Funded account
Family XII · Other terms
Not to be confused with forex account, standard account.
Funded account is the general term for any trading account credited with real, withdrawable capital rather than simulated funds. The label distinguishes it from demo accounts, which use virtual money, and from evaluation or challenge accounts, which may show a balance but are not funded for withdrawal. What counts as funded, and the minimum deposit required, varies by broker, account type and jurisdiction.
What makes an account funded
An account is funded once the trader's own money, or money the broker has credited as real trading capital, is available for live orders. Common features include:
- Deposits made by bank transfer, card or other payment method accepted by the broker.
- Realised profits and losses that affect the withdrawable balance.
- Withdrawal rights, subject to the broker's settlement and verification rules.
Minimum funding amounts, accepted currencies and withdrawal conditions are set by the broker and vary between jurisdictions and account categories.
Worked example
The figures are illustrative; actual fees, settlement times and withdrawal limits depend on the broker and the payment method used.
Funded versus evaluation accounts
Some firms offer evaluation or challenge accounts that display a nominal balance but are not funded with real capital. Traders may pass an assessment and later receive a funded account, but until that happens the account is not funded in the sense used here. The distinction matters because simulated results do not create a withdrawable claim.
Often confused with
- forex account
- A forex account is defined by the market it trades, foreign exchange, and can be either funded or demo; the visible sign is whether the account holds real money rather than the instrument traded.
- standard account
- A standard account is a broker's default account tier, often with defined spreads and lot sizes, and is usually funded; the visible sign is the tier name in the account specification rather than the presence of real capital.