[May 2026 Edition] 7 Best Futures Prop Firms for Japanese Traders — With Coupon and Discount Codes

※ Prop firm rules and pricing change frequently. Always confirm the latest accurate information on each firm's official website. (Last updated: July 5, 2026)

⚠️ Update, September 23, 2026: the billing model and automated-trading rules have changed. MyFundedFutures (for purchases from August 25, 2026 onward) and Lucid Trading are now one-time purchases. On automated trading, Lucid Trading now allows it, Bulenox allows self-built EAs only, and Apex now bans it on every account. For the current automated-trading rules see A full review of automated-trading rules at 28 futures prop firms; for expected-value calculations see Calculating the expected value of the FTMO Futures challenge, Calculating Topstep's expected value, Calculating FundedNext Futures' expected value, Calculating MyFundedFutures' expected value, and Calculating Lucid Trading's expected value.

📢 Advertising / affiliate disclosure: This article is an informational comparison of 7 external futures prop firms. We do not currently hold affiliate links for any futures-focused firm, so this article contains no affiliate links (🎁 marks). Every link here is a plain link to the official site.

How are futures prop firms different from FX-style prop firms?

FTMO, Fintokei, Funded7, and the other firms covered on prop-memo.com are FX/CFD-style prop firms, while Apex and Topstep in this article are a completely different category dedicated to US futures (CME products). Before Japanese traders switch over, here are the three differences that matter most.

In short: "not a great fit if you want to run an FX EA — this world is mainly discretionary trading in indices, gold, and crude oil." The billing model is a mix of monthly subscriptions (Topstep etc.) and one-time purchases (Apex, Tradeify, etc. after their 2026 overhauls). For monthly-billed firms, the more confident you are about passing within 1-2 months, the cheaper it works out.

Conclusion: the 7 best futures prop firms for Japanese traders

⚠️ Coupon codes change and expire frequently. Always confirm the discount is applied on the checkout screen before you buy. The information in this article was verified as live on May 2, 2026, cross-checked against aggregator sites (PropFirmMatch / SimplyCodes / Opinatron / WorthEPenny / QuantVPS).

#1: Apex Trader Funding (the king of futures props)

A major firm that began operating in 2021, is US-headquartered, and holds one of the largest account counts and affiliate networks in the futures prop industry. Its Japanese community is active too, with an official Japan account on X (formerly Twitter): @ApexTraderJapan.

• Account sizes: $25K–$300K (7 plans)
• Evaluation format: 1-phase (Apex 4.0 removed the minimum 7-day rule)
• Profit split: 100% up to the first $25K, 90% after
• Payouts: twice a month, bank transfer available
• Products traded: CME futures (ES/NQ/CL/GC/6E, etc.)

Strengths

• Coupons routinely run around 90% off: the evaluation fee for a $50K account drops steeply with code KPQQCFDP (note: Apex 4.0 in March 2026 abolished monthly billing in favor of a one-time purchase)
• Can hold up to 10 accounts (copy trading allowed)
• The most Japanese-language information in the industry

Weaknesses (watch out)

• The 30% Rule: at payout time, you need a certain number of days where you traded at 30% or less of your position size. Many Japanese traders get kicked out without realizing this
• Support is English-only (manageable with auto-translation)
• Apex 4.0 in March 2026 brought major rule changes: switch to one-time purchase, EOD trailing DD became standard, stop-loss/bracket orders became mandatory (the platform rejects orders without them), PA activation fee $99. The old rules (MAE, 5:1 RR, minimum 7 days, etc.) were abolished. Note: the metals instruments (GC/SI, etc.) suspended in March 2026 resumed trading that same May

Recommended coupons

KPQQCFDP   → 90% off (strongest, new customers only)
SAVENOW    → 80% off (fallback)

👉 Apex Trader Funding official site

#2: Topstep (the futures prop pioneer, champion of the solo era)

Started operating in 2012, based in Chicago. The "original" name in futures props, a steady firm that emphasizes safety and educational content.

• Account sizes: $50K / $100K / $150K
• Pricing: from $165/month (40-70% off coupons are distributed frequently)
• Profit split: 90/10 (one of the best in the industry)
• Payouts: weekly (among the fastest in the industry); stack 5 profit days of $200+ for 50% of balance, or 30 days for 100%
• Platform: TopstepX mandatory (NinjaTrader/Tradovate not supported)

Strengths

• The reassurance of being the oldest name in the industry: 14 years of operating history, stable Trustpilot ratings
• 90/10 split + weekly payouts: while others pay out twice a month or once a month, weekly is the fastest payout speed around
• TopstepX (TradingView-based) is intuitive and modern

Weaknesses

• TopstepX has been mandatory since 2025: anyone previously running NinjaTrader or Tradovate has to migrate
• Activation fee of $149 (when opening the funded account)
• Monthly billing runs high (from $165): if passing takes time, total cost balloons
• Terms have kept changing through 2026: late April brought a lower payout cap on the $50K (no-activation-fee) account, June brought a $149→$199 hike on the 150K Combine's monthly fee, and so on. Always check the official site for the current price and payout terms

Recommended coupons

topstep      → 30-40% off (basic)
monday35     → 35% off (time-limited)
tradejune35  → 35% off (occasional)

👉 Topstep official site

#3: MyFundedFutures (MFFU) (a fast-growing 4.9-star newcomer)

A fast-growing newcomer with a Trustpilot rating of 4.9/5 across 16,767 reviews. Rapidly establishing itself as the third major force behind Apex and Topstep.

• Account sizes: $25K (Flex) / $50K–$150K
• Plans: Core / Rapid / Pro / Flex (relaunched in July 2025; the old Starter/Expert/Milestone plans were discontinued)
• Evaluation format: Eval → Verification → Live, 2-step
• Profit split: 80/20 (Core/Pro) / 90/10 (Rapid/Flex)
• Platform: Rithmic connectivity lets you use Tradovate/NinjaTrader/TradingView/Quantower, all of them

⚠️ A must-read before choosing MFFU: CEO Matthew Leech is also the operator behind MyFundedFX (→ SeacrestFunded), the firm that saw a wave of payout trouble in 2024-2025 (that same MyFundedFX / SeacrestFunded had disappeared as of September 10, 2026: myfundedfx.com now forwards to a notice page reading "Seacrest Markets is no longer operating," and seacrestfunded.com forwards to a parking domain). MFFU itself is well rated, but always factor in "the same management team caused trouble before" when you trade there. See the MFFU complete guide and the Prop firm scam checklist for details.

Strengths

• No activation fee: no extra charge once you pass (Apex/Topstep both have one)
• The most platform flexibility in the industry: keep using the tools you already know
• Trustpilot rating of 4.9/5 (exceptionally high for MFFU on its own)

Weaknesses

• 80/20 split: falls short of Topstep/Tradeify's 90/10 (Rapid gets you 90/10)
• 2-step structure: because of the Verification step, you don't get funded instantly
• The sister company's (MFX) history of trouble: don't put everything into one firm — diversify

Recommended coupons

SAVE40       → 40% off (general)
TRADERDIEGO  → 50% off (influencer code)
PATHWAY      → occasionally confirmed active
IMAN         → Rapid 20% / Pro 30% / Flex 50%

👉 MyFundedFutures official site

#4: Take Profit Trader (TPT) (a hidden gem with lifetime 40% off)

Less well known than Apex/Topstep, but its unique billing model — "apply a coupon and get 40% off for life" — is compelling.

• Account sizes: $25K–$150K
• Profit split: 90/10
• Platform: NinjaTrader / Tradovate / TradingView
• Distinguishing feature: no activation fee + a permanent discount

Strengths

• Code GOOD gives you permanent 40% off: a $50K account normally at $130/month drops to $78/month. Beats everyone else over the long haul
• No activation fee
• Simple rules: fewer complicated conditions like a 30% Rule or scaling requirements

Weaknesses

• Little Japanese-language information: weak English can slow you down early on
• Products traded are CME-centric, not much different from the competition

Recommended coupons

GOOD     → 40% off (permanent, strongest)
50SAVE   → 50% off (depending on timing)
NOFEE40  → 40% off

👉 Take Profit Trader official site

#5: Lucid Trading (a fast-rising dark horse with the industry's fastest 15-minute payouts)

Founded 2025, US-based, founded by AJ Campanella. A newcomer with a high Trustpilot rating of 4.8/5, growing fast on the strength of its "fastest payout speed in the industry."

• Account sizes: $25K–$150K
• Account types: LucidTest (evaluation) / LucidDirect (instant funding) / LucidPro / LucidFlex / LucidMaxx
• Evaluation format: 1-step (minimum 5 trading days)
• Profit split: 100% up to the first $10K, 90/10 after
• Products traded: CME futures (ES/NQ/CL/GC, etc.)
• Platform: Rithmic / Tradovate / NinjaTrader / Quantower
• DD method: EOD (End-of-Day) — floating losses aren't judged until the closing price

Strengths

• Average payout processing of 15 minutes: crushes Tradeify (60 minutes), TPT (same-day), and Topstep (1-3 business days) as the fastest in the industry
• Payout requests allowed every day (minimum $500, typically settles in 2 business days)
• No activation fee (on either LucidTest or LucidDirect)
• A gentler EOD drawdown: easier on the nerves than Apex's "die the instant it floats" rule
• 100% split up to the first $10K: not as generous as Apex's $25K, but more generous than Topstep/MFFU

Weaknesses

• Founded 2025 — a short track record: not yet on par with Apex/Topstep's long payout history
• LucidDirect's 20% consistency rule is strict (the price of instant funding)
• Almost no Japanese-language information: you're relying on the English-speaking community

Recommended coupons

LLCTRADES  → 50% off (strongest)
DONATO     → 50% off (valid throughout 2026)
PFD        → 50% off
LUMI       → 40% off
KINFX      → 40% off

👉 Lucid Trading official site

#6: Bulenox (a safe haven for EA and automated-trading traders)

Founded 2022 in Wilmington, USA. The go-to firm in the futures prop industry that officially states it "allows EAs, algorithms, trade copiers, and bots without limit on every account."

• Account sizes: $10K–$250K (the smallest starting size in the industry, from $10K)
• Monthly fee: $115–$535
• Profit split: 100% up to the first $10K, 90/10 after
• Payouts: processed every Wednesday
• Products traded: CME futures + crypto + FX

Strengths

• EAs, automated trading, and copy trading are all allowed: while others say "conditional" or "banned on funded accounts," this is the only firm with completely free rein
• Accounts start from $10K: enough capital to test an EA with minimal money
• Weekly (every Wednesday) payouts: matches Topstep's weekly speed

Weaknesses

• Extremely little Japanese-language information: you're relying on the English-speaking community
• Little special benefit for discretionary traders (heavily geared toward EA operators)
• A mid-tier track record founded in 2022 (not yet at the long-term level of Apex/Topstep)

Recommended coupons

3B8DG  → 45% off
Official campaign: $50 off a $50K account / $60 off a $100K account (stackable)

👉 Bulenox official site

💡 If you're running an EA, this firm effectively moves to #1: this ranking is meant for "everyone, discretionary traders included," which is why Bulenox sits at #6 here, but for anyone whose trading is centered on EAs and automated systems, Bulenox is effectively the top choice. See A deep comparison of 7 futures prop firms that allow EAs and automated trading for details.

#7: Tradeify (a newer 1-step firm with a 90% split)

A newer firm since 2024, selling itself on the flexibility to choose 1-step or 2-step. Offers a 90/10 split on par with Topstep/TPT at newcomer pricing.

• Account sizes: $25K–$150K
• Evaluation format: choose 1-step (Lightning Funded) or 2-step (Advanced)
• Profit split: 90/10
• Distinguishing feature: the 1-step "Lightning Funded" is popular with speed-focused traders

Strengths

• 1-step option available: reach funding quickly, same as Apex
• 90/10 split: better than MFFU's 80/20
• A 5-account bundle discount (5%) applies automatically

Weaknesses

• Newcomer risk: operating since 2024, with a track record not as deep as Apex/Topstep's
• Frequent changes: Tradeify 3.0 at the end of March 2026 switched every evaluation to a one-time purchase (monthly billing abolished, $0 activation), and added TradeSea (a TradingView-based platform) plus Rithmic connectivity. Watch out for older articles still describing "monthly billing" or "no Rithmic support"

Recommended coupons

LUMI    → 40% off
INVEST  → 33% off

👉 Tradeify official site

Which firm fits which trader (a usage guide)

Beginners who want to "start as cheaply as possible"

→ Apex Trader Funding (90% off with KPQQCFDP). A $50K account can start from just a few dollars. But you must read the 30% Rule first.

Intermediate traders who want "the reassurance of an established name and weekly payouts"

→ Topstep. Weekly payouts plus a 90/10 split are the best in the industry. Even with the higher monthly fee, anyone who can actually pass has plenty of room to recoup it.

Existing users who want to "fight with the NinjaTrader/Tradovate setup they already know"

→ MyFundedFutures. Rithmic connectivity gives it the widest platform choice in the industry. No activation fee is another plus.

Long-term traders who want to "use it long-term and minimize running costs"

→ Take Profit Trader. Permanent 40% off with code GOOD is unmatched elsewhere.

Traders who want "to get funded quickly with a 1-step, speed-focused approach"

→ Tradeify's Lightning Funded, or Apex's 1-phase. Compare pricing and rules between the two and pick.

Traders for whom "payout speed is everything" and want to "cash out right after passing"

→ Lucid Trading, no contest. 15-minute payouts are a level nobody else can match. Daily payout requests are another strength.

Traders who want "to run EAs and automated trading"

→ Bulenox (3B8DG) is the only real answer. It's the only firm that lets you run EAs/bots/copiers without limit even on funded accounts. MyFundedFutures (SAVE40) is the runner-up.

Things to know before you use a coupon

① With monthly billing, passing early is the biggest saving

Unlike the one-time purchase model in FX-style props, futures props bill monthly. If you pass within a month, you only pay for one month, so the key to minimizing cost is the combination of "coupon × passing early."

② Don't overlook the activation fee

Apex and Topstep charge a $130-$149 activation fee when you open your funded account after passing. MFFU and TPT don't charge this. When comparing total cost, factor in the activation fee, not just the monthly fee.

③ Payout rules vary widely by firm (especially Apex's 30% Rule)

• Apex: violating the 30% Rule (the required number of days complying with position-size limits) leads to frequent payout denials
• Topstep: you need to accumulate a certain number of profit days of $200 or more
• MFFU/Tradeify/TPT: relatively simple

It's a common story among Japanese traders to sign up without reading the rules and get kicked out, so always read the English rules PDF before buying.

④ Futures props are open to Japanese residents, but taxes are your own responsibility

Almost every firm accepts international traders (except OFAC-sanctioned countries). However, since payouts arrive as US-dollar bank transfers, having a foreign-currency-friendly account like Wise or Revolut is convenient. For tax purposes this is often treated as miscellaneous income (subject to aggregate taxation), so always file your tax return (same treatment as FX-style props).

Summary: if you're not sure, start here

• Best value × beginners → Apex (KPQQCFDP)
• Reassurance × weekly payouts → Topstep (topstep)
• Platform flexibility → MyFundedFutures (SAVE40)
• Long-term × minimizing running costs → Take Profit Trader (GOOD)
• Payout speed above all → Lucid Trading (LLCTRADES)
• EA / automated trading → Bulenox (3B8DG)
• 1-step speed → Tradeify (LUMI)

If you've already passed and been paid out at an FX-style prop firm, you can raise your pass rate at a futures prop simply by "not repeating the same mistakes." For FX-side know-how on passing, see The real numbers behind pass rates and Comparing scalping and news-trading restrictions.

And if you're looking for an FX/CFD-style prop firm, our 2026 prop firm ranking and Coupon list for all 19 firms offer comparisons focused on Japanese-language support and track record.