Upcomers Review 2026– Prop Firm Features, Rules & Payout Explained

Upcomers Review 2026: 99% Profit Split, But Can You Actually Get Paid?

You've seen the ads. Up to 99% profit split. On-demand payouts. No restrictions on news trading. Instant funding options that sound too good to be true.

And maybe you're wondering what's the catch.

I've spent the last few weeks digging through every piece of data on Upcomers: the challenge rules, the drawdown systems, the payout structure, and over 500 trader reviews across Trustpilot and The Trusted Prop. Some of it looks great on paper. Other parts should make you pause.

Here's what I found. 

Who Actually Runs Upcomers?

The firm operates under ROYAL FLOW - FZCO, registered in Dubai Silicon Oasis with number 35886. That puts it in the Dubai free zone, same as a lot of other prop firms launching right now. Free zone registration is common, but it also means regulatory oversight is lighter than what you'd get from a UK FCA or Cyprus CySEC license. 

The CEO is Jakub Zeliska, and you can find his LinkedIn profile publicly. The firm has been operating since August 2024. That's not very long in prop firm terms. Some traders see that as a red flag. Others point to how fast they've grown and the fact they're still paying out. 

Headquarters: UG-01 Building A1, IFZA Business Park DDP, Dubai Silicon Oasis, Dubai, UAE.

Support: [email protected]

The Account Types: Too Many Options or Just Right?

Upcomers offers what might be the widest range of challenge models in the prop industry right now. We're talking about 15+ distinct account types across evaluation, instant funding, and breakout models.

Let me break them down. 

Evaluation Models

Half-Step (ASH Classic & Turbo) – This is their low-barrier entry. You need just 2% profit target. The ASH Classic has no time limit. The Turbo version gives you 30 days max with 7 trading days.

Pricing for ASH Classic starts at $219 for a $5,000 account (after discount). Profit split goes up to 99%. The drawdown is dynamic during the challenge, meaning it trails your highest equity. That's different from the fixed drawdown most firms use. 

Thunderbolt (1-Step Classic, Turbo, Legacy) – Single-phase evaluation. Classic needs 6% profit target with unlimited time. Turbo needs 4% with 7-day limit. Legacy uses a static 5% drawdown system, which some traders prefer because it doesn't tighten as equity grows.

Pricing: The $5,000 Thunderbolt Classic runs $159. The $100,000 is $1,159. These are after the 90% discount with code TRUSTED. 

Phoenix (2-Step Classic & Legacy) – Classic needs 3% in phase 1, 5% in phase 2. No minimum trading days, unlimited time. The Legacy version uses 8% + 5% targets with static drawdown.

Astral (3-Step Classic & Legacy) – Targets: 3% / 3% / 4% for Classic. Unlimited time. Pricing from $279 for $25,000.

Obsidian (4-Step Classic) – Targets: 2% / 2% / 3% / 3%. Static drawdown in challenge, dynamic in funded phase. Priced at $439 for $50,000.

Eon (5-Step Classic) – Each phase: 2%. Static in challenge, Dynamic Risk Shield in funded. $516 for $100,000. 

Instant Funding Models

Vanguard – No evaluation. Start trading immediately. But there are payout conditions: 6 profitable trading days with at least 0.5% profit each. Dynamic drawdown at 5% overall, 3% daily.

Oracle – Also instant. Tighter rules: 1% max single trade loss. Requires 7 minimum trading days with 0.5% daily profit. Drawdown: 4% total, 2.5% daily.

Supernova – 24-hour trading window. 3% profit target. One-time payout. Best Trade Rule at 15% cap. Minimum 7 trades required. $156 for $5,000.

Hypernova – 4-hour trading window. 2% profit target. Instant processing after session. $156 for $5,000. 

Breakout Models

Control – $10,000 fixed reward, not a funded account. Three phases on a simulated $1,000,000 account. Requires minimum trading days per phase (3, 5, 10). Tight drawdowns. $660 entry.

Rebirth – $100,000 fixed reward distributed as $10,000 upfront, then monthly over 12 months. Three phases on $1,000,000 simulated. $3,960 entry. 

That's a lot. For most traders, the real choice comes down to: how much evaluation do you want to go through, and what kind of drawdown can you handle?

The Drawdown System That Confuses Everyone

This is where Upcomers gets complicated.

They use two drawdown systems across different account types, and knowing the difference is the difference between passing and blowing your account. 

Static Drawdown – Fixed loss limit based on your starting balance. Does not change with profits. You know exactly where you stand. Used in Legacy models and some Classic challenges.

Example: On a $100,000 Phoenix Legacy account with 5% max drawdown, your loss limit is $5,000. No matter what happens with equity, that number stays.

Dynamic Risk Shield (Trailing Drawdown) – Follows your highest equity. Moves up as profits increase. Never moves down. Locks at breakeven after roughly 6% profit.

This is the system used in most Classic models and all funded phases.

Here's how it works in practice. On a $100,000 ASH Classic account in funded phase, the Dynamic Risk Shield starts at 4% below your initial balance ($4,000). If your equity rises to $105,000, the drawdown trail moves to $101,000. If it hits $110,000, the trail moves to $106,000. Once your equity reaches $106,000 (6% profit), the drawdown locks at $100,000, giving you a static floor.

The problem? Withdrawals affect your buffer. If you take profits before the drawdown locks, you're reducing your safety margin. Take too much and you can breach even with positive equity. 

Withdrawal Impact: Before lock, drawdown stays tied to highest equity. Withdrawing reduces your buffer. After lock (6% growth), drawdown stays at initial balance. Full withdrawal can instantly breach the account.

Traders who don't understand this system tend to blow their funded accounts within the first few weeks.

Trading Rules: Strictly Manual Only

Upcomers is a manual trading firm. Period. 

Here's what's banned:

• Expert Advisors (EAs)

• Trading bots

• Copy trading (unless accounts belong to the same person)

• High-frequency trading (HFT)

• Tick scalping (trades under 2 minutes)

• Grid trading

• Martingale

• Hedging (including group hedging)

• Arbitrage/latency exploitation

And here's what's allowed:

• News trading (fully, no restrictions)

• Weekend holding

• Overnight positions

• Copy trading between your own Upcomers accounts

The tick scalping rule is strict. If your average holding time drops below 2 minutes, you'll likely get flagged. That caught a lot of traders off guard, especially on the Supernova and Hypernova models where fast execution is almost built into the product design. 

The All or Nothing rule is another one to watch. You can't pass a phase with a single trade or very few oversized positions. The system looks for reasonable trade distribution.

Account inactivity: If you don't trade for 35 consecutive days, your account is automatically closed.

Payouts: Fast Processing, But Watch the Fees

Upcomers processes payouts on-demand. That's faster than most firms. Some traders report approval within hours, crypto payments arriving almost immediately. 

Payout methods: Crypto (Confirmo), Bank Transfer, PayPal, Revolut, Wise.

Payout requirements:

• KYC completed

• Trader agreement signed

• All open positions closed

• Best Day Rule satisfied

• Minimum 1% profit on account

• Minimum $100 profit

The crypto fee problem: Up to 10% on crypto withdrawals. That's high. If you're withdrawing $1,000, you lose up to $100 to fees. Bank transfers have a flat fee plus a percentage based on region and amount.

The payout cap system: Instant funding accounts (Vanguard, Oracle) have a tiered payout cap system that escalates over 7 payouts:

• 1st payout: $500 (on $50K)

• 2nd: $1,000

• 3rd: $1,500

• 4th: $2,000

• 5th: $2,500

• 6th: $3,125

• 7th: $3,750

• 8th+: Unlimited

Excess profit beyond the cap sits as a balance buffer. It protects you from drawdown breaches but isn't withdrawable until you reach the next tier.

This creates a situation where traders can earn $4,000 in profit, withdraw only $500, and have the remaining $3,500 stuck as protection buffer. 

Pros and Cons of Trading with Upcomers

What Works

Industry-leading profit split. 99% from the start. That's real. Most firms cap at 80-90% with tiered increases. Upcomers gives you the full split from your first payout.

Massive account variety. Half-step, 1-step, 2-step, all the way to 5-step. Plus instant funding and breakout models. You can pick a structure that matches your trading style rather than forcing your style into their box.

No news trading restrictions. You can trade during high-impact news. You can hold over weekends. You can keep positions overnight. That flexibility is rare among prop firms that still ban news trading.

On-demand payouts. Not fixed cycles. You request when you're ready. Processing is fast when it works.

15% challenge profit bonus. After reaching funded scaling milestones, you get an additional 15% share from the profits you made during the challenge phase. That's extra money most firms don't offer.

Refundable fees after third payout. If you reach consistent payouts, your challenge fee comes back to you.

Active Discord community. The support team is responsive, and there's an engaged trader community running events, competitions, and sharing insights.

Competitive pricing with discounts. The TRUSTED code gives 90% off all challenges. That brings a $5,000 ASH Classic down to around $21.90.

What Needs Caution

No automation allowed. EAs, bots, copy trading, HFT are all banned. If you rely on any form of automation, this firm is not for you.

Drawdown system complexity. The Dynamic Risk Shield confuses a lot of traders. The trailing mechanism + withdrawal impact creates scenarios where you can breach even while profitable.

Best Day Rule (15-30%). Your best trading day can't exceed 15-30% of total profits (varies by account type). This delays payouts if profits are concentrated in single days. On instant funding accounts, the rule is 20% with qualifying requirements for 0.5% daily profit across multiple days.

Payout caps on instant funding. The tiered system limits early withdrawals significantly. Made $4,000 on a $50K Vanguard? You can only take $500 on your first payout.

High crypto withdrawal fees. 10% eats into profits noticeably.

Account inactivity rule. 35 days without a trade and your account is closed. That's shorter than most firms.

Subjective compliance reviews. Multiple Trustpilot reviews (rated 1 star) describe payout denials based on "one-sided betting," "gambling behavior," or "tick scalping" interpretations that weren't clearly defined beforehand. 

What Traders Are Saying: The Mixed Picture

Upcomers has a Trustpilot score of 4.1 from 446 reviews. The Trusted Prop rating is 4.7 from 112 reviews. Those numbers look good, but the content tells a more complicated story. 

The Positive Experiences

Traders who follow the rules and understand the drawdown system tend to report smooth payouts.

"I've received 3 payouts with them and going well." – TTP review 

"After passing, they reinstated my account and the profits. Most firms wouldn't do that." – Trustpilot 

"Best prop firm for prices, fast payouts, and the best dashboard in the industry." – TTP review 

"The support team responds quickly. John and Arjun solved my technical issue immediately." – TTP review 

The common thread: traders who read the rules, manage risk tightly, and understand the drawdown mechanics seem to get paid.

The Red Flags

But there's a persistent pattern in the 1-star reviews that deserves attention.

"I passed the 2-step challenge in a day, made $3,900 profit in 7 days on the live account. They rejected my payout and offered me $249." – Trustpilot 

"They rejected my payout because 14 out of 16 trades were long positions. The market was clearly trending up." – Trustpilot 

"They refused to disclose their HFT definition. Said it was proprietary secrets." – Trustpilot 

"After I posted my review, they contacted me multiple times to remove it in exchange for a replacement account or compensation." – Trustpilot 

These complaints cluster around three issues:

1. Subjective rule interpretation. "One-sided betting" when markets are trending. "Tick scalping" when trades close under 2 minutes due to market spikes, not strategy.

2. Compliance reviews applied post-profit. Some traders report passing challenge phases without issue, then facing compliance rejections only when requesting payout.

3. Review management practices. Multiple accounts of being offered compensation to remove negative reviews. That's common in the industry but worth noting.

The User Sentiment Breakdown

TTP Reviews (112 reviews, 4.7 rating): Most reviews are positive, mentioning good support, fast payouts, and fair rules. About 8 reviews express frustration, mostly around payout denials or rule interpretations.

Trustpilot (446 reviews, 4.1 rating): Of the total:

• 5-star: 311 reviews (69.7%)

• 4-star: 39 reviews (8.7%)

• 3-star: 21 reviews (4.7%)

• 2-star: 7 reviews (1.6%)

• 1-star: 68 reviews (15.2%)

That 15% one-star rate is higher than top-tier firms like FTMO (around 5-8%). The 1-star reviews consistently mention the same issues: hidden rules, payout rejections, and vague compliance reasons. 

Upcomers vs Other Prop Firms

Upcomers positions itself on the more flexible end of the spectrum. But that flexibility comes with strings.

Compared to FTMO: FTMO has a simpler structure. 2-step evaluation, fixed drawdowns, clear payout cycles. But lower profit split (80-90%) and stricter news trading rules. Upcomers offers higher profit potential but demands more rule awareness.

Compared to Funding Pips: Similar profit splits (up to 90%), but Funding Pips has more consistent positive Trustpilot reception. Upcomers has wider account variety and allows news trading, which Funding Pips restricts on funded accounts.

Compared to The5ers: The5ers focuses on scaling models. Upcomers offers more immediate payout options. But The5ers has been around longer and has more verified payout history.

The key difference: Upcomers gives you more freedom to trade, but that freedom is protected by a complex risk management system that punishes mistakes harshly.

The Truth About Upcomers: Our Verdict

Here's where I land after going through all of this.

Upcomers is a high-reward, high-responsibility prop firm. It's built for manual traders who can manage trailing drawdowns, understand consistency rules, and trade with discipline. If you're that type of trader, the 99% profit split and flexible conditions make it one of the most rewarding options available right now.

But if you:

• Rely on EAs or automation

• Take large directional bets

• Don't read the fine print on drawdown mechanics

• Expect every payout to go through without compliance review

Then Upcomers will frustrate you.

The firm is transparent about its rules if you dig deep enough. But the best day rule, the payout caps on instant funding, and the subjective behavioral reviews have caught traders off guard repeatedly.

For beginners: This is not a beginner-friendly firm unless you have strong risk management already. Start with the ASH Classic half-step challenge. The 2% target is achievable, and the lower stakes let you learn their system without risking too much.

For experienced traders: The Thunderbolt Classic or Phoenix models give you real flexibility. If you can maintain consistency and understand the drawdown lock mechanism, the 99% split is genuinely unmatched.

For automated traders: Skip this entirely. Upcomers is not for you.

Final Numbers

• TTP Score: 9.0/10 

• TTP Rating: 4.7/5 from 112 reviews 

• Trustpilot: 4.1/5 from 446 reviews 

• Profit Split: Up to 99%

• Max Account Size: $1,500,000

• Max Scaling: $4,000,000

Risk Reminder

Trading challenges involve risk. Most traders do not pass evaluations. Always read the firm's latest rules before purchasing.

Current offer: Use code TRUSTED for 90% OFF + BOGO upon payout on all Upcomers accounts.

Data collected from Upcomers official website, Trustpilot, and The Trusted Prop as of 2026. Firm rules can change. Confirm on the firm's official website before purchasing.