This review maps Alpha Capital Group against primary sources — the firm’s own rules pages and help center — plus independent reviews and reporting. The aim is a clear, sourced picture of what the firm offers and where the real risks sit, not a sales page. Specific numbers should be treated as a snapshot: verify current rules on the official site before you pay for anything. This article is informational and is not investment advice.
What Alpha Capital Group is
Alpha Capital Group is a London-based proprietary trading firm. Its registered office is given as Tower 42, 25 Old Broad Street, London EC2N 1HN, and the founders are listed as George Kohler (Managing Director and Founder) and Andrew Blaylock (Co-Founder and Director).
The founding date is reported inconsistently. The firm states it launched in November 2021, while FXEmpire lists “founded 2016, registered 2021.” That gap is worth noting only because longevity is one of the few durable trust signals in an unregulated sector — verify the firm’s track record on the official site if it matters to your decision.
The firm self-reports scale that is large but unverifiable from the outside: 1.2 million-plus traders across 140-plus countries and more than $100 million in cumulative payouts. Treat those as marketing figures, not audited numbers.
The verified facts (snapshot)
The table below is a point-in-time snapshot drawn from the firm’s published material and independent reviews. Each line is a starting point for your own check — verify current rules on the official site, because prop-firm terms change often.
| Item | Value (snapshot) |
|---|---|
| Evaluation models | Multiple: Alpha One (1-step), Alpha Pro (2-step), Alpha Swing (2-step), Alpha Three (3-step) |
| Profit split (max) | Up to 80% to the trader |
| Cheapest evaluation fee | Around $50 (Alpha One $5,000 tier; varies by promo) |
| Phase-1 profit target | 8% (homepage default; varies 6–10% by model) |
| Daily loss limit | 4% (varies 3–5% by model) |
| Max drawdown | 6% (varies 6–10%; trailing on Alpha One, static on Pro/Swing) |
| Drawdown model | Mixed (trailing and static depending on program) |
| Payout cycle | Bi-weekly or on-demand (around 14-day cycle) |
| Payout processing speed | Around 2 business days |
| Minimum trading days | 3 (per phase, model-dependent) |
| Max leverage | Up to 1:100 |
| Account sizes | $5,000 / $10,000 / $25,000 / $50,000 / $100,000 / $200,000 |
| Asset classes | Forex, indices, commodities |
| Trustpilot | Around 4.7/5 (roughly 20,000 reviews; count fluctuates) |
| Status | Active |
For the full structured directory entry, see the Alpha Capital Group firm page, and compare it side by side with other firms in the comparison table.
The programs: One, Pro, Swing, and Three
Alpha Capital Group runs four evaluation tracks. The differences matter, because the headline “80% split” hides meaningfully different rules underneath.
- Alpha One (1-step): a single evaluation phase. The published target is a 10% profit target, with a 6% trailing maximum drawdown and a 4% daily drawdown, a minimum of 1 trading day, and no time limit. Per the official rules page, the trailing drawdown locks to the original starting balance once 6% profit is reached.
- Alpha Pro (2-step): the trader chooses a static maximum-drawdown variant of 6%, 8%, or 10%, with matching daily-loss limits of 3%, 4%, and 5% respectively, and Phase-1 profit targets of 6% / 8% / 10%. Minimum 3 trading days per phase; leverage up to 1:100.
- Alpha Swing (2-step): a 10% Phase-1 target and a 5% Phase-2 target, a 10% static maximum drawdown, and a 5% daily loss. Minimum 3 trading days per phase. This track allows overnight and weekend holds and trading around news — the main reason a swing trader would pick it over the others.
- Alpha Three (3-step): a 6% static maximum drawdown and a 4% daily drawdown across three phases, with smaller per-phase targets. One third-party source cites 8% / 4% / 4%, but the firm’s official page defers exact current targets to its help center — so verify with the official source rather than this summary.
Account sizes run from $5,000 to $200,000 across the tracks. If you are new to the distinction between these structures, the one-step vs two-step vs instant funding guide explains the trade-offs.
Drawdown and daily-loss rules
The drawdown model is the single most important rule for survival, and Alpha Capital Group uses different models across its programs — which is exactly why the firm-metrics summary classifies it as “mixed.”
Alpha One uses a trailing maximum drawdown (6%), meaning the loss limit follows your peak equity up until it locks at the original starting balance once you hit 6% profit. Alpha Pro, Alpha Swing, and Alpha Three use a static maximum drawdown calculated from the starting balance. Trailing drawdown is generally harder to manage because an early winning streak raises the bar your account must not fall below. The broader mechanics are covered in trailing vs static drawdown and daily loss vs max drawdown.
Daily-loss limits range from 3% to 5% depending on the program and the variant chosen. Because the limit is a hard breach condition, the safest assumption is the tightest number for your chosen model — and you should verify the exact figure and reset time on the official site before trading.
Profit split and the scaling plan to $2M
The profit split is up to 80% to the trader, with the firm keeping 20%. That figure is consistent across on-demand and bi-weekly payouts and across the 1-, 2-, and 3-step programs, which makes it simpler than the tiered splits some competitors use.
The scaling plan is where the upside compounds. Per the official help center, scaling is available on Alpha Pro, Alpha Swing, and Alpha Three. Each time the account grows 10%, the trader can request a scale that adds a flat 10% of the original balance — not a compounding figure — and on the second scale a maximum lot-size increase of around 10% applies. The maximum scaled virtual capital is a cumulative $2,000,000 across scaled accounts. For how scaling plans generally behave and where they disappoint, see prop firm scaling plans explained. Verify the current scaling terms on the official site, as these are frequently revised.
Payout rules: frequency, speed, and the 40% Best Day Rule
Payouts can be requested bi-weekly or on demand, with no minimum lock period, and the firm states requests are processed within about 2 business days. FXEmpire reports a minimum withdrawal of $100. Withdrawal methods include Rise (Riseworks), Wise, and bank transfer; crypto is available only indirectly via Rise.
Three conditions are worth internalizing before you count on a payout:
- A minimum 2% gross profit before you can request a performance fee.
- A minimum of around 3 active trading days.
- The 40% Best Day Rule: no single trading day may represent more than 40% of your cumulative profit. Per the firm, this Best Day rule applies to on-demand requests, not bi-weekly ones.
The Best Day Rule is a consistency-style constraint designed to filter out single-shot gambles, and it is a common reason a technically profitable account gets a payout delayed or denied. The pattern is explained in the consistency rule explained and in prop firm payout transparency.
Fees, account sizes, platforms, and leverage
Evaluation fees start around $40–$50 for the Alpha One $5,000 tier. As a reference point, FXEmpire lists the Alpha Swing $100K at $577, and published top-end fees range to roughly $997–$1,097 depending on program and size.
Fees are not refunded, per FXEmpire. The firm has at times marketed a fee refund on first withdrawal, so verify the current refund policy on the official site rather than assuming either way. Hidden and recurring costs across the industry are catalogued in prop firm hidden costs.
On platforms, Alpha Capital Group supports MetaTrader 5, cTrader, DXtrade, and TradeLocker, and has announced an in-house “Alpha Trader” with TradingView integration. Maximum leverage is 1:100, varying by asset class and program. Tradable assets are forex, indices, and commodities — there are no stocks or crypto. If platform choice matters to your strategy, MetaTrader vs cTrader for prop trading is the relevant comparison.
One operational rule to flag: an inactivity clause closes accounts after 30 consecutive days without a trade (per the official page, applied to Alpha Pro and to accounts generally).
Reputation: Trustpilot, the 2-minute rule, and withdrawal disputes
On aggregate, Trustpilot shows a strong picture — roughly 4.6–4.7 out of 5 with around 14,000 to 20,000-plus reviews and about 85% five-star. The review count fluctuates, and the score is a point-in-time snapshot.
The 1-star reports and third-party reviews cluster around a consistent set of themes:
- The 2-minute minimum trade-duration / news rule: trades closed under 2 minutes can be invalidated, which catches scalpers and news traders off guard. This is the single most-cited friction point. News-trading constraints across firms are covered in our broader guides; for this firm specifically, confirm the exact rule on the official site.
- Withdrawal denials and disputes, often tied to a rule the trader did not realize they had broken.
- KYC delays.
- Post-funding placement into a stricter “1% risk group,” which tightens position sizing after you are funded.
For balance, BestPropFirms scores the firm low (around 43/100), which sits well below the Trustpilot impression — a reminder that aggregate star ratings and rule-level scrutiny can diverge sharply. How to read these signals is the subject of prop firm scam risks and our methodology.
The June 2024 mass suspension and US access pause
In June 2024, Alpha Capital Group suspended around 150 traders after more than 300 accounts were linked to a single device ID, under group-trading allegations. The firm later attributed the false positives to its Myfxbook integration and said it would reinstate wrongly suspended accounts (as reported by Finance Magnates).
This episode cuts both ways. It shows the firm actively polices rule-breaking — group trading is a genuine concern for any prop firm’s risk book — but it also shows that automated enforcement can sweep up innocent traders, and that your account status can hinge on integrations you did not configure. If you connect third-party tools, understand how the firm reads that data.
Separately, around mid-February 2024 the firm paused new US signups amid the MetaQuotes-driven industry pressure on prop firms serving US clients. US access for prop firms changes frequently; the prop firm shutdowns history and the shutdown tracker put that 2024 turbulence in context. Verify current US access on the official site.
Who it fits, and who should look elsewhere
Alpha Capital Group fits a trader who wants a London-registered firm with a broad menu of evaluation structures, a clear 80% split, real scaling headroom to $2M, and fast bi-weekly or on-demand payouts. The Alpha Swing track is a genuine differentiator for swing traders who need overnight and weekend holds plus news trading.
It is a poor fit if your edge is fast scalping or news scalping — the 2-minute rule directly penalizes that style — or if you want stocks or crypto, which are not offered. Traders who dislike trailing drawdown should avoid Alpha One specifically and use a static-drawdown track instead. For a structured way to weigh these factors, see how to choose a prop firm and the pass rate realities.
Trust verdict
Alpha Capital Group is an active, large, London-registered firm with a long and mostly positive public review record, a straightforward 80% split, and meaningful scaling. Those are real strengths. Against them sit the recurring 2-minute-rule complaints, withdrawal disputes, a low BestPropFirms score, the June 2024 mass-suspension episode, and the unavoidable backdrop that all prop firms are unregulated — meaning your protection is the firm’s own conduct, not a regulator. The legal framing is covered in prop firm regulation and legality.
If you go ahead, do so with eyes open: read the rule for your specific program, do not trade in a style the 2-minute rule penalizes, and verify every number above on the official site before paying. This article is informational and is not investment advice.
Two firms with the longest track records
In an unregulated sector, the most durable trust signal is a long operating record. Two firms in our data meet “10+ years and Trust: High” (see methodology).
FTMO — the largest operator’s track record
11 years in operation (since 2015), with industry-leading published cumulative payouts maintained through the 2024 shakeout.
The5%ers — a 10-year veteran
10 years in operation (since 2016). An instant-funding pioneer, for traders who prefer to skip the evaluation.