Profit Split
The share of your trading profits you keep — commonly 80–90% in futures prop, and the number that turns skill into income.
The profit split is the percentage of net profits that goes to you rather than the firm. In modern futures prop, splits are generously tilted toward the trader — 80/20 and 90/10 in your favor are both common, and some firms pay 100% of the first tranche of profits before the split kicks in.
Think about what that actually means. In almost no other business does the person who supplies zero capital keep 90% of the return on it. That’s the deal on the table.
Here’s the same trading month at three different splits:
| Net profit | 70/30 split | 80/20 split | 90/10 split |
|---|---|---|---|
| $2,000 | $1,400 | $1,600 | $1,800 |
| $5,000 | $3,500 | $4,000 | $4,500 |
| $10,000 | $7,000 | $8,000 | $9,000 |
Over a year at $5,000/month, the gap between a 70% and a 90% split is $12,000. Splits are worth shopping for.
Two things to check beyond the headline number:
- Is there a 100% tranche? Some firms pay you 100% of the first few thousand dollars withdrawn, then move to the split. That’s real money on your first payout.
- What’s the effective split after fees? A 90% split with a monthly data fee and an activation fee may net out below an 85% split with none. Do the arithmetic on your actual expected monthly profit, not on the marketing page.
The split only matters once you’re getting paid, which is why the rules that keep you funded — drawdown, daily loss limit, consistency — are the ones worth mastering first. Compare splits side by side in our prop firm directory.