October 1, 2025
The proprietary trading industry continues to grow rapidly, with new firms and funding models giving traders more opportunities than ever before. Two of the most well-known firms in this space are E8 Markets and The Funded Trader. Both offer traders access to capital, structured evaluation models, and scaling plans. In this comparison, we’ll break down their company details, funding programs, trading rules, account sizes, platforms, instruments, and community feedback so you can make the right choice for your trading journey.
| Company Details | E8 Markets | The Funded Trader |
|---|---|---|
| Incorporation Date | November 2021 | May 2021 |
| CEO | Dylan Elchami | Angelo Ciaramello |
| Office Location | Dallas, Texas | Liberty Hill, Texas |
| Scaling Plan | ✅ | ✅ |
E8 Markets launched in late 2021 under CEO Dylan Elchami, operating from Dallas, Texas. The Funded Trader, founded a few months earlier in May 2021 and led by CEO Angelo Ciaramello, is headquartered in Liberty Hill, Texas. Both companies have grown quickly and developed strong reputations in the prop trading space.
| Funding Programs | E8 Markets | The Funded Trader |
|---|---|---|
| One-Step Evaluation | ✅ | ✅ |
| Two-Step Evaluation | ✅ | ✅ |
| Three-Step Evaluation | ✅ | ✅ |
E8 Markets offers five funding models, including two one-step evaluations, one two-step evaluation, and two three-step evaluations. The Funded Trader provides six funding options, consisting of three two-step programs, two one-step challenges, and one three-step evaluation.
| Rules & Objectives | E8 Track | E8 Track 1:1 | Dragon Challenge (TFT) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Profit Target (Phase 1) | 8% | 4% | 8% |
| Profit Target (Phase 2) | 4% | 4% | 5% |
| Profit Target (Phase 3) | 4% | 4% | 5% |
| Max Daily Loss | 4% | 4% | 5% |
| Max Loss | 8% (scalable up to 14%) | 4% (scalable up to 14%) | 10% |
| Minimum Trading Days | No Minimum | No Minimum | No Minimum |
| Trading Period | Unlimited | Unlimited | Unlimited |
| Leverage | 1:50 | 1:50 | 1:100 |
| Profit Split | 80% | 80% | 75% up to 95% |
| Account Size | E8 Track | E8 Track 1:1 | Dragon Challenge (TFT) |
|---|---|---|---|
| $5,000 | ❌ | ❌ | $49 |
| $10,000 | $59 | $57 | $99 |
| $25,000 | $138 | $132 | $135 |
| $50,000 | $208 | $198 | $205 |
| $100,000 | $358 | $341 | $355 |
| $200,000 | $598 | $569 | ❌ |
| $400,000 | $1,188 | $1,129 | ❌ |
| E8 Markets | The Funded Trader | |
|---|---|---|
| Broker | Virtual Markets (Tier-1 Liquidity Provider) | Voyage Markets, Thaurus LTD |
| Platforms | Match-Trader, TradeLocker, cTrader, MT5 | MT5, cTrader, DXtrade, Match-Trader |
| Instruments | E8 Markets | The Funded Trader |
|---|---|---|
| Forex Pairs | ✅ | ✅ |
| Commodities | ✅ | ✅ |
| Indices | ✅ | ✅ |
| Cryptos | ✅ | ✅ |
| Trustpilot Stats | E8 Markets | The Funded Trader |
|---|---|---|
| Rating | 4.3 / 5 | 3.3 / 5 |
| Reviews | 2,641 | 21,598 |
| 5-Star Ratings | 86% | 67% |
E8 Markets holds a strong 4.3/5 rating on Trustpilot, with 86% of its reviews being 5 stars. The Funded Trader, while more widely reviewed with over 21,000 ratings, currently sits at a 3.3/5 average, with 67% of reviews being 5 stars.
Both E8 Markets and The Funded Trader offer diverse funding opportunities and solid scaling plans, but they cater to different types of traders.
E8 Markets excels with flexible one-step, two-step, and three-step programs, scalable drawdown, and a strong community reputation.
The Funded Trader provides a wider range of platforms, higher leverage on its Dragon Challenge, and one of the largest communities in the industry, though its Trustpilot ratings are lower compared to E8.
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