# Start a prop firm: the planning hub

> Markets, budgets, launch models, the tech stack and jurisdictions for prop firm founders, each sourced and dated, plus a launch checklist.

- Source: https://pipvalley.com/start-a-prop-firm
- Publisher: PipValley - web design studio for prop trading firms
- Updated: 2026-10-12

## Launch checklist

1. **Choose your market:** Forex/CFD, futures, crypto, stocks, a mix, or sports betting. The market decides your platform options, data costs, customers and most of the legal questions.
2. **Decide who carries payouts:** A capital-backed white label carries trader payouts for a revenue share; a licensed platform or your own stack leaves the payout risk, and the reserve, with you.
3. **Set a budget from published prices:** Platform, CRM, KYC per check, payments, company formation, legal drafting, website, marketing and a payout reserve. Model it before you sign anything.
4. **Pick the jurisdiction with a lawyer:** Where you form the company decides banking, tax and which regulator can ask questions. Most evaluation firms hold no financial licence; check what applies to yours.
5. **Form the company and open banking:** Formation takes days in most places; a bank account that accepts a prop firm takes weeks. Start both early and prepare to explain the simulated model.
6. **Sign the platform:** Choose a platform your traders know and plan a second one: MetaQuotes cut prop firms off in 2024 and cTrader stopped US prop onboarding in July 2026.
7. **Write rules and prices:** Account sizes, steps, targets, daily and max loss, minimum days, payout split and cycle. Every rule with a worked example, published before launch.
8. **Line up payments and KYC:** A high-risk card processor plus a crypto route for purchases; KYC at first payout, and the payout methods traders in your markets can actually use.
9. **Get the legal documents drafted:** Terms, risk and simulated-trading disclosures, refund, payout and privacy policies, restricted countries. A lawyer drafts; you make sure the website says the same.
10. **Build the website:** Pricing table, rules hub, payouts page, FAQ, affiliate page, legal pages and the checkout hand-off to your platform, fast on a phone and ready for search and AI answers.
11. **Plan marketing within ad rules:** Paid ads for prop firms are restricted on the big networks, so plan affiliates, creators, community and SEO from day one, with compliant copy.
12. **Soft launch, then open:** A small group first: test checkout, breaches, payouts and support end to end, fix what breaks, then open to the public.

## By market

- [How to start a forex prop firm: platforms, rules, payments.](https://pipvalley.com/start-a-prop-firm/forex.md): Start a forex prop firm in 2026: CFD platform routes with published prices, challenge models, US traders, payments, licensing and a 30-day plan.
- [How to start a futures prop firm: platforms, data, rules.](https://pipvalley.com/start-a-prop-firm/futures.md): Start a futures prop firm in 2026: Rithmic, Tradovate and Volumetrica routes, CME data fees, trailing drawdown rules, fee models, US traders and costs.
- [How to start a crypto prop firm: 24/7 rules, rails, regulation.](https://pipvalley.com/start-a-prop-firm/crypto.md): Start a crypto prop firm in 2026: exchange-priced vs CFD platforms, rules for 24/7 markets, stablecoin checkout and payouts, MiCA, VARA and costs.
- [Start a prop firm for stocks: platforms, data, rules.](https://pipvalley.com/start-a-prop-firm/stocks.md): How to start a stock prop firm in 2026: CFDs vs exchange-listed shares, equity platforms, Nasdaq data fees, the end of the PDT rule, rules and costs.
- [Start a prop firm for options trading: the hard parts first.](https://pipvalley.com/start-a-prop-firm/options.md): Why options prop firms are rare and how to build one: simulated fills, assignment, gamma risk, OPRA data fees, platforms, rules and the licensing line.
- [How to start a sports betting prop firm: model, law, stack.](https://pipvalley.com/start-a-prop-firm/sports-betting.md): Start a sports betting prop firm: the funded-bettor model, odds data, platforms, challenge rules, payments, the legal picture and launch steps. 18+.
- [Funded sports betting, explained: rules, payouts, the law.](https://pipvalley.com/start-a-prop-firm/funded-sports-betting.md): How funded sports betting accounts work: published rules, simulated picks, payouts and the legal grey zone, for operators and bettors. 18+ only.

## By budget

- [Start a prop firm with no money: what is actually possible.](https://pipvalley.com/start-a-prop-firm/with-no-money.md): You cannot launch on nothing, but a capital-backed white label cuts the cash to a setup fee and basics. Published costs, trade-offs and red flags.
- [How much money to start a prop firm: $10k, $50k and $100k budgets.](https://pipvalley.com/start-a-prop-firm/budget.md): Three itemised prop firm budgets, about $10k, $50k and $100k+, built from published vendor prices: what each buys, what it cannot, which model fits.

## By model

- [White label vs your own platform: the four ways to launch.](https://pipvalley.com/start-a-prop-firm/white-label-vs-own-platform.md): Capital-backed white label, turnkey licence, your own stack or partnering with a firm: published costs, who pays traders, control and exit for each.
- [The sports betting prop firm business model: fees, rewards, risk.](https://pipvalley.com/start-a-prop-firm/sports-betting-business-model.md): How sports betting prop firms make money: evaluation fees, resets, pass rates, reward liability, sharp bettors, the reserve and what kills them. 18+.
- [Prop firm business plan: template, model and real figures.](https://pipvalley.com/start-a-prop-firm/business-plan.md): What a prop firm business plan contains section by section, unit economics with labelled assumptions, sourced industry figures, and a free template.

## By component

- [Sports betting prop firm software: the stack, layer by layer.](https://pipvalley.com/start-a-prop-firm/sports-betting-software.md): The sports betting prop firm stack: odds APIs, pick grading, risk rules, white labels, KYC, geolocation and payments, with published prices.

## By jurisdiction

Comparison table: https://pipvalley.com/jurisdictions.md

- [Start a prop firm in Anjouan](https://pipvalley.com/jurisdictions/anjouan.md): Anjouan Offshore Finance Authority (AOFA); not recognised by the Banque Centrale des Comores; Island licence not recognised by the Union; no licence is obviously needed for simulated evaluations; real dealing needs a recognised regulator
- [Start a prop firm in Australia](https://pipvalley.com/jurisdictions/australia.md): ASIC (Australian Securities and Investments Commission); No prop-specific licence; an AFS licence (AUD 7,537 online, retail high complexity) to deal in, advise on or issue CFDs.
- [Start a prop firm in the BVI](https://pipvalley.com/jurisdictions/bvi.md): BVI FSC (Financial Services Commission); No prop-specific licence; an FSC investment business licence only if the firm deals in investments as agent or principal.
- [Start a prop firm in Canada](https://pipvalley.com/jurisdictions/canada.md): Provincial securities regulators (OSC, AMF, BCSC, ASC) via the CSA; CIRO for dealers; No prop-specific licence; provincial dealer or adviser registration if you trade or advise on securities or derivatives for clients.
- [Start a prop firm in Cyprus](https://pipvalley.com/jurisdictions/cyprus.md): CySEC (Cyprus Securities and Exchange Commission); No prop-specific licence; a CySEC CIF licence (€75k–€750k capital) only if you execute client orders, hold client money or deal against clients.
- [Start a prop firm in Dubai](https://pipvalley.com/jurisdictions/dubai.md): CMA (formerly SCA), DFSA in the DIFC, VARA for virtual assets; A free zone trade licence with a defensible activity; a CMA, DFSA or FSRA licence only if the firm brokers real trades.
- [Start a prop firm in Labuan](https://pipvalley.com/jurisdictions/labuan.md): Labuan FSA (Labuan Financial Services Authority); No prop-specific licence; a money-broking licence (digital assets optional) bars proprietary trading and targets institutional clients.
- [Start a prop firm in Mauritius](https://pipvalley.com/jurisdictions/mauritius.md): Financial Services Commission (FSC) Mauritius; No FSC rule found for simulated evaluations; an Investment Dealer licence for real dealing, brokerage or client money
- [Start a prop firm in Mwali](https://pipvalley.com/jurisdictions/mwali.md): MISA (Mwali International Services Authority); not recognised by the Comoros central bank; No prop-specific licence; MISA sells brokerage licences, but the Comoros central bank calls MISA a fictitious structure.
- [Start a prop firm in Saint Lucia](https://pipvalley.com/jurisdictions/st-lucia.md): Financial Services Regulatory Authority (FSRA); No forex licence exists (FSRA, Jan 2026); no FSRA rule found for simulated evaluations; never claim FSRA registration
- [Start a prop firm in Seychelles](https://pipvalley.com/jurisdictions/seychelles.md): Financial Services Authority (FSA) Seychelles; No FSA rule found for simulated evaluations; a Securities Dealer licence if you deal in securities or CFDs for clients or hold client money
- [Start a prop firm in South Africa](https://pipvalley.com/jurisdictions/south-africa.md): FSCA (Financial Sector Conduct Authority); No prop-specific licence; FAIS FSP licence for advice or intermediary services, ODP authorisation to issue CFDs.
- [Start a prop firm in St Vincent (SVG)](https://pipvalley.com/jurisdictions/st-vincent.md): Financial Services Authority (FSA) SVG; No forex licence exists; forex companies must show licences from where they operate (2023 rule); no FSA rule found for simulated evaluations
- [Start a prop firm in the UK](https://pipvalley.com/jurisdictions/united-kingdom.md): FCA (Financial Conduct Authority); No prop-specific FCA regime; authorisation needed to deal in CFDs or forex with real clients (Category 6 fee £11,260).
- [Start a prop firm in the US](https://pipvalley.com/jurisdictions/united-states.md): CFTC and NFA (futures, forex); SEC and FINRA (securities); No licence written for simulated evaluations; NFA introducing broker registration if you solicit or accept real futures or forex orders.
- [Start a prop firm in Vanuatu](https://pipvalley.com/jurisdictions/vanuatu.md): Vanuatu Financial Services Commission (VFSC); No VFSC rule found for simulated evaluations; a Class A financial dealer’s licence (with presence rules) if you deal for clients

## Questions

### How do I start a prop firm?

Choose a market, decide who carries trader payouts (a capital-backed white label, a licensed platform or your own stack), budget from published prices, form a company with legal advice, sign the platform, write rules and prices, set up payments, KYC and payouts, get legal documents drafted and launch a website that states all of it plainly.

### How much does it cost to start a prop firm?

Anything from a few thousand dollars on a profit-share white label to six figures for your own stack and payout reserve. Published examples (12 Oct 2026): PropSuite $2,749 setup with no monthly platform fee; Match-Trader white label from $2,500 a month; TradeLocker from $3,000 a month for up to 500 accounts.

### Do I need a licence to start a prop firm?

Many evaluation firms operate without a financial licence because traders buy simulated accounts and deposit no trading funds. That depends on your structure, where you are and where your customers are, and regulators have started asking questions. Take it to a qualified lawyer before launch; nothing here is legal advice.

### Can I start a prop firm with no money?

Only with something else to trade for capital: usually an audience, partnered with a provider that carries the technology and payouts for a revenue share. Company formation, a lawyer’s review and a website still cost money, so plan for a small cash budget.

### Where is the best place to start a prop firm?

There is no single best place. Founders weigh banking access, tax, the regulator’s stance on evaluation firms, cost and where they live. Cyprus, the UK, the US, Dubai and licence centres such as Seychelles, Mauritius, Vanuatu or the Comoros each trade these off differently; compare them on our jurisdictions page.

### Does PipValley build websites for any platform?

Yes. PipValley designs and builds the marketing website for prop firms on any platform or white label, including PropSuite, Match-Trader, TradeLocker, DXtrade, cTrader, MT5 routes and futures stacks. Sites start at $1,490 plus a monthly care plan.

Plan your launch: https://pipvalley.com/contact?src=launch-hub

_Not legal, tax or financial advice: rules differ by place and change often; speak to a qualified lawyer and tax adviser. Evaluation accounts are simulated; nothing here promises revenue, pass rates or payouts._