New Prop Firms in 2026: What's Worth the Hype
2026's biggest story is CFD firms moving into futures. FTMO, The5ers and FundedNext have all launched futures programs, and a few newer futures firms have rebuilt themselves to compete. Here's what each launch actually offers, and what's still unproven.
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Short answer: FTMO Futures is the most promising launch: a trusted brand using end-of-day drawdown that stops trailing at your starting balance. But it has no payout history yet. With any new program, wait for real payout proof, start with the smallest account, and only buy the drawdown type you'd buy anywhere else.
The new launches at a glance
| # | Launch | Why the hype | Still unproven | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | FTMO Futures | FTMO's name, end-of-day drawdown that freezes at your starting balance (even in the evaluation), no time limit, 90/10 split. | No payout history yet; monthly fee ($119–$269 reported); positions are closed at 16:10 ET, so no holding overnight. | Visit |
| 02 | The5ers Futures | One of the best-rated CFD firms (4.8), now offering CME futures worldwide, including to US traders. | Its futures rules are less documented than its CFD programs so far. Read the rules page before buying. | Visit |
| 03 | FundedNext Futures | The biggest CFD firm by reviews, with four futures models (Flex, Legacy, Rapid Daily, Rapid Pro) to choose from. | Four models means four rulebooks. Check the drawdown type on the exact one you buy. | Visit Use code LEDGER at checkout |
| 04 | BluSky Trading | Rebuilt in 2026: six plans, daily payouts, 90/10 split; the Orbit plan has end-of-day drawdown, no evaluation consistency rule and a possible one-day pass. | Limited track record (~800 reviews); sources disagree on its consistency rule (30% vs 34%); weekend trading is banned. | Visit |
| 05 | Alpha Futures Direct | From one of the top-rated futures firms (4.9): skip the evaluation and buy a funded account outright, one-time from $349. | You pay more up front, with no evaluation to prove the strategy first. Too new to have a payout record of its own. | Visit |
Why CFD firms are rushing into futures
US traders mostly can't trade CFDs, but they can trade CME futures, and futures prop searches are growing faster than forex. So the big CFD brands are following the traders. That's good news for you: more competition has pushed fees down, and several new programs use end-of-day drawdown instead of the harsher intraday kind.
FTMO Futures: the one to watch
This is the launch I'm most interested in. FTMO has paid me on its CFD challenges in 2–3 days, and its futures program uses the rule I care most about: an end-of-day trailing drawdown that stops rising once it reaches your starting balance. That applies even during the evaluation, which is unusual.
The catches are real, though. It's a monthly subscription (reported $119 to $269), positions are force-closed at 16:10 ET, and as a beta product it has no payout history yet. FTMO's CFD record earns it the benefit of the doubt, but I'd still wait for payout reports before buying a big account.
Should you switch to a new firm?
Only if it fixes a problem you actually have. If you're getting paid by an established firm, a new launch's lower fee isn't worth the risk. If you're a US trader who wanted FTMO or The5ers but couldn't trade CFDs, their futures programs are worth a small test account, once payout reports start coming in.
Compare with the established firms: top 10 futures firms · top 10 CFD firms · Apex vs Topstep