Do We Need a New Strategy to Pass a Prop Firm Challenge?

[Idealism]

I’ve finally decided to join a prop firm and take a trading challenge. Before jumping in, I wanted to clear up a few doubts about what type of strategy actually works best for passing these challenges.

I’m usually more into swing trading since I don’t always have the time to trade daily. Would that still work for prop firm challenges, or do you really need to trade more frequently to hit the profit targets? I’m also wondering how much the evaluation depends on the type of trades you take. Do they treat all trading styles equally, or does your approach affect how the challenge is assessed?

I haven’t picked a firm yet, but I’ve been looking at a few like FTMO, FundedNext, and Hola Prime. They all seem to offer different account types for different trading styles, but even then, every trader approaches the market differently and manages risk in their own way.

I’d like to understand how fair these challenge models and evaluations really are, and what common mistakes usually lead to failing. If anyone here has experience with prop firm challenges, I’d really appreciate any tips or things to watch out for.

 

[Cheeky]

If your current strategy doesn’t fit well with the prop firm’s rules or profit targets, then you’ll likely need to revise it to improve your chances of passing the challenge. Often, it’s just a matter of making the necessary adjustments so your trading style aligns with the challenge requirements. It really comes down to how well you can adapt to the prop firm environment and the type of account you choose. As long as the rules are clear and transparent, the evaluation is simply about staying within those limits.

 

[jonathangray]

I think if you already have a profitable strategy, there’s no real need to look for a new one. It’s just a matter of adjusting your approach to better fit the prop firm challenge environment. Your trading system should be rule-based, even if the firm offers flexible rules and limits. All the best.

 

[MustardHaven]

Before talking about switching strategy, I’d say it’s more about mindset and approach. In the prop firm space it’s not just about skill or profit potential, it’s about trading inside the rules.
You might need small adjustments if your swing style doesn’t fit the drawdown limits or news rules, but the bigger thing is being able to follow a rigid framework without forcing trades. That’s where a lot of people fail in these challenges.

 

[Idealism]

I think if you already have a profitable strategy, there’s no real need to look for a new one. It’s just a matter of adjusting your approach to better fit the prop firm challenge environment. Your trading system should be rule-based, even if the firm offers flexible rules and limits. All the best.

Well said. If a strategy is already profitable, changing it completely can create more problems than it solves. Adapting position sizing and trade frequency to match the challenge rules feels more practical.

 

[Idealism]

If your current strategy doesn’t fit well with the prop firm’s rules or profit targets, then you’ll likely need to revise it to improve your chances of passing the challenge. Often, it’s just a matter of making the necessary adjustments so your trading style aligns with the challenge requirements. It really comes down to how well you can adapt to the prop firm environment and the type of account you choose. As long as the rules are clear and transparent, the evaluation is simply about staying within those limits.

I agree, it’s mostly about alignment with the rules rather than reinventing everything. If the strategy doesn’t fit the profit target or drawdown model, small adjustments usually make more sense than starting from scratch.

 

[Mercor]

I’d say you’re on the right track. Any strategy can work as long as it fits within the firm’s rules. The real issue isn’t swing vs intraday, it’s whether your strategy can hit the target without violating daily drawdown or max loss limits. That’s where most people fail. Before jumping in I’d backtest your exact strategy against their rules. Treat the challenge like a risk management test not a profit race.