"Is This Firm For You?" (The Persona Match)
Stop the user from guessing. Tell them immediately if they fit.
Yes, join if:
If you want a broker backed prop offering
comfort from a well known brand that's been around for years.
You value education alongside evaluation
IC pairs challenges with structured trading education.
You want static, initial-balance drawdowns
both 2-Step phases use a fixed max loss, not a trailing one.
No, avoid if:
You vary lot sizes or switch strategy
IC enforces consistency in lot size, strategy, frequency and risk exposure.
You scalp fast, grid, martingale or arbitrage
all are explicitly prohibited.
You want to cash out fast
the first payout needs 5 profitable days and a 14-day cycle.
The Propify "Reality Check" Audit
We don't just list features; we interpret the risks.
β οΈ The "Hidden Rule" Detector
Hidden Rule #1: The "10% max drawdown" isn't the whole story.
The rule:
The 2-Step's Phase 1 caps maximum loss at 8% (static, from the initial balance) with a 4% daily limit; only Phase 2 and the funded stage widen to 10% / 5%. A simplified FAQ lists Phase 1 as 5% / 10%, but the detailed rules page states 4% / 8%.
The reality:
Risk-manage Phase 1 to the tighter 8% / 4% figures and expect your first phase to give you the least room. Where the firm's own pages disagree, trade to the stricter number.
The rule:
You must keep lot sizes, strategy, trading frequency and risk exposure consistent; significant or unjustified deviations are prohibited. Placing large trades then minimal ones purely to satisfy trading-day counts is cited as a violation.
The reality:
You can't pass on one style and switch to another once funded, or pad your day-count with token trades. Trade the same way throughout, or risk profits being removed or the account failed.
The rule:
Payouts run on 14-day cycles. The 1st payout requires 5 profitable days (plus 14 calendar days), the 2nd requires 3, and only from the 3rd is the profitable-day requirement removed.
The reality:
Your first withdrawal needs a genuine run of green days, not just net profit β a single big winning day won't unlock it. Steady, regular trading gets you paid sooner.
πΈ Payout Speed Test
ICFunded stated:
funded payouts run on 14-day (bi-weekly) cycles.
Payout rails:
bank transfer / crypto
β‘ The News Trading Scenario
On Evaluation (1-Step or 2-Step):
β no specific news-window restriction is published β news trading appears permitted.
On ICFunded Funded Account (Standard):
β no specific news-window restriction is published β news trading appears permitted.
Pro tip:
the consistency and prohibited-strategy rules still bind, so abrupt, out-of-character trades around news could trip a consistency review.
Editor's Verdict: The "No-Hype" Review
IC Funded pairs a conventional two-step evaluation with a heavy emphasis on trading discipline and education. The drawdowns are static and clearly referenced to the initial balance, the entry cost is low ($74 for a $5K account), and there is no published news-window restriction β but the trade-off is a genuinely enforced consistency regime: steady lot sizes, one strategy across phases, and profitable-day gates on your early payouts.
πΈ Biggest gotcha: the split is a flat 80% with no published scaling, and the first two payouts are gated on profitable days β so IC rewards steady grinders, not spiky risk-takers.
Best-fit path: 2-Step Professional for most traders; 1-Step Accelerated if you want a single phase and can trade a tight 3% daily / 6% max.
Rules Deconstructed
A detailed breakdown of the specific trading rules found in the database.
The βHiddenβ Rules (Most traders miss these)
Daily loss is on end-of-day equity
Standard:
Restricted window on targeted instruments (2 minutes before/after selected releases).β¨
Swing:
β No news restriction.
FTMO Challenge & Verification:
4 trading days required.β¨
FTMO Account:
No minimum trading days requirement.β¨
Daily Loss:
4% on phase 1, 5% on phase 2 and 5% funded (2-phase)
Maximum Loss:
8% on phase 1, 10% on phase 2 and funded (2-phase)
Prohibited / risky practices
- Arbitrage of any kind β latency, hedge, reverse, rollover and gap arbitrage.
- High-frequency trading (HFT) and tick scalping.
- Copy trading, mirror trading and signal sharing.
- Martingale strategies and grid averaging.
- Switching strategy between the evaluation and funded stages.
- Inconsistent lot sizes, frequency or risk used to game trading-day counts. (We don’t like the ambiguity of not having hard rules)
Payout Policy
Payout Policy
Payout schedule & speed
When you can request:
14-day (bi-weekly). 1st payout β 5 profitable days + 14 calendar days; 2nd β 3 profitable days + 14 days; 3rd+ β 14 days, no profitable-day requirement.
Processing time:
No published cut off before the cycle
Profit split & scaling
Max profit share:
80% across all challenges
Scaling plan
none available
Refunds
14-day refund policy:
Refunded only if requested within 14 days of purchase, with no trades placed and no rule violation
Refund on passing:
Fee is not refunded
Pros & Cons
The Good
Static, initial-balance drawdowns
one clear reference point.
News trading allowed
no restriction window.
Education focused
structured with the evaluation
Broker backed
IC Markets are ASIC regulated but this is a separate entity
The Bad
Strict consistency rules (lot size, strategy, frequency, risk)
which aren't clearly defined
Long prohibited-strategy list
(arbitrage, HFT, martingale, grid, copy trading).
Early payouts gated on profitable days.
Price & Value Analysis
Selected Account: $100,000 Challenge (2-Step)
Price: $689
The Math
ICFunded cost
$6.89 per $1,000 of buying power (689 / 100).β¨
Verdict
Expensive for fairly strict rules
Technical Specifications
|
Feature |
Data Value |
||||||||||||||
|
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Q: What programs does IC Funded offer?
A: A 2-Step Professional, a 1-Step Accelerated, a 1-Step Challenge, and an Instant Funded program (coming soon).
Q: What are the Phase 1 and Phase 2 targets and limits?
A: Phase 1 β 10% target, 4% daily, 8% max (static); Phase 2 β 5% target, 5% daily, 10% max. (A simplified FAQ shows Phase 1 as 5% / 10%; the detailed rules page is 4% / 8%.)
Q: What is the profit split?
A: 80% to the trader on the funded stage; no higher split is published on the rules or pricing pages.
Q: How do payouts work?
A: On 14-day cycles β the 1st needs 5 profitable days, the 2nd needs 3, and from the 3rd there is no profitable-day requirement.
Q: Can I get a refund?
A: Only within 14 days of purchase, with no trades placed and no rule violation.
Q: Are there consistency rules?
A: Yes β you must keep lot sizes, strategy, frequency and risk exposure consistent; gaming trading-day counts with large-then-tiny trades is a violation.