MT5
TradeLocker
MatchTrader
NinjaTrader
Is This Firm For You? (The Persona Match)
Stop the user from guessing. Tell them immediately if they fit.
Yes, join if:
You Want Static Drawdown Cheaply
The 2 Step Standard gives you an 8% static max loss and no consistency rule for $463 on $100K, or $301 with the current promo code.
You Trade News or Run EAs in the Evaluation
News is allowed in every challenge phase, and EAs are permitted if they run your own strategy.
You Trade Both CFDs and Futures
One firm covers FX, indices, commodities and crypto CFDs plus CME futures, across seven platforms.
No, avoid if:
You Let Losing Trades Breathe
Once funded, a 2% floating loss across open trades (1% on Instant) closes everything. The first time it fires, your split drops to 50% for good.
You Grind Out Small Days
A trading day only counts towards the minimum if you make at least 0.5% profit that day. Flat or losing days don't count.
You Scalp Fast
Trades closed in under two minutes can be flagged as tick scalping, and margin use above 80% on any trade is treated as gambling.
The Propify Reality Check Audit
We don't just list features; we interpret the risks.
⚠️ The "Hidden Rule" Detector
The Guardian Shield
The Rule
On funded accounts, if your open trades reach a combined floating loss of 2% of the initial balance (1% on Instant accounts), Blue Guardian closes every position automatically. The first trigger cuts your profit split to 50% permanently. The second breaches the account.
The Reality
This sits well inside the 4% daily and 8% max limits on the headline. On a $100K 2 Step account, two trades each $1,000 underwater at the same moment are enough. You keep the account, but the split never comes back, so one bad afternoon can halve your income for the life of the account.
Propify Pro-Tip
Treat 2% as your real max open risk, not the 4% daily figure. Size so that every stop you have open adds up to less than 2% of the starting balance, and close one position before adding another in a correlated market.
💸 Payout Speed Test
Their Claim
"Approved payouts are processed in 1 hour on average", with a 24-hour payout guarantee.
Propify Verified
PASSED
Our Data
Trader posts and reviews consistently report payouts arriving within hours once approved. The friction sits before approval: payout requests trigger KYC and sometimes live risk interviews, and the 1-star reviews centre on payouts refused after those checks for device matches, multiple accounts or Guardian Shield breaches. Every payout also loses a 3% processing fee.
⚡ The News Trading Scenario
Scenario
It's NFP Friday. Can you trade?
On Evaluation
✅ YES. News trading is allowed in every challenge phase.
On Funded Account
⚠️ CAUTION. No opening or closing trades on affected instruments from 5 minutes before to 5 minutes after high-impact (red folder) releases and FOMC. Profit from those trades can be removed. Instant accounts bought after 13 November 2025 can't trade news at all.
Pro Tip
USD releases cover the major USD pairs, gold, silver, US indices, BTCUSD and ETHUSD. Close or set your exits well before 13:25 UK time on NFP day, and remember a stop filled inside the window counts as closing a trade.
Editor's Verdict: The No-Hype Review
Blue Guardian has been running since 2021. The trading platforms and website are operated by Blue Guardian Limited in Saint Lucia, payments and educational products run through Iconic Exchange FZCO in Dubai, and a Dubai marketing company sits alongside them. Sean Bainton is named as founder and CEO on the firm’s own blog, and the brand has bought itself some visibility: it was Birmingham City’s official FX partner for 2024/25 and sponsored Chris Eubank Jr. It claims more than $35 million paid out. The awkward fact is that Trustpilot has withheld its rating after removing fake reviews, so the 2,112 reviews on its profile come with no score at all.
There are two businesses under one roof. The CFD side, which is what we’ve scored, offers Instant funding, 1 Step Standard and Nano, and 2 Step Standard and Nano. A separate futures arm sells Standard, Reserve, Express and Direct accounts on CME contracts. Our benchmark is the 2 Step Standard: 8% then 4% targets, a 4% daily loss limit and an 8% static max loss, with no time limit and no consistency rule. The 1 Step Standard asks for 9% with a 6% trailing drawdown, and the Nano accounts trade a lower fee for a 50% funded consistency rule and a $2,000 payout cap.
Pricing is sharp. The $100K 2 Step Standard lists at $463, which works out at $4.63 per $1,000, and the HALLOWEEN code was taking 35% off at the time of writing. Bundle discounts run to 50% for four accounts. The fee comes back, but only after your fourth payout, and only on accounts bought from 21 January 2026. Every payout also carries a 3% processing fee, which the marketing doesn’t mention.
CFD traders get MT5, TradeLocker and Match-Trader; futures traders get NinjaTrader, Tradovate, TradingView and DeepCharts. Leverage on the 2 Step is capped at 1:50. EAs are allowed if they run your own strategy, and copy trading is allowed only between accounts you own.
The funded account is where the real rules live. You start on 85%, or 90% with an add-on, and your first payout comes 14 days after your first funded trade, then every 14 days unless you paid for the weekly add-on. A trading day only counts if you make 0.5% that day. The Guardian Shield closes every open trade at a 2% floating loss and cuts your split to 50% for good the first time it fires. Add a 2-minute minimum hold, an 80% margin ceiling, device and IP checks, and a risk team whose decisions it calls “final and binding”, and you have a firm that is generous on paper and strict in practice. Scaling adds 30% of the initial balance every three months for 12% profit, up to $4 million, but total funded allocation is capped at $400,000.
The Propify Index scores Blue Guardian at 46.0/100, which is 3 Stars (“Average”). It scores 20/30 on Trading Conditions, 13/20 on Cost & Value and 13/15 on Platform & UX. The Trust pillar scores zero because a suspended Trustpilot rating trips our kill switch. Take that out and this is a cheap, well-run challenge with a funded account that punishes anyone who lets risk drift. Read the Guardian Shield twice before you buy.
Rules Deconstructed
A detailed breakdown of the specific trading rules found in the database.
The "Hidden" Rules (Funded Accounts Only)
The evaluation is permissive. The funded account adds conditions:
Guardian Shield
A combined 2% floating loss (1% on Instant) closes all open trades. First trigger: split cut to 50% permanently. Second trigger: account breached.
News Trading Window
No opening or closing trades within 5 minutes either side of red-folder releases and FOMC on affected instruments. Profits from those trades can be removed.
Profitable-Day Requirement
Minimum trading days only count when you make at least 0.5% profit that day. You need 3 such days on the 2 Step and 1 Step, 5 on Instant.
Payout Caps & Buffers
On $200K to $400K accounts the first two payouts are capped at $10,000 each. On trailing-drawdown accounts a 1% buffer must stay in the account once you're 6% up.
Drawdown & Loss Limits
Blue Guardian uses Static Drawdown on the 2 Step accounts and Trailing Drawdown on the 1 Step and Instant accounts.
Max Total Loss: 8% Static (2 Step Standard)
Fixed from your starting balance. On $100K the floor is $92,000 and never moves. The 2 Step Nano uses 10% static.
Max Total Loss: 6% Trailing (1 Step & Instant)
Trails your highest closed balance. Once you're 6% up, the floor locks at your starting balance. Swaps and commissions count.
Daily Loss Limit
4% on 1 Step and 2 Step Standard, 3% on Instant and 2 Step Nano, always a percentage of the initial balance. Measured from the higher of balance or equity at the 5pm EST reset.
Prohibited Strategies
HFT, Tick Scalping & Arbitrage
HFT, latency, reverse and hedge arbitrage, and bots exploiting the demo environment are banned. Trades closed in under 2 minutes may be flagged.
Copy Trading & Shared Devices
Copying is allowed only between accounts you legally own. Shared phones, computers or VPS linked to other traders' accounts lead to profit removal or closure.
Cross-Account Hedging
Hedging inside one account is allowed. Hedging between separate accounts is banned.
Gambling
Using more than 80% of margin on any running trade is treated as gambling and can lead to payout rejection or termination.
Payout Policy
Verified bi-weekly payout schedule, with a paid weekly option
Payout Schedule & Speed
Request Window
First payout 14 days after your first funded trade, then every 14 days. The 7-day add-on brings both down to 7 days. Instant accounts pay on demand.
Processing Time
Within 24 business hours, with approved payouts averaging around an hour. The account is read-only until the payout is approved.
Methods & Minimums
Rise (bank) from $500 with no maximum, or crypto from $100 for amounts under $5,000.
Fees
A 3% processing fee applies to every payout, so the amount you receive is less than your payout certificate.
Profit Split & Scaling
Starting Split
85% on 1 Step and 2 Step Standard, 80% on Instant. 90% with the add-on. Some Nano and futures plans pay up to 100%.
Scaling Potential
Make 12% within three months and your account grows by 30% of the initial balance, up to $4 million. Total funded allocation is capped at $400,000 across accounts.
Refunds
The challenge fee is refunded after your fourth payout on accounts bought from 21 January 2026. A hard breach before then means no refund. Instant Starter is excluded.
Guardian Shield Penalty
The first Guardian Shield trigger cuts your split to 50% permanently, whatever plan or add-on you bought.
Pros & Cons
The Good
Below-Average Price
$4.63 per $1,000 at list price on the 2 Step Standard, before frequent promo codes and bundle discounts.
Static Drawdown, No Time Limit
The 2 Step Standard uses a fixed 8% floor, with no deadline and no consistency rule.
Fast Approved Payouts
Approved payouts typically land within hours by bank transfer through Rise or crypto.
CFDs and Futures
Seven platforms and CME futures alongside FX, indices, commodities and crypto CFDs.
The Bad
Trustpilot Rating Suspended
Trustpilot removed fake reviews and withheld the score; 23% of the 2,112 reviews are 1-star.
Guardian Shield
A 2% floating loss closes everything and halves your split permanently on the first hit.
Payout Friction
3% fee on every payout, a 14-day first wait, and complaints about denials after risk interviews.
Refund Takes Four Payouts
The fee only comes back after your fourth payout, not your first.
Price & Value Analysis
Interactive Card Data tailored to show value.
Selected Account
$100,000 Challenge (2 Step Standard)
Price
$463 ($301 with code HALLOWEEN at the time of writing)
Propify Value Score
8/10
The Math
Blue Guardian Cost: $4.63 per $1,000 of buying power. Industry Average: about $5.00 to $5.50 per $1,000. Verdict: you're saving roughly 7% to 16% at list price, and around 40% with the current promo. The 3% payout fee and the four-payout wait for a refund claw some of that back.
Technical Specifications
Trading Platform(s): MT5, TradeLocker, Match-Trader (CFD); NinjaTrader, Tradovate, TradingView, DeepCharts (futures)
Asset Classes: Forex, Indices, Commodities, Crypto CFDs; CME futures
Account Sizes: $5,000 / $10,000 / $25,000 / $50,000 / $100,000 / $200,000 (2 Step Standard); Instant up to $400,000
Max Account Size: $400,000 total funded allocation per trader; scaling to $4,000,000
Leverage: 1:50 on 2 Step; 1:100 on 1 Step Standard
Commissions: Not published; verify in dashboard.
Max Open Orders: Not published; verify in dashboard.
Overnight Holding: Permitted
Weekend Holding: Permitted
Scalping: Permitted, but trades closed in under 2 minutes may be flagged
Minimum Trading Days: 3 days with at least 0.5% profit each (5 on Instant)
Payout Methods:
- Rise (bank withdrawal): Confirmed, $500 minimum, no maximum
- Crypto: Confirmed, $100 minimum, for amounts under $5,000
Minimum Withdrawal: $100 (crypto)
Withdrawal Fees: 3% processing fee on every payout
Withdrawal Schedule: First payout 14 days after first funded trade, then every 14 days; 7-day add-on available; Instant on demand
KYC Requirements: Identity verification through Sumsub before the first payout; live KYC/AML checks may be requested during payout review
KYC Speed: Credentials and Trader Agreement within 6 to 12 business hours of passing; verify KYC timing in dashboard
Propify Index Score: 46.0 / 100
- Trust Pillar: 0/35 (kill switch: Trustpilot rating suspended) | Trading Conditions: 20/30 | Cost & Value: 13/20 | Platform & UX: 13/15
- Editor Rating: ★★★ Average (3/5)
Registered Entity: Blue Guardian Limited, The Sotheby Building, Rodney Village, Rodney Bay, Gros-Islet, Saint Lucia. Payments via Iconic Exchange FZCO, IFZA Business Park, Dubai, UAE.
Owner: Founded and led by CEO Sean Bainton. Shareholdings not published.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Q: What’s the difference between Blue Guardian’s CFD challenges?
A: The 2 Step Standard asks for 8% then 4% with a 4% daily and 8% static max loss. The 1 Step Standard asks for 9% in one phase with a 4% daily and 6% trailing max loss. The Nano versions are cheaper but add a 50% consistency rule and a $2,000 payout cap once funded. Instant accounts skip the evaluation but use a 3% daily, 6% trailing limit and a 20% consistency rule.
Q: What is the Guardian Shield?
A: On funded accounts, if your open trades reach a combined 2% floating loss (1% on Instant), every position is closed automatically. The first time it happens your profit split drops to 50% permanently. The second time, the account is breached.
Q: Is the challenge fee refunded?
A: Yes, after your fourth payout, for accounts bought from 21 January 2026. A hard breach before the fourth payout means no refund, and Instant Starter accounts are excluded.
Q: Is there a consistency rule?
A: Not on the 2 Step or 1 Step Standard. Instant accounts use 20% (15% on $300K and $400K), and the Nano accounts use 50% once funded. Breaking it blocks your payout request rather than breaching the account.
Q: Can I trade news?
A: Yes during any challenge phase. On funded accounts you can’t open or close trades on affected instruments within 5 minutes either side of high-impact releases and FOMC, and profits from those trades can be removed. Instant accounts bought after 13 November 2025 can’t trade news.
Q: Can I use EAs?
A: Yes, provided the EA runs your own strategy. HFT, arbitrage and tick-scalping bots are banned, and trades closed in under 2 minutes may be flagged.
Q: When do I get paid?
A: Your first payout is available 14 days after your first funded trade, then every 14 days, or every 7 days with the add-on. Payouts are processed within 24 business hours by Rise or crypto, less a 3% processing fee.
Q: Which platforms can I use?
A: MT5, TradeLocker and Match-Trader for CFDs. Futures accounts use NinjaTrader, Tradovate, TradingView or DeepCharts.
Q: Is Blue Guardian regulated, and is the capital real?
A: No. Blue Guardian holds no financial licence and every account, including funded accounts, is a demo account with virtual funds. Payouts are made in real money based on simulated results. Its Trustpilot rating is currently suspended after Trustpilot removed fake reviews.