Our editorial team compared every key metric — fees, rules, profit split, payouts — so you can pick the right firm.
| Feature | Darwinex Zero | Seacrest Funded |
|---|---|---|
| Payout | ||
| Profit Split | 15% performance fee | 80% (90% with add-on) |
| First Payout | — | 5 |
| Payout Frequency | Monthly (DarwinIA cycle) | Every 5 days |
| Max Account Size | €500,000 | $100,000 |
Winner: Seacrest Funded
In this independent head-to-head comparison of Darwinex Zero vs Seacrest Funded, we break down challenge rules, pricing, profit splits, and payout conditions to help you decide which prop firm is the better fit for your trading style.
Darwinex Zero: FCA-Regulated. Real Investor Capital. €622M AUM.
Seacrest Funded: Payouts Every 5 Days. $10M+ Paid in 2024. No Style Restrictions. Est. 2022.
Based on our independent scoring methodology, Seacrest Funded scores 8.6/10 overall — but the best choice depends on your specific needs. Read the full comparison below.
BestProp Score: Darwinex Zero scores 8/10 vs Seacrest Funded at 8.6/10.
Minimum Fee: Darwinex Zero starts from €45/month; Seacrest Funded starts from $50. Darwinex Zero is cheaper at entry level.
Profit Split: Darwinex Zero offers 15% performance fee; Seacrest Funded offers 80% (90% with add-on). Seacrest Funded has the higher split.
Platforms: Darwinex Zero supports MetaTrader 4, MetaTrader 5; Seacrest Funded is on MT5, Match Trader.
Tradeable Markets: Darwinex Zero covers Forex, Indices, Stocks, Commodities (1,500+ markets); Seacrest Funded offers Forex, Metals, Energy, Indices, Crypto, Commodities.
Challenge fees are typically the biggest factor when choosing a prop firm. Here is how Darwinex Zero and Seacrest Funded compare on pricing.
Darwinex Zero challenge fees start from €45/month. The firm has operated since 2012. They have funded over 10,000+ traders.
Seacrest Funded challenge fees start from $50. The firm has operated since 2022. They have funded over 80,000+ traders. Total payouts to date: $10,000,000+.
On entry-level pricing, Darwinex Zero offers a lower starting fee — an important factor if you are testing with a smaller account first.
Darwinex Zero profit split: 15% performance fee. Seacrest Funded profit split: 80% (90% with add-on). Seacrest Funded delivers the higher cut to traders.
Payout frequency: Darwinex Zero pays Monthly (DarwinIA cycle); Seacrest Funded pays Every 5 days. Faster payouts are better for cash flow management.
Here is our full independent review of Darwinex Zero:
Darwinex Zero is not a traditional prop firm — and understanding that distinction upfront matters. The parent company, Tradeslide Trading Tech Ltd (trading as Darwinex), was founded in 2012 and is fully regulated by the UK’s Financial Conduct Authority (FRN 586466), headquartered at Fitzroy Square, London. CEO Juan Colón leads one of the few prop-adjacent platforms that operates under genuine regulatory oversight rather than the unregulated offshore structures used by most funded trading firms.
The model is subscription-based: traders pay €45/month for access to a virtual trading account, build a verified performance track record via the proprietary DARWIN system, and compete monthly in DarwinIA — an allocation programme where real institutional and retail investors deploy capital to top-performing DARWINs. Traders earn 15% of the profits generated on investor-allocated capital. With $622M+ in assets under management and 10,000+ active traders, the platform has real investment depth behind it.
Most prop firms work like this: pay a challenge fee → pass an evaluation → receive a funded demo account → keep 80–100% of simulated profits. Darwinex Zero works differently:
The result: no binary pass/fail, no account blow-up leading to re-purchase, and no firm controlling whether your withdrawal is approved. Your earnings come from actual investors, not from a simulated trading firm.
Darwinex Zero suits traders who think in terms of years, not months. If your goal is to attract £500K+ in real investor capital and build an asset management career, this is a legitimate pathway. The FCA-regulated environment, verified track records, and institutional investor access are not available through any other prop firm we have reviewed.
It is not suited to traders who want fast funded accounts, high profit splits (80–100%), or guaranteed capital regardless of recent performance. The 15% fee structure means you need to attract and manage substantial investor capital to generate income comparable to a traditional prop firm’s 80% split on a $100K account.
Platforms: MetaTrader 4 and MetaTrader 5. Instruments: up to 1,500 markets including forex, indices, stocks, and commodities. No crypto instruments at time of writing.
There are no standard prop firm rules (no daily drawdown limits, no consistency rules in the traditional sense). Instead, the DARWIN system automatically risk-adjusts your strategy’s allocation based on its VaR (Value at Risk) — protecting investors from overexposed positions.
Darwinex Zero earns a 6.8 BestProp score. The FCA regulation is the strongest credential of any platform in our database — a genuine differentiator in an industry dominated by offshore, unregulated entities. The $622M AUM and real investor capital base are verifiable in a way that sim-funded prop firm payouts often are not.
The trade-offs are significant for typical prop traders: 15% performance fees versus the industry’s 80–100% splits, no guaranteed capital allocation (you must earn it through performance), and a monthly recurring subscription rather than a one-time challenge. The customer rating of 3.0/5 reflects frustration from traders who join expecting a traditional prop experience and find a fundamentally different model. Darwinex Zero is best evaluated on its own terms — as a regulated path to real asset management, not as a prop firm alternative.
Here is our full independent review of Seacrest Funded:
Seacrest Funded (formerly My Funded FX, rebranded 2022) was founded in June 2022 and is headquartered in Hong Kong. CEO Matthew Leech leads the platform, which has grown to 80,000+ active traders across 190+ countries. The firm has distributed $10M+ in payouts during 2024 alone, with a record single payout of $74,000+. Trustpilot: 4.3/5 from over 2,700 reviews – a strong combination of volume and score for a firm its age.
Two evaluation tracks are available: a 1-Step and a 2-Step. Maximum combined allocation reaches $400,000, with a scaling path to $1,000,000. Payouts are available every 5 days – among the most frequent payout cycles in the prop firm industry.
1-Step Challenge: A single evaluation phase requiring a 10% net profit target. Daily drawdown: 4%. Maximum drawdown: 6% (trailing – locks at starting balance once account enters profit). Once in the Live Simulated Trader phase (funded), no profit target applies – only risk management rules are enforced. Minimum payout: $65.
Fees: $5K: $50 | $10K: $100 | $25K: $200 | $50K: $300 | $100K: $500
2-Step Challenge: Phase 1: 8% net profit target. Phase 2: 5% net profit target. Daily drawdown: 5%. Maximum drawdown: 8%. More forgiving drawdown rules in exchange for a two-phase path.
No time limit on either track. Inactivity rules apply (confirm with support). No restrictions on trading style.
Platforms: MetaTrader 5, Match Trader. Instruments: Forex, Metals, Energy, Indices, Cryptocurrencies, Other Commodities. Broad instrument coverage with no asset class restrictions noted.
Seacrest Funded earns a 7.5 BestProp score. Three years of operation, $10M+ in 2024 payouts, 4.3/5 Trustpilot from 2,700+ reviews, and a payout cycle of every 5 days (among the most frequent available anywhere) make Seacrest a credible and trader-friendly option. Competitive fees starting at $50 for a $5,000 account, no style restrictions, and a generous 6% trailing drawdown that locks at starting balance on the 1-Step track are further positives.
The main limitations: the 80% base profit split requires a paid add-on to reach 90%, there is no published EA or hedging policy (confirm before using automated strategies), and the maximum base allocation of $400K is lower than several competitors. The Hong Kong headquarters and lack of explicit regulatory details are worth noting for traders who prioritise jurisdictional transparency. Overall one of the more consistently reviewed mid-tier prop firms on the market.
Overall, our independent scoring gives Seacrest Funded the edge in this 2026 comparison. However, both firms have their merits. If Darwinex Zero better matches your specific trading style, instruments, or preferred platform, it may still be the right choice for you.
Use our comparison table above and review the challenge fees at both firms before making your final decision. Both offer risk-free evaluation programs — the challenge fee is the only money at risk.
Based on our independent scoring, Seacrest Funded scores higher overall (8.6/10). The best choice depends on your trading style, preferred instruments, and account size.
Darwinex Zero offers a lower entry-level challenge fee. However, always compare the full account sizes you plan to trade before deciding purely on price.
Seacrest Funded offers the higher profit split. Darwinex Zero: 15% performance fee. Seacrest Funded: 80% (90% with add-on).
EA policies: Darwinex Zero — check the review. Seacrest Funded — check the review. Always verify the latest policy directly with the firm.
News trading: Darwinex Zero — check the review. Seacrest Funded — check the review.
Read the full Darwinex Zero review → · Read the full Seacrest Funded review →
Based on our scoring methodology, Seacrest Funded edges ahead in this comparison. However, the best choice depends on your trading style, preferred platform and account size. Read the full breakdown above for a detailed verdict.
Darwinex Zero offers 15% performance fee profit split, while Seacrest Funded offers 80% (90% with add-on) profit split. Check each firm's current terms as these can change.
Check our offers page for the latest verified deals on both firms.
Darwinex Zero processes first payouts in a variable timeframe, while Seacrest Funded takes approximately 5 day(s). Always verify current payout timelines on the firm's website.
Neither Darwinex Zero nor Seacrest Funded are regulated in the traditional financial sense — prop firms operate as private companies providing traders access to simulated or real capital. Always read the terms and conditions carefully before participating in any prop challenge.
