AquaFunded Rules Explained: Drawdown, Profit Targets & Time Limits (2026)

AquaFunded Rules Overview

AquaFunded is a Dubai-based proprietary trading firm founded in 2023, offering evaluation challenges across multiple account tiers and funding models. The firm specializes in a challenge-based evaluation system where traders demonstrate profitability and risk management across forex, indices, commodities, and cryptocurrency markets. Unlike traditional prop firms with strict time-based evaluation windows, AquaFunded advertises no time limits on evaluation phases, allowing traders to complete challenges at their own pace. The platform offers both 1-step and 2-step challenge pathways, plus an Instant Funding option for smaller accounts.

AquaFunded's evaluation model is straightforward: traders start with a challenge account, must hit specific profit targets while adhering to drawdown rules, and upon passing, receive a funded account with profit-sharing privileges. The firm claims a scaling pathway that can reach up to $2 million in funded account size, making it attractive for traders looking to grow their capital over time.

Account Types and Pricing

AquaFunded offers four primary account options across different funding levels and challenge structures:

Challenge Type	Account Size	Monthly Cost	Best For
Instant Funding	$2,500	$19/month	New traders, small accounts, minimal risk
2-Step Challenge	$10,000	$97/month	Intermediate traders testing strategies
1-Step Challenge	$25,000	$199/month	Experienced traders seeking larger capital
2-Step Challenge	$100,000	$549/month	Professional traders targeting maximum leverage

Important Note: Pricing is paid monthly, and challenge costs are non-refundable unless specific conditions are met. The firm does not offer a free tier, meaning all evaluations require upfront payment.

Profit Targets

Profit targets on AquaFunded challenges vary by account size and challenge type. While exact percentages for each tier are not publicly detailed in standard documentation, typical prop firm structures suggest:

• 1-Step Challenges: Traders must typically achieve a profit target of 8-10% of the account balance in a single evaluation phase
• 2-Step Challenges: First phase requires 5-8% profit; second phase requires an additional 5-8% profit on the funded account balance
• Instant Funding ($2,500): Lower profit requirements given the minimal capital, typically 5-6%

Profit targets are typically calculated as a percentage of starting balance, not total balance, meaning traders can continue trading after hitting targets without additional pressure to maintain a certain equity level. The absence of published time limits means traders can take as long as needed to hit these targets, provided they don't violate drawdown rules.

Drawdown Rules

Drawdown management is critical to understanding AquaFunded's risk framework. Based on industry standards and the firm's risk-management focus, the following rules typically apply:

• Daily Drawdown Limit: Most prop challenges enforce a daily loss limit (typically 3-5% of account balance per trading day). Exceeding this triggers immediate account termination.
• Maximum Drawdown (Trailing): AquaFunded likely uses a trailing maximum drawdown rule, meaning the limit is calculated from the highest equity point achieved during the evaluation. A typical threshold is 10% from peak equity.
• Reset Conditions: Daily drawdown limits reset at the end of each trading day (typically at 5 PM EST or firm-specified closing time). Maximum drawdown does NOT reset and remains relative to the highest equity point reached.
• Hard Breach Policy: According to publicly available information, challenge fees are forfeited on a "hard breach" before the 4th payout. A hard breach typically means violating maximum drawdown or daily limits severely enough to breach account rules entirely, not just coming close.

The firm's emphasis on risk management tools (listed in key features) suggests automated drawdown monitoring and real-time alerts to prevent accidental rule violations.

Trading Restrictions

AquaFunded enforces several trading restrictions to ensure consistent evaluation and reduce firm risk:

• Instruments Allowed: Forex, indices, commodities, and cryptocurrency. Stocks are NOT permitted. Futures are available only through a separate AquaFutures product.
• Lot Size Limits: Lot size is typically restricted to maintain account-to-position ratios that prevent excessive leverage. Standard prop firm practices suggest limits of 5-10 micro lots per $1,000 of account balance, but AquaFunded's exact limits require confirmation.
• Time Limits on Trades: No published restrictions on hold times; traders can hold positions for days, weeks, or longer provided they remain within drawdown parameters.
• Weekend Holding: Positions can typically be held over weekends, but overnight gap risk is the trader's responsibility.
• News Trading: High-impact economic news trading is generally permitted, though some firms restrict trading in the 30 seconds surrounding major economic data releases to prevent slippage abuse.
• Expert Advisors (EAs) and Automated Trading: Automated trading is explicitly listed as a key feature, indicating that EAs and algorithmic trading are allowed. This is a significant differentiator from more restrictive prop firms.
• Copy Trading: Signal copying and copying other traders' strategies is generally not permitted on evaluation accounts, as it violates the principle of individual trader evaluation.

Profit Split and Payouts

Profit Split: AquaFunded offers up to 100% profit splits available as an add-on. This is a key selling point and suggests a tiered structure:

• Base Profit Split: Likely 70-80% to the trader on funded accounts (standard industry practice)
• Add-On to 100%: An optional upgrade (additional monthly or one-time fee) can increase the split to 100%, meaning traders keep all profits above the profit target

Withdrawal and Payout Terms:

• Minimum Withdrawal: Typically $500-$1,000 (standard prop firm minimums)
• Payout Frequency: AquaFunded advertises 24-hour payout processing, but this occurs after a 14-day holding period following profit realization. This means traders cannot withdraw immediately upon hitting profit targets; they must wait 14 days to ensure trade legitimacy and account stability.
• Payout Methods: Likely include bank transfer, PayPal, and cryptocurrency options given the firm's crypto trading support

Important: The 14-day holding period is a significant consideration for traders seeking quick capital access. Plan accordingly if cash flow is a priority.

Scaling Plan

AquaFunded's scaling pathway is a major attraction for growth-focused traders:

• Initial Funded Account: Upon passing a challenge, traders receive their first funded account at the challenge size ($2.5K, $10K, $25K, or $100K).
• Scaling Tiers: The firm advertises a scaling pathway to $2 million in funded capital, suggesting multiple scaling milestones (e.g., $100K → $250K → $500K → $1M → $2M).
• Scaling Requirements: Typical prop firm scaling requires:
  • Maintenance of a minimum profit threshold over a set period (e.g., $1,000-$5,000 profit per month)
  • Compliance with all trading rules (no hard breaches)
  • Optionally, payment of scaling fees (typically $99-$299 per tier increase)
• Timeline: Scaling intervals typically occur monthly or quarterly, pending review of trading performance and compliance.

Note: Exact scaling requirements and fee structures should be verified directly with AquaFunded, as these are often customized per account tier and region.

AquaFunded Rules vs Competitors

AquaFunded operates in a competitive landscape. Here's how key rules compare to two major competitors:

Rule Category	AquaFunded	FTMO	MyForexFunds
Max Drawdown	~10% trailing (estimated)	10% trailing	12% maximum
Daily Loss Limit	~5% (estimated)	5%	3.5%
Profit Target (1-Step)	8-10% (estimated)	10%	10%
Profit Split	70-100% (with add-on)	90%	80%
Payout Time	24 hrs (after 14-day hold)	1-5 business days	1-3 business days
Time Limits	No time limits	30 days (1-step)	60 days
EAs Allowed	Yes (key feature)	Limited restrictions	Yes
Base Account Cost	$19/month	€155-€395 (one-time)	$149-$399 (one-time)

Key Takeaways:

• More Lenient: AquaFunded's no-time-limit policy is significantly more lenient than FTMO (30 days) or MyForexFunds (60 days), giving slower traders unlimited runway.
• Stricter Drawdown: MyForexFunds allows 12% maximum drawdown, making it more forgiving than both FTMO (10%) and AquaFunded (10% estimated).
• Better Profit Split Potential: AquaFunded's 100% add-on beats FTMO's fixed 90% and MyForexFunds' 80%, but requires an extra fee.
• Payout Speed Trade-Off: The 14-day holding period is a disadvantage compared to FTMO and MyForexFunds, which allow withdrawals within 1-5 business days.

Red Flags and Fine Print

Traders considering AquaFunded should be aware of the following concerns:

• Trustpilot Rating Warning: AquaFunded holds a 3.2/5 rating on Trustpilot with a profile flagged for guideline breaches. This suggests possible moderation of reviews or past customer service issues. Review complaints directly before committing.
• New Firm (2023): AquaFunded was founded in 2023, making it relatively new in the prop trading industry. The firm has limited long-term track record compared to FTMO (2014) or other established players. This introduces higher risk of operational changes or firm closure.
• Challenge Fees Forfeited on Hard Breach: The rule that challenge fees are forfeited on hard breach before the 4th payout is strict. A single serious violation can result in loss of the entire challenge fee investment without potential recovery or refund.
• 14-Day Holding Period: The 14-day mandatory hold after profit realization is longer than many competitors. This locks up capital and delays withdrawals significantly.
• Limited Market Access: No stock trading and futures available only via a separate product. Traders seeking diversified market access will be restricted.
• Dubai Jurisdiction: AquaFunded is regulated in Dubai, UAE. Verify regulatory status and dispute resolution mechanisms before committing large capital. UAE financial regulation differs significantly from UK FCA or US FINRA oversight.
• Add-On Fees Not Fully Transparent: The cost of upgrading to 100% profit split (mentioned as "available as add-on") is not explicitly stated. Request detailed fee schedules before opening an account.
• Exact Scaling Requirements Unclear: While the firm advertises scaling to $2M, specific profit maintenance thresholds and scaling interval timelines are not publicly documented. This lack of transparency makes long-term planning difficult.

Recommendation: Contact AquaFunded directly to clarify challenge forfeiture rules, scaling requirements, and 100% profit split add-on costs before initiating an evaluation. Request references from funded traders if possible.

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This rules breakdown is current as of March 2027. Prop firm rules change frequently. Always verify terms directly with AquaFunded's official documentation or support team before beginning an evaluation. For a full review of AquaFunded, visit the AquaFunded review page. Compare rules with other prop firms on our prop firm comparison tool.