Funded Trading Accounts in Australia: What to Check
A funded trading account lets you trade a firm's evaluation and, if you meet its rules, a funded account that can pay you a share of the profits. For Australian residents the basics are the same as elsewhere, but four points deserve extra attention: which entity serves Australia, which products you are eligible for, when the trading day resets on Australian time, and how to check licences and keep records. The examples below were checked on official pages on 17 October 2026.
How a funded trading account works for Australian residents
You pay a fee for an evaluation, trade it under fixed rules and, if you pass, move to a funded account. At most retail firms these accounts are simulated. FTMO's Australian site states that it provides demo accounts with fictitious funds for simulated trading only, and that clients may earn monetary rewards based on their performance in those accounts (FTMO Australia).
That has two practical consequences. The money you put at risk is mainly the fee, plus any resets or add-ons, not the balance shown on screen. And the terms of the contract decide whether a payout is made. Our article on what personal money is still exposed covers the cost side in detail.
Which programs accept Australian residents
Eligibility is set per firm and per product. Checked examples:
- FTMO: clients in Australia use FTMO services through an affiliated entity at ftmo.com/au (who can join FTMO). That site's legal documents page lists a PDS, FSG, TMD and an AML-KYC document (FTMO Australia legal documents). FTMO Futures, a separate product, lists Australia among the countries where it is not provided (who can join FTMO Futures).
- FundedNext: Australia does not appear in the text list of restricted countries for its CFD accounts (FundedNext restricted countries), and Australian traders may use a driver's licence for KYC (FundedNext KYC steps).
- The5ers: Australia does not appear in its list of countries it cannot accept (who can join The5ers).
- Topstep: Australia does not appear in its ineligible or Express-only country lists (Topstep eligibility). Topstep offers futures only.
Lists change, so check the eligibility page again on the day you buy, using your country of residence and, where asked, your nationality. Do not use a VPN to appear to be somewhere else: FundedNext terminates accounts that conceal true residency, and Topstep does not permit VPNs at all.
Evaluation rules to compare before you pay
| Program | Profit target | Daily loss | Maximum loss | Minimum |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FTMO 2-Step (ftmo.com/au) | 10%, then 5% | 5% | 10%, static | 4 trading days per phase |
| FTMO 1-Step (ftmo.com/au) | 10% | 3% | 10%, end-of-day trailing | Best day at most 50% of total profit (orders from 12 Oct 2026) |
| FundedNext Stellar 2-Step | 8%, then 5% | 5% | 10% | Trades on 5 separate calendar days per phase |
| The5ers High Stakes | 10%, then 5% | 5% | 10% | 3 profitable days of at least 0.5% |
Sources: FTMO Australia trading objectives, FundedNext Stellar 2-Step and the The5ers High Stakes page. None of these three firms sets a maximum time limit for the evaluation on the pages we checked, but FundedNext deactivates accounts after 30 consecutive calendar days without a trade.
Illustrative example with fictional numbers. On a $100,000 FTMO 2-Step account, the daily loss amount is 5% x $100,000 = $5,000, measured from the balance at midnight CE(S)T. If that balance was $101,000, equity must stay above $101,000 - $5,000 = $96,000 for the rest of that trading day, and the overall floor stays at $100,000 - $10,000 = $90,000. On the 1-Step the daily amount is 3% x $100,000 = $3,000, so three $1,000 losses use the whole day. For more FTMO detail, see our FTMO challenge rules guide.
Daily resets on Australian time
The reset follows the firm's time zone, not yours. FTMO recalculates the daily limit at 00:00 CE(S)T. Because Europe and south-eastern Australia change their clocks on different dates, that moment moves in Australian time. Using the NSW daylight saving dates of 4 October 2026 to 4 April 2027 (NSW Government) and EU summer time, which runs from the last Sunday of March to the last Sunday of October:
| Period | Sydney, Melbourne, Canberra, Hobart | Brisbane | Perth |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 Oct to 25 Oct 2026 | 09:00 | 08:00 | 06:00 |
| 25 Oct 2026 to 28 Mar 2027 | 10:00 | 09:00 | 07:00 |
| 28 Mar to 4 Apr 2027 | 09:00 | 08:00 | 06:00 |
| 4 Apr 2027 to early Oct 2027 | 08:00 | 08:00 | 06:00 |
So a loss taken at 08:30 in Sydney in November still counts toward the previous FTMO trading day. FundedNext resets at 00:00 server time, which it gives as GMT+3 during daylight saving time and GMT+2 otherwise; that lands between about 07:00 and 09:00 in Sydney, depending on both clocks. Topstep requires futures positions to be closed by 3:10 PM CT on weekdays, which is early morning in eastern Australia. Check the server clock in your platform rather than relying on memory.
Licensing, ASIC registers and the contract
Before paying, identify the legal entity you contract with and check it yourself. ASIC's professional registers search covers AFS licensees and authorised representatives, can be searched by name, licence number, ACN or ABN, and ASIC suggests checking both that a business is licensed and which services it is licensed to provide (ASIC professional registers).
- Find the entity name in the terms or in documents such as a PDS, FSG or TMD, where the firm publishes them.
- Search that name or number on ASIC's register and compare the website and the services listed.
- Read the terms that govern the funded stage, including payout conditions and grounds for termination.
- Keep dated copies of the rules and terms you accepted.
A register entry is not a promise of payouts or of a good fit for you. If you are unsure what a product is, get independent advice. Our payout rules guide lists the conditions that most often block payment.
Tax records for payouts
How payouts are taxed depends on your circumstances, and this article does not give tax advice. What you can do from day one is keep a clean record, so that a registered tax agent can assess it:
- every evaluation fee, reset and add-on you paid, with dates and currency;
- every payout, in the original currency and as the amount that reached your bank;
- the firm's statements or invoices and the terms that applied at the time;
- the exchange rates used if you were paid in USD or EUR.
Ask a registered tax agent, or check the ATO's own guidance, before you lodge. Our fee and profit-split ledger shows a simple way to reconcile costs with what you actually received.
EAs, VPS and JPTC software
Automation is allowed at some firms and limited at others. FundedNext does not permit EAs on Stellar 2-Step accounts of $50,000 and above, and does not permit VPS use at that size either (FundedNext VPN and VPS). FTMO generally allows VPS use but asks traders not to log in from, or set their geolocation to, the United States on MetaTrader and cTrader (FTMO travel and VPN FAQ). If you plan to run software from a VPS in another country, read these rules first. Our guide to which prop firms allow EAs compares the permissions.
The JPTC EA Hub provides MT4/MT5 software and setfiles that you run in your own MetaTrader terminal or on your own VPS. You set the risk inputs, and using it does not mean any firm has approved it or that it keeps you inside every rule. The JPTC Algo is a separate service hosted on JPTC infrastructure and connected to your own MT4/MT5 broker account, with nothing to install and no VPS needed; it is not offered for prop-firm evaluations. Company-published monthly figures from the broker statement are on the results page.
Company-published account screenshots. Individual examples, not typical results or challenge outcomes. See /results for the monthly figures.
Can Australians join FTMO?
Are funded trading accounts regulated by ASIC?
When does the trading day reset for an Australian trader?
Can I run my EA on a VPS overseas?
Do I pay tax on prop firm payouts in Australia?
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