Scaling Plan
A scaling plan is a structured mechanism offered by some proprietary trading firms in which a funded trader's account size is increased at predefined intervals upon meeting specified performance milestones — such as consistent profitability over multiple months — allowing the trader access to progressively larger capital without undergoing a new evaluation.
Scaling plans typically trigger on consecutive months of profitability above a defined threshold — three months of 10%+ returns, four months of any positive return with no breaches, or similar criteria. The increase in account size is incremental, most commonly 25% to 50% per scaling step, with caps that vary by firm.
This page covers the mechanic; it is not trading advice.
Prop firm rules vary between firms and change frequently. Always verify specific rules directly with your firm before making any decision.
How scaling progresses a funded trader's capital
A path to trading larger amounts of capital. Meet a series of performance targets and the firm automatically increases the size of your funded account over time. The trader does not pay an additional evaluation fee at each scaling step — the existing demonstrated performance is the qualifying criterion.
Scaling plans are the firm's mechanism for retaining and rewarding consistently profitable traders. A trader who has proven multiple months of disciplined profit generation represents a lower risk to the firm than a fresh evaluation candidate, and the firm extends additional capital on that basis. The trader benefits through larger position sizes producing larger absolute dollar profits at the same percentage return.
Scaling a $100,000 account by 25% per milestone
Starting funded account: $100,000. Scaling milestone: 3 consecutive months of 10%+ net profit. Scaling step: 25% increase. Profit split: 80%.
Months 1-3: $10,000 net profit per month at 80% split = $8,000 trader payout per month. Cumulative trader payout: $24,000.
Scaling triggers at end of Month 3. Account scales to $125,000. Month 4 at 10% net profit = $12,500 simulated profit × 80% = $10,000 trader payout — a 25% increase in monthly payout at the same percentage return. Three more months of 10% returns triggers the next scaling step to $156,250.
After 12 months of consistent 10% monthly returns: account reaches $244,140 (four scaling events); Month 12 payout ~$15,625 (10% of $195,312 × 80%). Real scaling tracks vary — firms cap account sizes between $200,000 and $2,000,000 depending on the program.
Related terms
Common questions
What happens to the scaling plan if the trader has a losing month?
Most scaling plans require consecutive profitable months — a single losing month resets the counter. The funded account size does not decrease, but the qualifying streak for the next scaling step starts over from zero. Some firms allow a single break-even or modestly negative month without resetting; verify the firm's specific scaling rules.
Is there a maximum funded account size after multiple scaling cycles?
Yes. Every firm caps the maximum scaled account size, ranging from $200,000 at smaller programs to $2,000,000 or more at major firms. Once the cap is reached, no further scaling occurs but the trader continues to earn at the existing split on the scaled balance. Some firms offer alternative paths beyond the cap — separate accounts under the same trader profile, or a transition to a different program structure.