# Crypto Fund Trader Rules Roundup: Three Evaluation Paths Compared for 2026 > Crypto Fund Trader offers three distinct evaluation paths in 2026 — Instant, 1-Phase, and 2-Phase — each with different profit splits, drawdown structures, and scaling options. Here's the full rule comparison. **Source:** https://propweekly.com/article/crypto-fund-trader-evaluation-rules-roundup-2026 **Published:** 2026-08-10T09:05:53.400Z **Publisher:** Prop Weekly — Prop Weekly Editorial **Retrieved:** 2026-09-24 --- **Section:** [Firm News](https://propweekly.com/category/news) **Byline:** Editorial Team (Prop Weekly Editorial) **Topics:** [Crypto Fund Trader](https://propweekly.com/tag/crypto-fund-trader), [prop trading rules](https://propweekly.com/tag/prop-trading-rules), [evaluation challenges](https://propweekly.com/tag/evaluation-challenges), [crypto prop firms](https://propweekly.com/tag/crypto-prop-firms), [2026](https://propweekly.com/tag/2026) Crypto Fund Trader's Three Evaluation Paths: Full Rule Breakdown for 2026 Crypto Fund Trader currently operates three distinct evaluation programs — INSTANT, 1 PHASE, and 2 PHASES — each with its own profit split, drawdown structure, and scaling mechanics. No rule changes were announced this week; this roundup captures the current state across all three paths so traders can compare side-by-side. Profit Splits & Challenge Structures at a Glance Challenge Type Trader Profit Split Phases Profit Target(s) Daily Drawdown Max Drawdown INSTANT Instant funding 50% 1 (Live only) None 4% (Static) 6% (Static) 1 PHASE 1-step evaluation 80% Phase 1 → Live Stage 10% (Phase 1) 4% (Static) 6% (Trailing) 2 PHASES 2-step evaluation 80% Phase 1 → Phase 2 → Live Stage 8% / 5% 5% (Static) 10% (Trailing) Industry context: The 80% split on the 1-Phase and 2-Phase challenges meets the industry standard (80–90%). The Instant path's 50% split sits well below market and functions as a friction point for traders prioritizing payout share. Detailed Rules by Challenge INSTANT ("Intensive" Evaluation) Account sizes: $2,500 ($125), $5,000 ($240), $10,000 ($475) Structure: Single live phase — no evaluation target, trade immediately Drawdown: 4% daily (static, balance at 12:05 AM UTC), 6% max (static) Scaling: Request "Withdrawal & Upgrade" at 10% profit → account doubles (2x); repeatable up to $1.28M Limits: Max 3 active Instant accounts per user Leverage (Student tier): Forex 1:30, Commodities 1:30, Indices 1:20, Crypto 1:5, Stocks 1:5 No minimum trading days, no time limit 1 PHASE Account sizes: $5K–$200K (fees $40–$1,199) Phase 1: 10% profit target, 4% daily DD (static), 6% trailing max DD Live Stage: No profit target, same drawdown rules Trailing drawdown mechanics: Starts at 6% below initial balance; trails up as equity hits new highs; locks at initial balance once reached Add-ons (each 20% of eval fee): Weekly Scholarship Request (eligible after 7 active days), 90% Bonus Performance (ups split to 90%) No minimum trading days, no time limit 2 PHASES Account sizes: $5K–$200K (fees $58–$1,250) Phase 1: 8% profit target, 5% daily DD (static), 10% trailing max DD Phase 2: 5% profit target, same drawdown rules Live Stage: No profit target, same drawdown rules Add-ons: Weekly Scholarship Request (20%), 90% Bonus Performance (20%), Daily DD 6% (15%), Max DD 12% (25%) No minimum trading days, no time limit Restricted Strategies (All Challenges) No Arbitrage: News scalping EAs, latency arbitrage EAs, multi-account reverse trading EAs — any strategy exploiting simulated conditions No Copy Trading Between Ascend Accounts: Matching entries/exits/instruments/direction/timing/sizing across accounts beyond coincidence Reverse Trading Rule: Opposite-direction trades on same pair/currency require 60-second separation or 24-hour hold on first leg Gambling / All-In Rule: Daily/per-trade simulated profit capped at $10,000; excess closed and subtracted Prohibited EAs: High-frequency trading, tick scalping, any latency/arbitrage bots Platforms & Instrument Access Match-Trader & MT5 (Advanced accounts): 720+ instruments — 556 crypto, 106 forex, 15 indices, 22 commodities, 25 stocks; leverage up to 1:100 Bybit: 715+ USDT crypto futures pairs only; leverage up to 1:100; native Bybit fees apply (no markup) Student/Ascend/Instant accounts: Reduced leverage (Forex 1:30, Crypto 1:5, etc.) Weekend/overnight holding: Allowed on all instruments News trading: Permitted Practical Impact for Traders Choose Instant if: You want zero evaluation hurdle, accept 50% split, and plan to scale via 10% profit milestones. Best for traders confident in immediate risk control. Choose 1-Phase if: You want the standard 80% split with a single 10% target and trailing drawdown that locks at breakeven. Add-ons let you accelerate payouts (7-day scholarship) or boost split to 90%. Choose 2-Phases if: You prefer lower per-phase targets (8% then 5%) and wider drawdown room (10% trailing). Same add-on menu plus optional daily/max DD increases. Watch the $10K/day profit cap — it affects high-leverage crypto futures traders on Bybit most. Bybit API keys are immutable: Deleting or replacing the key/subaccount auto-invalidates the evaluation — no refunds. Where This Fits in the 2026 Prop Landscape Crypto Fund Trader's three-path menu — instant, 1-step, 2-step — mirrors the diversification seen at firms like FTMO and The5%ers, but with a crypto-first instrument stack (715+ Bybit pairs, 556+ on MT5/Match-Trader). The 50% split on Instant remains an outlier; most competitors offer 75–80% even on instant-funding products. The trailing drawdown on phased challenges (locking at initial balance) is trader-friendly once breakeven is reached. No minimum trading days and no time limits across all paths keep the rules flexible compared to firms imposing 5–10 day minimums or 30-day phase caps. Rules current as of August 10, 2026, per Crypto Fund Trader's official FAQ, Terms, and Evaluation Rules pages. ## Sources and related links - [Crypto Fund Trader](https://cryptofundtrader.com/) - [Instant Funding](https://instantfunding.com) - [For Traders](https://www.fortraders.com) - [FTMO](https://ftmo.com) ## About this story Published by Prop Weekly, the news desk of the Prop Firm Pal network. Terms described here were accurate on 2026-08-10; prop firm rules and pricing change often, so confirm current terms on the firm's own site. Editorial policy: https://propweekly.com/editorial-policy · Corrections: https://propweekly.com/corrections