Dissecting My Forex Funds' Model: How Did the Prop Trading Firm Generate $310M? (2024)

The fraud charges against My Forex Funds brought by the US commodities regulator have shocked the rapidly growing prop trading Industry. Since the charges were filed, the business of the prop trading firm has been shuttered, as its assets were frozen.

The Commodity Futures Trading Commission's (CFTC) lawsuit named New Jersey-incorporated Traders Global Group Inc. and Canada-based Traders Global Group Inc., both operating as My Forex Funds, along with the CEO, Murtuza Kazmi.

Along with the US regulator, Canada's Ontario Securities Commission (OSC) issued a cease order against the local entity and Kazmi, prohibiting them from trading in securities.

The actions against My Forex Funds were not abrupt, as the CFTC has been investigating the company for about a year. The American regulator also assisted the Canadian state's counterpart with its investigation.

However, in an official response, My Forex Funds claimed that the actions by both regulators came without prior notice or discussion.

Important Notice 📢

Yesterday we learned that, without prior notice or discussion, a provincial securities regulator in Canada and the commodities regulator in the United States issued orders preventing us from trading securities or accessing funds in our bank accounts.

Until… pic.twitter.com/dKpxmx5axT

— MyForexFunds (@MyForexFunds) September 1, 2023

Serious Charges against My Forex Funds

The US regulator filed severe charges against the two entities operating the My Forex Funds brand and their CEO. The defendants have been accused of fraud.

The lawsuit highlighted that My Forex Funds offered retail customers to become "professional traders" by trading with Traders Global's money against third-party "liquidity providers" and splitting any trading profits. Although the platform assured the public that it makes money when customers make money, in reality, Traders Global operated as a counterparty to substantially all customer trades, not as a liquidity provider.

Furthermore, Traders Global was even accused of minimizing the probability of its customers' profitability with pretexts to terminate customer accounts, misleadingly assessing commissions to reduce customer account equity, and using manipulative software to execute orders at the worst possible prices.

According to the CFTC, the platform allegedly allowed only a "small number of successful customers to decrease customer profits and increase customer losses."

Boom in Business

With the alleged malpractices, the company generated at least $310 million in fees from a customer base of more than 135,000, who signed up since November 2021. The firm reported over $1 billion in user deposits.

My Forex Funds came into existence in 2020 when the popularity of prop trading was exploding. It ran extensive social media campaigns that bombarded potential customers with advertisem*nts, especially on YouTube.

This ad ran everytime I opened YouTube…they even had a different domain mirrored to the main site. I never trusted #myforexfunds https://t.co/FY1MbWRK9B

— H O N C H O (@Honcho_fx) September 2, 2023

Prop trading firms target retail traders, evaluate their trading skills, and hand out the company's money to them for trading. The platforms then split the profits, if there are any. However, the profits were not the only source of revenue for prop trading firms or for My Forex Funds.

These platforms generate most of the income with fees from 'challenges' or the virtual trading that the traders must take to qualify to receive the funds to trade in live markets. The program fee for My Forex Funds ranged from $49 to $4,900. The higher the program fee paid by the traders, the more capital they will have access to.

Further, the profit splits varied from one program to another. My Forex Funds offered profit splits up to 85 percent.

Dissecting My Forex Funds' Model: How Did the Prop Trading Firm Generate $310M? (1)

My Forex Funds heavily boasted about its payouts on its social media channels. Its last update on payouts was reported on August 28 when it claimed that it made payouts worth $5,060,475.16 between August 18 and 24. It also lured traders with frequent offers and discounts.

August 18th-24th brought some impressive stats:

💰 Total Payouts Amount: $5,060,475.16
📊 Total Number of Payouts: 4.271
⚖️ GBP/CAD most profitable instrument

Keep it up 🤝#MyForexFunds #fundedtrader #forextrading pic.twitter.com/sCNGM6dz3O

— MyForexFunds (@MyForexFunds) August 28, 2023

My Forex Funds allowed traders to skip the so-called 'challenge'. For that, traders must deposit a sum, and My Forex Funds would match that. For instance, if the trader deposits $100, the prop trading would give them another $100. However, taking such deposits might violate existing regulations; after all, prop trading firms operate without any license.

Dissecting My Forex Funds' Model: How Did the Prop Trading Firm Generate $310M? (2)

Although some prop trading firms try to be transparent, the operations of My Forex Funds were not. According to the archived version of its website, the platform offered 100:1 leverage to some traders, meaning it would have used the services of some offshore brokers; no names are mentioned on the website.

"MyForexFunds does not directly solicit customers from Canada. People who register for our programs do so at their own volition," the archived website stated.

The Industry Is Adjusting

Although Finance Magnates approached multiple prop trading firms to know about their business model and their views on the situation at My Forex Funds, none have agreed to share their responses.

However, many prop trading firms, if not all, are carefully making many adjustments. A highlighted change on the website of several prop trading firms is in the language used, with the terms 'virtual' and 'simulated'. Companies like Funded Engineer, Bespoke Funding, and My Funded FX are now calling the challenges "simulated accounts" and the targets and losses "virtual trading targets and losses." These changes indicate the gamification of prop trading.

Another shift is the move towards offering futures prop trading. As one of the CFTC's allegations against My Forex Funds is the manipulation of market data, prop trading firms offering futures can take the feed directly from the Chicago Mercantile Exchange.

Meanwhile, HR startup Deel, a major payments provider to several prop trading firms, is now reviewing the businesses. According to The Information, Deel facilitated at least $72 million as payouts for My Forex Funds customers and is currently under investigation by the CFTC.

With all the rapid developments in the short period, it would be interesting to follow how the prop trading industry shapes in the future.

The fraud charges against My Forex Funds brought by the US commodities regulator have shocked the rapidly growing prop trading Industry. Since the charges were filed, the business of the prop trading firm has been shuttered, as its assets were frozen.

The Commodity Futures Trading Commission's (CFTC) lawsuit named New Jersey-incorporated Traders Global Group Inc. and Canada-based Traders Global Group Inc., both operating as My Forex Funds, along with the CEO, Murtuza Kazmi.

Along with the US regulator, Canada's Ontario Securities Commission (OSC) issued a cease order against the local entity and Kazmi, prohibiting them from trading in securities.

The actions against My Forex Funds were not abrupt, as the CFTC has been investigating the company for about a year. The American regulator also assisted the Canadian state's counterpart with its investigation.

However, in an official response, My Forex Funds claimed that the actions by both regulators came without prior notice or discussion.

Important Notice 📢

Yesterday we learned that, without prior notice or discussion, a provincial securities regulator in Canada and the commodities regulator in the United States issued orders preventing us from trading securities or accessing funds in our bank accounts.

Until… pic.twitter.com/dKpxmx5axT

— MyForexFunds (@MyForexFunds) September 1, 2023

Serious Charges against My Forex Funds

The US regulator filed severe charges against the two entities operating the My Forex Funds brand and their CEO. The defendants have been accused of fraud.

The lawsuit highlighted that My Forex Funds offered retail customers to become "professional traders" by trading with Traders Global's money against third-party "liquidity providers" and splitting any trading profits. Although the platform assured the public that it makes money when customers make money, in reality, Traders Global operated as a counterparty to substantially all customer trades, not as a liquidity provider.

Furthermore, Traders Global was even accused of minimizing the probability of its customers' profitability with pretexts to terminate customer accounts, misleadingly assessing commissions to reduce customer account equity, and using manipulative software to execute orders at the worst possible prices.

According to the CFTC, the platform allegedly allowed only a "small number of successful customers to decrease customer profits and increase customer losses."

ADVERTIsem*nT

Boom in Business

With the alleged malpractices, the company generated at least $310 million in fees from a customer base of more than 135,000, who signed up since November 2021. The firm reported over $1 billion in user deposits.

My Forex Funds came into existence in 2020 when the popularity of prop trading was exploding. It ran extensive social media campaigns that bombarded potential customers with advertisem*nts, especially on YouTube.

This ad ran everytime I opened YouTube…they even had a different domain mirrored to the main site. I never trusted #myforexfunds https://t.co/FY1MbWRK9B

— H O N C H O (@Honcho_fx) September 2, 2023

Prop trading firms target retail traders, evaluate their trading skills, and hand out the company's money to them for trading. The platforms then split the profits, if there are any. However, the profits were not the only source of revenue for prop trading firms or for My Forex Funds.

These platforms generate most of the income with fees from 'challenges' or the virtual trading that the traders must take to qualify to receive the funds to trade in live markets. The program fee for My Forex Funds ranged from $49 to $4,900. The higher the program fee paid by the traders, the more capital they will have access to.

Further, the profit splits varied from one program to another. My Forex Funds offered profit splits up to 85 percent.

Dissecting My Forex Funds' Model: How Did the Prop Trading Firm Generate $310M? (3)

My Forex Funds heavily boasted about its payouts on its social media channels. Its last update on payouts was reported on August 28 when it claimed that it made payouts worth $5,060,475.16 between August 18 and 24. It also lured traders with frequent offers and discounts.

August 18th-24th brought some impressive stats:

💰 Total Payouts Amount: $5,060,475.16
📊 Total Number of Payouts: 4.271
⚖️ GBP/CAD most profitable instrument

Keep it up 🤝#MyForexFunds #fundedtrader #forextrading pic.twitter.com/sCNGM6dz3O

— MyForexFunds (@MyForexFunds) August 28, 2023

My Forex Funds allowed traders to skip the so-called 'challenge'. For that, traders must deposit a sum, and My Forex Funds would match that. For instance, if the trader deposits $100, the prop trading would give them another $100. However, taking such deposits might violate existing regulations; after all, prop trading firms operate without any license.

Dissecting My Forex Funds' Model: How Did the Prop Trading Firm Generate $310M? (4)

Although some prop trading firms try to be transparent, the operations of My Forex Funds were not. According to the archived version of its website, the platform offered 100:1 leverage to some traders, meaning it would have used the services of some offshore brokers; no names are mentioned on the website.

"MyForexFunds does not directly solicit customers from Canada. People who register for our programs do so at their own volition," the archived website stated.

The Industry Is Adjusting

Although Finance Magnates approached multiple prop trading firms to know about their business model and their views on the situation at My Forex Funds, none have agreed to share their responses.

However, many prop trading firms, if not all, are carefully making many adjustments. A highlighted change on the website of several prop trading firms is in the language used, with the terms 'virtual' and 'simulated'. Companies like Funded Engineer, Bespoke Funding, and My Funded FX are now calling the challenges "simulated accounts" and the targets and losses "virtual trading targets and losses." These changes indicate the gamification of prop trading.

Another shift is the move towards offering futures prop trading. As one of the CFTC's allegations against My Forex Funds is the manipulation of market data, prop trading firms offering futures can take the feed directly from the Chicago Mercantile Exchange.

Meanwhile, HR startup Deel, a major payments provider to several prop trading firms, is now reviewing the businesses. According to The Information, Deel facilitated at least $72 million as payouts for My Forex Funds customers and is currently under investigation by the CFTC.

With all the rapid developments in the short period, it would be interesting to follow how the prop trading industry shapes in the future.

Dissecting My Forex Funds' Model: How Did the Prop Trading Firm Generate $310M? (2024)

FAQs

Dissecting My Forex Funds' Model: How Did the Prop Trading Firm Generate $310M? ›

It ran extensive social media campaigns that bombarded potential customers with advertisem*nts, especially on YouTube. Prop trading firms target retail traders, evaluate their trading skills, and hand out the company's money to them for trading. The platforms then split the profits, if there are any.

How do Forex prop firms make money? ›

Most revenues generated by a prop firm come from the profits generated by the prop traders. Firms have a profit-sharing arrangement in place with their traders.

How much do prop trading firms payout? ›

Forecasting Monthly Prop Firm Payouts

Because payouts depend on a number of factors (mentioned above), it's difficult to forecast monthly payouts for traders. Based on our experience, you can expect to make at least 5% per month from trading. So, if you start with $10,000, you can expect to make around $500 per month.

What is the my Forex fund scandal? ›

Traders Global, through its My Forex Funds website, was one of a number of internet-based foreign exchange proprietary trading firms. It charged customers introductory account fees in the hundreds of dollars for what it said was a chance to trade the firm's money in the currency and commodities markets.

What is the profit split for prop firms? ›

Agreements typically range from 50/50 to a more favorable 80/20 split after certain thresholds, with some firms offering as much as 90% to the trader.

What percentage do prop firms take? ›

A prop trading firm looks to recruit talented traders and fund them with the company's capital. The funds that a trader makes, is then split between the trader and the company. The profit share is between 50 – 95%, with the trader taking the lion's share.

How does a prop firm earn money? ›

Commission: Prop firms may charge a commission on each trade made by their traders. Profit Split: In some cases, prop firms may take a percentage of the profits earned by their traders as a form of compensation. Training Fees: Some prop firms offer training programs for new traders, which may come at a cost.

Can you make a living with prop trading? ›

Prop trading can be lucrative, with earnings tied to a profit-sharing ratio. Unlike traditional brokers relying on commissions, prop traders' income directly links to generated profits. Ratios vary, often ranging from 75/100 to 90/100, offering flexibility based on experience and strategy.

Is Prop firm worth it? ›

Prop firms are an excellent source of accessing further capital to increase profit potential. Passing a prop firm's evaluation means reaching a profit target while staying within its risk management rules. Prop firms require traders to use their brokers, which can be positive or negative depending on the broker.

Which is the best prop firm for forex? ›

The most popular prop trading firms and funded programmes
  • Axi Select.
  • FTMO.
  • The Forex Funder.
  • E8 Markets.
  • True Forex Funds.
  • The 5%ers.
  • Funded Next.

What is the number one mistake forex traders make? ›

The Bottom Line

Averaging down, reactive trading to market news and volatility, having exceedingly high expectations, and risking too much capital are common mistakes.

How many people lose money in forex? ›

According to research, the consensus in the forex market is that around 70% to 80% of all beginner forex traders lose money, get disappointed, and quit.

Which prop firm is the best? ›

#1 – Funder Trading

Funder Trading stands first in our list of the top prop trading firms in 2024 due to multiple reasons but notably it is the only prop trading firm that offers options funding and includes coaching for every trader signed up.

Do prop firms copy your trade? ›

It takes no additional effort to replicate your trades to multiple prop firm funded accounts. In fact, most traders that do this use a trade copier system to replicate their trades automatically. This allows you to increase your profits with the exact same amount of work.

What prop firm pays the fastest? ›

Funding Pips and Maven lead the rankings with the most frequent pay-outs, offering transactions every 5 days. Close behind, Traddoo and Funded Trading Plus offer weekly pay-outs. Smart Prop Trader, with its 12-day pay-out cycle, caters to those with a trading style that can accommodate less frequent access to funds.

Do prop firms give you real money to trade? ›

There is nothing inherently scammy about the business model of prop firms. But how do they make money then? For starters, prop firms, of course, do not give money to just anyone who asks. Typically, they have a multi-stage evaluation process to make sure the traders they employ know what they are doing.

How do prop trading firms get their capital? ›

Hedge funds invest in the financial markets using their clients' money. They are paid to generate gains on these investments. Proprietary traders use their firm's own money to invest in the financial markets, and they retain 100% of the returns generated.

Do prop traders make good money? ›

Senior Traders often earn between $500K and $1 million, and Partners can earn over $1 million per year. Base salaries do not necessarily change that much as you move up, so most of these gains come from increased bonuses.

Is trading for a prop firm worth it? ›

Prop firms are an excellent source of accessing further capital to increase profit potential. Passing a prop firm's evaluation means reaching a profit target while staying within its risk management rules. Prop firms require traders to use their brokers, which can be positive or negative depending on the broker.

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