunded column uses its published facts on a $100K 1-Step. The other columns are for you to fill.
| Criterion | OctoFunded (1-Step, $100K) | Firm A | Firm B |
|---|---|---|---|
| Checkout coins | USDT, USDC, BTC, ETH, SOL | ||
| Payout coins | USDT or USDC | ||
| Payout cycle | 14 days | ||
| Split from first payout | 80% | ||
| Public transaction hash | Yes | ||
| Daily loss on $100K | $4,000 | ||
| Max drawdown on $100K | $8,000 trailing | ||
| Best day cap | 50% of total profit | ||
| Fee refund | With the first payout |
Then weigh each row by what matters to you. A swing trader may care most about the drawdown type. A trader paid in stablecoins may care most about the payout rails. Our article on how prop firms make money adds context on why rules differ.
What red flags should you watch for?
The red flags are claims you cannot check and terms you cannot find in writing.
- Promises of profit or passing. No firm can promise results on simulated capital.
- Missing rule pages. If loss limits or payout terms are not published, you cannot compare them.
- No payout proof you can open. A screenshot is not a transaction hash.
- Vague split or cycle wording. "Up to" a split, or payouts "on request" with no interval, leaves room for surprises.
- Pressure to pay fast. A countdown is not a reason to skip reading the rules.
FAQ
What should I compare when looking for a prop firm alternative?
Compare the coins and networks accepted, the payout coins and cycle, the profit split from the first payout, whether payouts carry a public transaction hash, the loss limits in dollars, the drawdown type, consistency rules, fee refund terms and how the rules are published.
Is a prop firm that accepts crypto riskier than one that takes cards?
The trading risk is the same, because the rules decide it. Crypto adds operational risks such as the wrong network or a fee shortfall, which you can control by checking the network and the amount that arrives.
Does OctoFunded compare itself with FTMO or other firms?
No. This guide lists criteria, not firms. Use the table to compare any firms you are considering from their own published rules, read on the same day.
Which coins can I use to pay OctoFunded?
USDT on TRON (TRC20) and on Ethereum (ERC20), USDC on Ethereum (ERC20), BTC, ETH and SOL. Payouts are made in USDT or USDC, subject to the program rules.
What is the profit split at OctoFunded?
80% from the first payout, on a 14-day cycle, with a public transaction hash for each payout, subject to the program rules.
Check the OctoFunded column against your list
OctoFunded runs the 1-Step, 2-Step and Instant Funded on simulated capital, with a crypto checkout, a one-time fee, no time limit and Expert Advisors allowed. Payouts come in USDT or USDC every 14 days at an 80% split, each with a public transaction hash, subject to the program rules.
