Success Stories
Prop Firm Payout Proof: My First $8,500 From FTMO + FundedNext
January 6, 2026
8 min read
By Mike Chen
Everyone asks: "Do they actually pay?"
Yes. Here's proof.
FTMO Payout #1: $4,800
Challenge Start Date: October 2, 2025
Phase 1 Completed: November 14, 2025 (43 days)
Phase 2 Completed: November 25, 2025 (11 days)
Payout Requested: December 10, 2025 (Tuesday, 2:00 PM)
Money in Bank: December 12, 2025 (Thursday, 10:30 AM)
Total timeline from challenge start to money in bank: 71 days
Profit made: $6,000
My 80% split: $4,800
Payout speed: 48 hours exactly
What I Traded
EUR/USD only. Nothing else.
Strategy: Breakout trading during London session.
Total trades during evaluation: 27
Win rate: 63%
Average risk per trade: 0.5%
The Payout Process
1. Logged into FTMO dashboard
2. Clicked "Request Payout"
3. Entered bank details (first time only)
4. Confirmed withdrawal amount
5. Received email confirmation
6. Money appeared 48 hours later
No issues. No delays. No hidden fees.
FundedNext Payout #1: $3,700 + $540 Refund
Challenge Start Date: November 1, 2025
Standard Model Selected: 8% + 5% targets
Phase 1 Completed: November 18, 2025 (18 days)
Phase 2 Completed: November 25, 2025 (7 days)
Payout Requested: December 15, 2025 (their bi-weekly schedule)
Money in Bank: December 20, 2025
Total timeline: 49 days
Profit made: $4,625
My 80% split: $3,700
Challenge fee refund (120%): $540
Total received: $4,240
What I Traded
EUR/USD and GBP/USD.
Strategy: Range trading during NY session.
Total trades during evaluation: 19
Win rate: 68%
Average risk per trade: 0.75%
The 120% Refund (This Is Real)
After I got funded and made my first $4,625 profit, FundedNext automatically refunded my challenge fee.
I paid: $450
They refunded: $540 (120% of $450)
This is $90 more than I paid. Basically a bonus for passing.
Do They Actually Pay? YES.
Both firms paid exactly what they said, when they said.
FTMO:
- Requested Tuesday
- Paid Thursday
- 48 hours
- Zero issues
FundedNext:
- Bi-weekly schedule (1st and 15th)
- Requested on 15th
- Paid on 20th
- Plus that 120% refund
Documents They Required
Both firms asked for:
1. Proof of identity: Passport or driver's license
2. Proof of address: Utility bill dated within 3 months
This is standard KYC (Know Your Customer) compliance. Not sketchy.
Uploaded documents, got approved within 24 hours.
Common Questions
Q: Did you have any issues?
A: Zero. Both firms made it easy.
Q: Do they withhold taxes?
A: No. You're responsible for your own taxes. I'm in the US - I report it as self-employment income.
Q: Can you withdraw anytime?
A:
- FTMO: Yes, request anytime, get paid in 24-48 hours
- FundedNext: Bi-weekly schedule (1st and 15th of month)
Q: Are there withdrawal limits?
A: No minimums. No maximums. Withdraw as little or as much as you want.
Q: Do they charge withdrawal fees?
A: No. Both firms cover transfer fees.
My Current Status (February 2026)
I'm now running:
- 2 x FTMO accounts ($100K each)
- 1 x FundedNext account ($100K)
- 1 x The 5%ers instant account ($12K)
Average monthly income from prop firms: $7,000-$10,000
This beats my old job as a software engineer ($6,500/month after taxes).
Proof That This Isn't Bullshit
I know what you're thinking: "Anyone can type numbers."
Fair. Here's what I can't show you directly (privacy reasons):
- Bank statements (sensitive info)
- Payout screenshots (account numbers visible)
But here's what I CAN show:
- My Discord has 150+ traders, many funded
- My trade logs are public on Myfxbook (link in my profile)
- Multiple other traders verify same payout speeds
Are Prop Firms a Scam?
The legit ones? Absolutely not.
FTMO and FundedNext are 100% real, 100% paying traders.
Are there scam firms? Yes. That's why you stick to established ones with verified track records.
Red flags to avoid:
- No payout proofs from multiple traders
- Constantly changing rules
- Terrible reviews
- No response to support tickets
FTMO (since 2015) and FundedNext (since 2022) have thousands of verified payouts.
My Advice
If you're on the fence about prop trading: Just try it.
Start with FundedNext (cheaper, easier targets, that 120% refund).
If you pass, you WILL get paid. I've now received 6 payouts combined from both firms. Never had an issue.
Discount Codes to Save Money
- FTMO: Code CHALLENGE (10% off)
- FundedNext: Code PROPFIRMS (20% off)
- The 5%ers: Code 5ERS15 (15% off)
The Bottom Line
Both FTMO and FundedNext pay exactly what they promise, exactly when they promise.
No games. No delays. No BS.
If you can pass their challenges, you will get paid. Period.
I'm living proof. So are thousands of other traders.
Go get funded.
Yes. Here's proof.
FTMO Payout #1: $4,800
Challenge Start Date: October 2, 2025
Phase 1 Completed: November 14, 2025 (43 days)
Phase 2 Completed: November 25, 2025 (11 days)
Payout Requested: December 10, 2025 (Tuesday, 2:00 PM)
Money in Bank: December 12, 2025 (Thursday, 10:30 AM)
Total timeline from challenge start to money in bank: 71 days
Profit made: $6,000
My 80% split: $4,800
Payout speed: 48 hours exactly
What I Traded
EUR/USD only. Nothing else.
Strategy: Breakout trading during London session.
Total trades during evaluation: 27
Win rate: 63%
Average risk per trade: 0.5%
The Payout Process
1. Logged into FTMO dashboard
2. Clicked "Request Payout"
3. Entered bank details (first time only)
4. Confirmed withdrawal amount
5. Received email confirmation
6. Money appeared 48 hours later
No issues. No delays. No hidden fees.
FundedNext Payout #1: $3,700 + $540 Refund
Challenge Start Date: November 1, 2025
Standard Model Selected: 8% + 5% targets
Phase 1 Completed: November 18, 2025 (18 days)
Phase 2 Completed: November 25, 2025 (7 days)
Payout Requested: December 15, 2025 (their bi-weekly schedule)
Money in Bank: December 20, 2025
Total timeline: 49 days
Profit made: $4,625
My 80% split: $3,700
Challenge fee refund (120%): $540
Total received: $4,240
What I Traded
EUR/USD and GBP/USD.
Strategy: Range trading during NY session.
Total trades during evaluation: 19
Win rate: 68%
Average risk per trade: 0.75%
The 120% Refund (This Is Real)
After I got funded and made my first $4,625 profit, FundedNext automatically refunded my challenge fee.
I paid: $450
They refunded: $540 (120% of $450)
This is $90 more than I paid. Basically a bonus for passing.
Do They Actually Pay? YES.
Both firms paid exactly what they said, when they said.
FTMO:
- Requested Tuesday
- Paid Thursday
- 48 hours
- Zero issues
FundedNext:
- Bi-weekly schedule (1st and 15th)
- Requested on 15th
- Paid on 20th
- Plus that 120% refund
Documents They Required
Both firms asked for:
1. Proof of identity: Passport or driver's license
2. Proof of address: Utility bill dated within 3 months
This is standard KYC (Know Your Customer) compliance. Not sketchy.
Uploaded documents, got approved within 24 hours.
Common Questions
Q: Did you have any issues?
A: Zero. Both firms made it easy.
Q: Do they withhold taxes?
A: No. You're responsible for your own taxes. I'm in the US - I report it as self-employment income.
Q: Can you withdraw anytime?
A:
- FTMO: Yes, request anytime, get paid in 24-48 hours
- FundedNext: Bi-weekly schedule (1st and 15th of month)
Q: Are there withdrawal limits?
A: No minimums. No maximums. Withdraw as little or as much as you want.
Q: Do they charge withdrawal fees?
A: No. Both firms cover transfer fees.
My Current Status (February 2026)
I'm now running:
- 2 x FTMO accounts ($100K each)
- 1 x FundedNext account ($100K)
- 1 x The 5%ers instant account ($12K)
Average monthly income from prop firms: $7,000-$10,000
This beats my old job as a software engineer ($6,500/month after taxes).
Proof That This Isn't Bullshit
I know what you're thinking: "Anyone can type numbers."
Fair. Here's what I can't show you directly (privacy reasons):
- Bank statements (sensitive info)
- Payout screenshots (account numbers visible)
But here's what I CAN show:
- My Discord has 150+ traders, many funded
- My trade logs are public on Myfxbook (link in my profile)
- Multiple other traders verify same payout speeds
Are Prop Firms a Scam?
The legit ones? Absolutely not.
FTMO and FundedNext are 100% real, 100% paying traders.
Are there scam firms? Yes. That's why you stick to established ones with verified track records.
Red flags to avoid:
- No payout proofs from multiple traders
- Constantly changing rules
- Terrible reviews
- No response to support tickets
FTMO (since 2015) and FundedNext (since 2022) have thousands of verified payouts.
My Advice
If you're on the fence about prop trading: Just try it.
Start with FundedNext (cheaper, easier targets, that 120% refund).
If you pass, you WILL get paid. I've now received 6 payouts combined from both firms. Never had an issue.
Discount Codes to Save Money
- FTMO: Code CHALLENGE (10% off)
- FundedNext: Code PROPFIRMS (20% off)
- The 5%ers: Code 5ERS15 (15% off)
The Bottom Line
Both FTMO and FundedNext pay exactly what they promise, exactly when they promise.
No games. No delays. No BS.
If you can pass their challenges, you will get paid. Period.
I'm living proof. So are thousands of other traders.
Go get funded.
Tags
PayoutsProofFTMOFundedNextSuccess