Leaderboard contests
Trading competitions rank you against other traders over a fixed period, and only the top places win. That makes them different from a prop firm challenge, where you pass or fail against fixed rules and get a funded account. Below are free and paid contests, with each operator's entry costs, account type, prizes and withdrawal terms taken from its own pages.
We have not scored these platforms. Our prop firm scoring does not fit leaderboard contests, so this page compares published terms only. Listing a competition is not a sign that it pays out reliably.
Free contests are usually run by brokers and prop firms to attract new traders. Paid contests charge an entry fee, and the prize pool usually comes from those fees after the operator takes its cut. Some platforms run both.
Simulated contests use a demo account, so the entry fee is the most you can lose. Real-money championships rank results from your own funded broker account, so your capital is at risk.
7 of 7 competitions. Tick up to 3 to compare side by side.
| Compare | Competition | Entry cost | Account | Prize type | Ranked by |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Thunder Trader | $150, $250, $500 or $1,000 per event | Simulated | Cash | Net P&L at the end of the event | |
| Tralent | $20 to $500, depending on market and tournament length | Simulated | Cash | Percentage P&L, with the same position size allowance for every entrant | |
| BullRush | Hourly contests are free. Daily, weekly and monthly contests are free or cost $5, $10 or $50. | Simulated | Cash, Prop account, Platform credits | Depends on the contest: highest profit, profit factor, win rate, winning streak or first to hit a profit target | |
| XM Competitions | Demo Weekly is free. The Daily Arena costs $5. | Simulated | Cash | Leaderboard position at the end of the contest | |
| Deriv Trading Competitions | Free | Simulated | Cash | Final account balance | |
| The5ers Trading Competition | Free | Simulated | Cash, Prop account, Platform credits, Trophies or merch | Leaderboard position. Recent contests ran for 6 days. | |
| World Cup Trading Championships | Entry fee per division, plus a minimum starting balance in your own account: $500 for monthly divisions, up to $10,000 for World Cup Futures | Real money | Trophies or merch | Net return over the contest period |
LN17 ShapeFuture Limited
Calls its product a Performance Arena and states it is not a prop firm. You pay a fixed fee per event, trade a demo account and are ranked against up to 500 other entrants.
Not confirmed: Rewards are discretionary under the terms and can be withheld, reduced or cancelled. (+1 more)
Tralent Online Gaming Services Co. LLC
A paid tournament platform. You only risk the entry fee, and prizes come from the pool that entrants pay into. Free tournaments exist for practice and pay no money.
Not confirmed: Tralent’s own pages list two different fees, 17% and 20%. Confirm the current figure before you enter. (+1 more)
BullRush Entertainment LLC
Mixes free and paid contests, and some prizes are BullRush prop accounts rather than cash. Check which prize type a contest pays before you enter.
Not confirmed: Markets offered not confirmed from official pages. (+2 more)
XM (broker)
A broker running contests alongside its main business. Demo Weekly is free; the Daily Arena is a small paid contest.
Not confirmed: Full contest terms, markets and country eligibility not confirmed.
Deriv (broker)
Free, time-limited demo contests that include Deriv’s synthetic indices. Winnings land in a Deriv account, not a separate wallet.
Not confirmed: Prize amounts change with each contest.
The5ers (prop firm)
A prop firm running a free weekly demo contest. Most prizes are firm accounts or credits, not cash.
Not confirmed: Prize split per position and full contest rules not confirmed.
WorldCupChampionships.com
A real-money championship that has run since 1983. You trade your own capital, so losses are real.
Not confirmed: Annual entry fee shown only as a pricing table; confirm at sign-up.
If you want a funded account rather than a prize, compare forex prop firms or futures prop firms instead.
A contest where traders are ranked on a leaderboard, usually by profit or return over a fixed period. The top finishers receive prizes. Most competitions use demo or simulated accounts, so the only money at risk is any entry fee.
No. A prop firm challenge is a pass or fail test against fixed rules, and passing leads to a funded account. In a competition you are ranked against other traders, and only the top places win anything.
Sometimes. Some contests pay withdrawable cash. Others pay platform credits, prop accounts or trophies. Check the prize type and the withdrawal terms before you enter.
Usually, yes. Every operator listed here that pays cash asks for identity checks before you can withdraw.
Not in simulated competitions. The entry fee is your maximum cost. Real-money championships are different: you trade your own account and can lose your capital.
Our prop firm score measures funded account rules and payout records, which competitions do not have. We will publish a separate competition score once at least three platforms have a verified payout record.
