Prop firm identity, device and IP rules
Rules on who may trade the account, how many accounts one person may hold and what a shared device or IP address says about you. Accounts linked this way can be closed together. Every rule below is quoted from the firm’s own pages, with a link to where we read it.
What can this rule do to you?
Kind of rule
Identity
Accounts, devices, IPs and who is really trading.
Funding TradersCloses the accountCopy trading between your own Instant accounts is not allowed
Using copy-trading software between FT Instant accounts is prohibited, even when every account is yours.
VPNs and IP masking are prohibited outright
ETF prohibits VPNs, proxies and any IP-masking technology on trading accounts. Traders who use a VPN routinely for privacy, or who travel, can breach without placing a bad trade.
ThinkCapital
Closes the accountTrading like someone else can be treated as copying
ThinkCapital reserves the right to deem that users are coordinating or copying trades if multiple users place trades in the same instrument, in the same direction, within one minute of each other, or if instruments, entries and exits are identical or substantially similar. No agreement between the traders needs to be shown. Two people following the same public signal room can meet this test.
Account rolling can cost you future access
Buying several evaluations intending to sacrifice some while passing others is treated as a luck-based tactic rather than skill. Violations may lead to restrictions on new purchases or a lifetime allocation limit.
VPN and VPS are banned, and your IP is watched
VPN and VPS connections are prohibited on any trading account. The IP region you buy from, log in from and trade from is expected to stay consistent, and drifting between them flags the account. Anyone trading from a VPS for latency, or travelling, is in breach by default.
VPN and VPS are allowed, but only you may trade
VPNs and changing IPs are explicitly permitted for travel, unusual in this industry, where several firms treat a VPS as an automatic breach. The line is account sharing: only the owner may place trades.
A VPN is prohibited unless you apply for permission first
Their standard policy is that "the use of VPN services by traders is generally prohibited due to concerns related to IP tracking and the risk of server misuse". An exception is possible but has to be asked for: the trader submits written justification of the purpose, and the request is reviewed and approved case by case. A VPS is a separate matter and is allowed where it runs an Expert Advisor. This is the rule most often reported second-hand as "tell them if you travel", which is a much weaker thing than what is written.
Two people trading from one IP address is not allowed
Multiple users may not operate accounts through the same IP and IP masking is banned. Household members sharing an IP must tell support first or risk closure and a permanent ban.
Letting anyone else trade your account ends it
Someone else trading for you or running accounts under different names breaks the one account per customer rule. Pass your challenge services are included and the result is termination with voided profits.
Sharing a device with another trader gets you banned
You may only trade from your own devices and hold one registration per email, device and IP identity. Sharing a laptop or phone with another trader ends all your accounts with a permanent ban.
Sharing a device with another trader can fail the account
Trading from the same PC or phone another trader uses is forbidden. It can breach the account and lead to permanent restrictions.
Gen Z accounts can ask for ID to prove your age at payout
Gen Z accounts are only for traders aged 18 to 25 at registration. FunderBlu may ask for government ID at onboarding or when you request a payout, and a mismatch can suspend or disqualify the account.
Login region must match where you bought the challenge
The IP region you trade from must match the region used at purchase and stay consistent on funded accounts. Travelling without telling support first or using a VPN or proxy can trigger verification checks and trading restrictions.
This list is only as complete as our reading. 33 of the 83 firms we track have been through a rulebook pass; the rest are still to do, and a firm missing from here has not been cleared. It has not been checked. See which firms are next.