BrightFunded vs Velotrade: Which Crypto Prop Firm Is Better in 2026?

Two firms that get a lot right, with a couple of structural differences that decide it.

BrightFunded and Velotrade are among the more trader-friendly crypto prop firms currently operating. Both have no consistency rule, both allow news trading and weekend holding, and both avoid the punishing tick-by-tick drawdown model that many firms use. The overlap is genuine. But they handle drawdown differently: Velotrade uses a static floor on every plan that never moves, while BrightFunded's varies by plan (its 1-Step trails until it locks at +6%, its 2-Step is static), and that difference matters.

But the differences that do exist are meaningful. This comparison works through every metric that matters for a trader deciding between them: profit targets, drawdown structure, minimum trading days, profit split, platform choice, and the scaling model each firm offers. If you are also weighing up what kind of crypto funded trading account is right for you, this breakdown covers all the structural details you need.

Quick Comparison: BrightFunded vs Velotrade

Profit Targets: BrightFunded Asks for Less to Pass

The most tangible structural difference is the Phase 1 profit target.

BrightFunded requires 8% in Phase 1. Velotrade requires 10%.

On a $50,000 account, that gap is $1,000: BrightFunded sets the pass bar at $4,000, Velotrade at $5,000. Both firms share the same Phase 2 target of 5%, so the difference is concentrated in the evaluation's opening phase.

A lower target does not make the evaluation easier overall. Drawdown limits are identical at 10% and daily loss limits match at 5%. But it does mean BrightFunded traders need to take on marginally less risk, or spread their trades across fewer sessions, to hit the pass threshold.

For conservative traders or those entering at larger account sizes where absolute dollar targets are significant, this 2-percentage-point difference is worth factoring in.

Drawdown Model: Static on Every Plan vs Varies by Plan

Both firms now use a static max loss on their 2-Step accounts, so this is no longer a blanket static-vs-trailing split. The difference sits on the 1-Step, and there it favours Velotrade.

Velotrade uses a static drawdown on every plan, including its 1-Step. Your floor is fixed from your starting balance and never moves for the life of the account. On a $50,000 account with a 10% max drawdown, the breach level sits at $45,000 and stays there whether you are up 2% or up 40%. Profit you bank is never clawed back into a rising floor.

BrightFunded's drawdown varies by plan after its 2.0 relaunch. Its 2-Step (Bright and Classic) is now static too, a max loss fixed from the starting balance, matching Velotrade on those accounts. Its 1-Step uses a trailing max drawdown that moves up with your equity and locks once your equity is 6% above the initial balance. Until that lock, the floor still ratchets up, so a run-up followed by a pullback can breach you at an equity level a static floor would have kept safe.

Both firms avoid the tick-by-tick trailing model used by many others, where every intraday equity peak immediately tightens the breach level and a profitable open trade can permanently raise your floor. So both are trader-friendlier than the market norm. The remaining gap is on the 1-Step: Velotrade's 1-Step uses the same static floor as its other plans and never trails, while BrightFunded's 1-Step trails until it locks at +6%. To calculate your exact drawdown floor and daily budget for any account size on either platform, use the prop trading drawdown calculator. For a full breakdown of how drawdown models affect your funded account risk, see crypto prop firm rules and drawdowns explained.

No Consistency Rule: Both Firms Get This Right

Many prop firms, particularly those that started in forex and moved into crypto, enforce consistency rules that cap how much any single day can contribute to total evaluation profit. Velotrade and BrightFunded both explicitly reject this.

Neither firm has a consistency rule at any stage. Not during the evaluation, not on the funded account.

If you close your entire profit target in one session off a high-conviction news trade or macro move, that is a legitimate pass at both firms. Your profit distribution is not evaluated. Only your compliance with drawdown and daily loss limits matters.

For traders whose strategies naturally concentrate returns into fewer, larger setups: news traders, momentum traders, or anyone who avoids low-conviction activity. This shared rule is the single most important thing both firms have in common. See crypto prop firms with no consistency rule for context on why this matters and which firms still enforce it.

Profit Split: Day One vs Add-On Required

This is where the two firms diverge most directly on terms.

Velotrade offers up to 90% from the first payout. There is no ramp-up period, no scaling schedule, and no additional fee required to access it.

BrightFunded's base split is 80%. The 90% split is available, but it requires paying an add-on at checkout: an extra 20% on top of the standard challenge fee. On a $100,000 account where the base challenge fee is €495, accessing 90% from day one costs an additional ~€99.

The 10-point difference in split compounds over time. On $10,000 profit, 80% returns $8,000 and 90% returns $9,000. Over a full year of consistent trading, the gap is material.

BrightFunded does have a path to 100% profit split: traders who reach their third scale-up (three consecutive qualifying periods under the scaling plan) unlock the 100% tier without any add-on. This is a longer-term proposition that rewards sustained performance, but it is a meaningful ceiling that Velotrade does not match.

BrightFunded also refunds the challenge fee on the first funded account payout. Velotrade does not offer a fee refund.

Minimum Trading Days

Velotrade requires 5 qualifying trading days. Each session must close with at least 0.8% net profit on the starting balance. Hit your profit target and your 5 qualifying days within the same window, you pass. There is no overall time limit.

BrightFunded requires 5 minimum trading days in Phase 1. The requirement is simply that at least one position is opened across 5 separate trading days. There is no minimum profit-per-day condition.

In practice, both requirements are straightforward to meet during a normal evaluation run. The Velotrade approach asks for more from each qualifying day (minimum 0.8% profit), while BrightFunded's 5-day floor is purely attendance-based.

Platform: Choice vs Specialisation

BrightFunded supports three platforms: MT5, cTrader, and DXtrade. Traders choose their preferred environment at signup.

Velotrade uses DXtrade exclusively, a prop-firm-native platform purpose-built for the evaluation environment, with built-in rules monitoring, account management, and payout tracking.

If you already work in MT5 or cTrader and want to run the same tools, indicators, and EAs you have built in those environments, BrightFunded removes the friction of adapting to new software. The flexibility is a genuine practical advantage.

Velotrade's DXtrade consolidation keeps the experience consistent but narrows your options. Traders unfamiliar with the platform face a learning curve that does not exist if they are evaluating at BrightFunded on their preferred platform.

BrightFunded's Scaling Plan

BrightFunded operates a formal scaling program. Every 4 months, if a funded trader meets three criteria: at least 10% total profit across the period, profitable in at least 2 of those 4 months, and at least 2 payouts processed, their account balance increases by 30% of the original account size.

There is no stated cap on the total account size that can be reached through scaling. BrightFunded advertises a maximum initial allocation of $400,000 per trader, expandable through the scaling program.

Velotrade does not currently have a published structured scaling plan of this kind.

For traders who are building toward larger capital allocation as a primary goal, BrightFunded's scaling model provides a defined roadmap that Velotrade does not currently match.

Pricing: Side-by-Side Challenge Fees

BrightFunded fees are charged in EUR. Approximate USD equivalents shown at current exchange rates. BrightFunded refunds the challenge fee on the first funded payout; Velotrade does not. BrightFunded fees increase by 20% if the 90% profit split add-on is selected.

At the $100,000 and $200,000 tiers, BrightFunded is meaningfully cheaper in net terms, and even more so once the fee refund is factored in after a successful pass.

What Each Firm Suits Best

Choose Velotrade if:

• You want 90% profit split from your first payout without paying an add-on fee
• You want a static drawdown on every plan, including the 1-step, so your floor never trails as you profit
• You want a 1-step challenge whose drawdown is static and never trails (BrightFunded's 1-step uses a 6% trailing floor)
• You prefer a structured qualifying-day model (5 qualifying days with a minimum profit threshold each day)
• You are comfortable with DXtrade and want a purpose-built prop trading environment
• You value a crypto-focused founding team with institutional background

Choose BrightFunded if:

• A lower Phase 1 profit target (8% vs 10%) better fits your conservative approach
• You want platform choice: MT5, cTrader, or DXtrade based on what you already use
• The structured scaling plan and path to 100% split matter to your long-term trading goals
• You want the challenge fee refunded on your first payout
• You trade across crypto, forex, and commodities and want access to a broader asset range

Both Firms Get Right: Shared Strengths

For traders coming from generalist prop firms with restrictive forex-inherited rules, both BrightFunded and Velotrade represent a meaningfully better environment:

• No tick-by-tick drawdown: neither firm uses tick-by-tick trailing models that punish intraday equity spikes (Velotrade is static on every plan; BrightFunded's 2-Step is static and its 1-Step trails until it locks at +6%)
• No consistency rule: profit distribution across trading days is not evaluated at either firm
• News trading allowed: both permit trading through scheduled and unscheduled macro events
• Weekend holding allowed: neither forces position closure on Friday close
• EAs and automation permitted: both support algorithmic strategies with no stop-loss placement mandate. Velotrade additionally provides full open API access on every account with no extra fee or approval.
• No mandatory stop-loss: how you manage risk within the drawdown limits is your decision

For context on why each of these permissions matters, and how many firms still restrict them, see why most retail traders fail prop challenges.

Which Crypto Prop Firm Is Better?

For traders whose primary goal is maximising the profit split from day one without paying extra, Velotrade's 90% baseline is a concrete advantage. Add Velotrade's static-drawdown 1-step option and the structured qualifying-day model, and Velotrade is the faster, higher-returning path for traders who are confident in their ability to pass.

For traders who value platform flexibility, a lower Phase 1 hurdle, and a defined long-term scaling roadmap, BrightFunded's structure is genuinely appealing, especially at larger account sizes where the fee differential is significant and the scaling plan compounds over time.

Both firms are legitimate, both share the rules infrastructure that actually matters for crypto trading strategies, and either is a reasonable choice depending on your priorities.

For a broader view of where both firms sit in the market, see best crypto prop firms in 2026 or compare all major firms in the crypto prop firm directory. For a full standalone review of BrightFunded's challenge structure, drawdown mechanics, and scaling plan, see BrightFunded review 2026. For BrightFunded's verified rules and fees in one place, see the BrightFunded directory page. To understand how Velotrade's full rule set works in detail, see Velotrade review 2026 and crypto prop firm rules explained.

To see how Velotrade compares to HyroTrader, read HyroTrader vs Velotrade. For a direct head-to-head between BrightFunded and HyroTrader on drawdown model, consistency rule, and platform, see HyroTrader vs BrightFunded.

Ready to start a Velotrade challenge? View challenge options and pricing →

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This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial or investment advice. Prop firm rules, fees, and structures change frequently. Always review each firm's official terms and conditions before making any decisions. This comparison reflects publicly available information as of March 2026.