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Forex prop firm· review & rules
A broker-backed firm (by ThinkMarkets) with NO consistency rule on its three evaluation programs, mostly balance-based daily drawdown, and clean rules — the catches are the trailing max-DD on Lightning/Bolt, a 4-minute news window, and Bolt's 20% best-day cap.
Broker-backed credibility with no consistency rule on the evaluation programs and forgiving balance-based daily drawdown — just mind the trailing max-DD on Lightning/Bolt and the strict news window.
Pros
Watch out
Best for: Traders who want a broker-backed firm with no consistency rule — Lightning for a fast 1-step, Dual Step Swing if you need overnight/weekend/news flexibility, Bolt for instant funding.
Bottom line: A clean, credible choice; pick the program whose drawdown/news rules match how you trade.
| Account sizes | $2.5K – $200K |
| Profit split | 80% – 90% |
| Max scaling | $1,500,000 |
| Platforms | ThinkTrader, MT4, MT5 |
| Instruments | Forex, Indices, Metals, Commodities, Crypto |
| Payouts | Bi-weekly (weekly add-on); Bolt first payout after 5 profitable days |
| Plan | Type | Max DD | Daily | Targets | Min days |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lightning | 1-Step | 6% trailing | 3% | 10% | 3 |
| Dual Step (Swing) | 2-Step | 7% static | 4% | 9% → 5% | 3 |
| Dual Step (Intraday) | 2-Step | 7% static | 4% | 9% → 5% | 3 |
| Nexus | 3-Step | 8% static | 4% | 7% → 6% → 5% | 3 |
| Bolt | Instant | 6% trailing | 3% | — | 5 |
Lightning and Bolt use a 6% TRAILING max-DD that rises with you until equity reaches +6%, then locks permanently at the initial balance (Lightning trails on balance, Bolt on equity including floating profit). Dual Step (7% challenge / 8% funded) and Nexus (8%) are STATIC, fixed to the initial balance.
Gotcha: On Lightning/Bolt, a pullback from a floating-profit peak can breach you before the floor locks at breakeven.
Lightning 3% (balance), Dual Step Swing 4% (balance), Dual Step Intraday 4% (equity), Nexus 4% (balance), Bolt 3% (equity). A fixed dollar amount off the initial balance, recalculated daily at 5 PM EST.
Gotcha: The balance-based programs are more forgiving (a floating loss you don't close won't breach the daily); the equity-based ones (Intraday, Bolt) breach on unrealized swings.
No consistency rule on Lightning, Dual Step or Nexus — it applies exclusively to Bolt accounts, where your single best day's profit can't exceed 20% of total overall profits.
Gotcha: Only Bolt is gated — the evaluation programs let you concentrate profit freely.
Lightning 10%; Dual Step 9% then 5%; Nexus 7%, 6%, 5%; Bolt none (instant). No time limit on any evaluation.
News trading is prohibited on Lightning, Dual Step Intraday, Nexus and Bolt — only Dual Step Swing allows it by default. The window is 2 minutes before to 2 minutes after high-impact news (10 minutes on Bolt), and applies to limit/stop orders too. A News Trading add-on unlocks it for Lightning and Nexus (not Bolt).
Gotcha: Bolt has the strictest window AND no add-on; a violation is an immediate breach with profit forfeiture, identical in challenge and funded.
Allowed on Lightning, Dual Step Swing and Nexus. NOT allowed on Dual Step Intraday and Bolt.
Evaluation programs need 3 profitable trading days per payout cycle (each ≥0.5% on that day's starting balance, with overall balance above the initial balance); Bolt needs 5.
Gotcha: A winning day only counts if your overall account is above its original starting balance — recovering from a drawdown can leave profitable days uncounted.
Default payout cycle is bi-weekly (weekly via add-on); split 80% up to 90% via add-on or scaling. ThinkTrader scaling: ≥10% over a rolling 3 months with 3 withdrawals → +20% of the original balance (non-compounding), max allocation $600K base scaling to $1.5M. Bolt: first payout after 5 profitable days.
Expert Advisors are permitted (stated for Lightning). Leverage: Lightning 1:30; Dual Step & Nexus up to 1:100 (dynamic); Bolt up to 1:50 (dynamic).
Gotcha: ThinkCapital's full prohibited-strategy list (copy trading, HFT, latency arbitrage) lives in its Terms — verify there before relying on automation/copy specifics.
You must place at least one trade every 30 days; 30 days of inactivity pauses the account.
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Informational and comparison content only — not financial advice and not affiliated with ThinkCapital. Rules change often; verify against ThinkCapital's official terms before relying on any detail. Last reviewed Jun 5, 2026.