Best Prop Firms of 2026: A Year in Review

As 2025 draws to a close, the proprietary trading landscape looks vastly different than it did just 12 months ago. Increased regulation, the shift to cleaner brokerages, and the dominance of futures trading were the defining themes.

The Winners of 2026

1. FundingPips

Undoubtedly the firm of the year. By maintaining $32 entry points and weekly payouts while competitors struggled with banking issues, FundingPips cemented its status as the king of value.

2. Topstep

The "Futures Renaissance" was led by Topstep. Their removal of the daily drawdown rules on X-accounts was a game-changer that brought thousands of forex traders into the futures market.

3. FundedNext

Innovation never stopped here. The introduction of the "Stellar Lite" 2-step challenge with a 95% split option kept them at the forefront of the industry.

The Major Trends

• Futures Dominance: With MetaQuotes restricting gray-label licenses, many traders migrated to futures platforms like Tradovate and Rithmic.
• Instant Payments: Crypto and Rise payouts became the standard. Waiting 14 days is no longer acceptable.
• Broker Transparency: Firms disclosing their A-Book/B-Book policies gained trust, while opaque firms faded away.

The Losers

Firms that failed to pivot from MetaTrader or adapt to the new banking regulations saw massive client churn. 2025 proved that adaptability is the most important asset for a prop firm.