For trader Robert Anderson, the experience of trading futures through a conventional brokerage once implied a looming risk of losing $20,000 before even reaching his initial payout milestone. This potential loss reflected the steep financial challenges and pressures endemic to individual futures trading, especially when discipline and an optimal mental state are not fully achieved. Anderson articulated these challenges vividly in a YouTube video, emphasizing that such a loss would have occurred during periods when his trading mindset was not at its best and his strategy lacked full efficiency.
Contrasting sharply with that prior risk, Anderson now operates several funded futures trading accounts via Apex Trader Funding. This shift has enabled him to consistently reinvest profits back into scaling his trading enterprise after each payout. Anderson credits this transition as a key moment in his trading journey. “That’s why I went with a prop firm,” he explained, reflecting on his experience. He further expressed a wish that he had earlier access to a reputable and straightforward proprietary trading firm like Apex.
Apex Trader Funding is recognized as the preeminent firm globally for futures funding evaluation, disbursing over $62.6 million to its clientele within a recent 90-day period. A distinctive feature of their payout structure is offering traders 100% return of the first $25,000 earned per account and 90% on any additional profits beyond that threshold. This arrangement provides an appealing profit split compared to some other prop firms, allowing traders to retain a substantial portion of their gains.
The firm also simplifies trader onboarding by enabling the acquisition of up to 20 funded accounts after completing a streamlined one-step evaluation process. Apex's offering stands out in its flexible and trader-friendly features, such as the absence of daily drawdown limits and no upper bound on total payout. Indeed, Apex holds the world record for the highest single payout from a prop trading firm, paying out an astonishing $2.5 million to a single trader.
Several factors influenced Anderson's decision to choose Apex Trader Funding over other available firms. He recounts being impressed by the demeanor and authenticity of Apex’s founder and CEO, Darrell Martin, who presents himself not as a traditional prop firm owner but as an active trader with over two decades of experience. Martin also established Apex Investing, an educational platform dedicated to enhancing traders’ skills. After evaluating many funding firms, Martin developed Apex Trader Funding to embody the terms and support that he would want as a trader himself.
Affordability was another crucial consideration for Anderson. His initial funded account with Apex was set at $25,000, with a profit target of $1,500, and he paid roughly $40 for a 30-day trading period. This reasonable cost combined with the straightforward profit structure attracted many traders, including Anderson, to embrace Apex’s platform.
Regarding operational flexibility, Apex Trader Funding allows traders to engage the markets for up to 23 hours daily, including trading on holidays and during market news events. Their few yet targeted rules focus on assessing traders' risk management skills, profit generation capability, and scalability. This open approach enables traders to develop their strategies under realistic conditions without unnecessary restrictions that could hamper their test performance or trading rhythm.
Nevertheless, Anderson notes that psychological hurdles remain a dominant challenge in trading. He characterizes the primary obstacle as a mental one, rather than a flaw in his trading strategy. This observation underscores the psychological demands of prop trading, even under favorable conditions such as those provided by Apex. The firm's evaluation process and support aim to help traders build discipline and confidence to overcome these internal barriers.
In summary, Apex Trader Funding’s growth and approach have significantly influenced the prop trading landscape by offering traders accessible, low-cost, and flexible funding options. Its founder’s trading background informs a model tuned to traders' needs, and substantial payout scales further underline its commitment to rewarding successful trading. Traders like Robert Anderson exemplify the potential to transition from facing high upfront losses to running multiple funded accounts and reinvesting profits toward sustainable trading ventures.