The bottom line — three numbers
PROP NAVI aggregated public data from the 23 major prop firms we continuously review. The 2026 prop firm industry boils down to three numbers.
- Median founding year: 2022 — half the industry has been operating for less than 4 years
- Median maximum profit split: 90% — “90% or higher” is the new standard
- Only 5 of 23 firms (22%) have operated for 10+ years — long track records remain scarce
Let’s go through the data category by category.
Methodology
The sample is the 23 firms this site continuously reviews (firm directory). We aggregated public information from each firm’s official website and terms of service as of June 2026. This is a sample survey rather than a census of the entire industry, but it covers nearly all major providers accessible from Japan.
1. Founding-year distribution — 2022 was the peak
| Founded | Firms |
|---|---|
| 2012 | 2 |
| 2015–2016 | 3 |
| 2018 | 2 |
| 2020–2021 | 4 |
| 2022 | 6 |
| 2023 | 3 |
| 2024–2025 | 3 |
2022 leads with 6 firms founded. It was the year the post-COVID retail trading boom collided with a rush of entrants who had seen the FTMO model succeed.
Since the MyForexFunds enforcement action in 2023 (details), however, the pace of new entries has cooled, with only 1–2 launches per year in 2024–2025. The industry is shifting from an expansion phase into a consolidation and maturation phase.
2. Years in operation — only 22% are 10-year veterans
- 10+ years in operation: 5 firms (Topstep, Earn2Trade, FTMO, The5%ers, BluFX)
- Under 3 years: 3 firms
- Average years in operation: 5.8
Prop trading is an industry where providers vanishing within two years is far from rare. A 10-year run means surviving multiple market cycles and regulatory shifts — a scarce and meaningful trust signal in itself.
3. Profit splits — 90% is the new standard, and 5 firms offer 100%
| Maximum profit split | Firms | Share |
|---|---|---|
| 100% | 5 | 22% |
| 90–95% | 11 | 48% |
| 80–85% | 7 | 30% |
The sample average is 88% and the median is 90%. A few years ago, 80% was considered the industry standard; intensifying competition has pushed 70% of firms to offer 90% or higher.
One caveat. The maximum figure usually comes with strings attached — scaling milestones, paid add-ons, or accumulated payout counts. Compare firms on the split you can realistically reach, not the advertised headline number (our methodology).
4. Platform support — MT5 overtakes MT4
| Platform | Firms supporting | Share |
|---|---|---|
| MT5 | 15 | 65% |
| MT4 | 13 | 57% |
| cTrader | 7 | 30% |
| DXtrade | 5 | 22% |
| TradingView | 4 | 17% |
| Tradovate / NinjaTrader | 3 each | 13% |
MT5 (65%) has overtaken MT4 (57%). MetaQuotes halting new MT4 licenses has clearly rippled through the industry. Direct TradingView support (4 firms) is also rising as a differentiator among newer entrants.
5. Headquarters — a US, UK, and UAE tripolar structure
| Location | Firms |
|---|---|
| United States | 6 |
| United Kingdom | 5 |
| UAE | 4 |
| Israel / Czech Republic | 2 each |
| Canada / Japan / Other | 1 each |
Alongside the traditional US and UK bases, the post-2022 newcomers are notably clustered in the UAE (Dubai). Flexible regulation is the draw — but for users, it makes checking how far regulatory oversight actually extends all the more important (regulatory update).
6. Trust-rating distribution — only 3 in 10 rate “High”
The distribution of trust labels under this site’s methodology.
| Trust rating | Firms | Share |
|---|---|---|
| High | 7 | 30% |
| Medium | 15 | 65% |
| Caution | 1 | 4% |
Only 7 of the 23 firms meet the “High” bar (5+ years in operation, continuously published payout records, and no enforcement history). Two-thirds of the industry is still in the track-record-building stage — which is precisely why diversification (running multiple prop firms in parallel) is so often recommended.
What the data says about the industry in 2026
- A young industry entering its shakeout — half the firms were founded in 2022 or later. Post-MyForexFunds, entries have slowed and track-record gaps are widening
- Profit-split inflation — 90% has become standard, so the headline number no longer differentiates. Reading the fine print is the new game
- Platform diversification — MT4’s dominance has broken, with usage spreading across MT5, cTrader, and TradingView
- Regulation matters more — the rise of UAE-based newcomers and tightening regulatory scrutiny are unfolding in parallel
We plan to update this dataset annually. If you cite these figures, please link back to this page (PROP NAVI) as the source.
Always make your final investment decisions yourself. This site does not provide investment advice.
Recommended firms
The two flagship firms in our data that meet both “10+ years in operation” and “trust rating: High”.
The5%ers — for those who want to skip the evaluation
10 years in operation (since 2016). A pioneer of Instant Funding, with profit splits scaling up to a maximum of 100%.
→ Visit The5%ers official site (how to use coupon code “HZZS4”)
FTMO — the reassurance of the industry leader
11 years in operation (since 2015). Publishes one of the industry’s largest cumulative payout records.