# Which prop firms actually allow HFT?

> None of the 12 prop firms we checked allows high-frequency trading (HFT): ten ban or restrict it by name, Take Profit Trader bans all bots, and Kraken Prop takes manual orders only. Eight allow bots or EAs in some form, but within limits such as FTMO's 2,000 server requests a day.

Last verified: 2026-09-30. Page: https://romertrading.io/help/which-prop-firms-allow-hft. Published by ROMER (https://romertrading.io), a funded-trader program for algorithmic and high-frequency traders.

## How the 12 firms compare

We read each firm's rules pages and help centre on 30 September 2026 and quote the firms' exact words. "Not stated" means we found no rule on the firm's own pages.

| Firm | Bots and automation | HFT | VPS or remote servers | Hard number | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FTMO | Allowed. "Automated trading is permitted" on FTMO Futures. EAs are allowed on CFD accounts | Banned. No systems that give an unfair advantage, "including high-frequency strategies and latency arbitrage" | "The use of VPN/VPS is also generally allowed" (CFD FAQ) | An EA must not cause "more than 2,000 server requests per day" (CFD) | [Futures rules](https://ftmo.com/en/futures/forbidden-trading-practices/), [CFD rules](https://ftmo.com/en/forbidden-trading-practices/), [VPS FAQ](https://ftmo.com/en/faq/can-i-travel-or-use-vpn-vps/) |
| Topstep | Allowed in the Trading Combine and Express Funded Account, through the paid TopstepX API. Not in the Live Funded Account | Banned. Bots are allowed "subject to standard platform rules and our prohibition on highfrequency trading (HFT)" | Banned. "The use of VPS, VPNs, and remote servers is prohibited by Topstep's Terms of Use." | No fixed limit. Banned patterns are "usually hundreds or thousands of trades per day, with average durations measured in seconds, not minutes" | [API access](https://help.topstep.com/en/articles/11187768-topstepx-api-access), [Prohibited strategies](https://help.topstep.com/en/articles/10305426-prohibited-trading-strategies-at-topstep) |
| Apex Trader Funding* | Banned. "No Automation or Algorithm Usage allowed" | Banned, as manipulation of the simulated environment, "including High Frequency Trading (HFT)" | Unclear (see note) | None published | [Prohibited activities](https://apextraderfunding.com/help-center/getting-started/prohibited-activities/) |
| FundedNext | Futures: EAs and bots allowed in the Challenge and the funded account. CFDs: EAs on MT4/MT5 only, on accounts under $50,000, for an extra fee | Banned on both. "FundedNext Futures does not allow High-Frequency Trading" | Futures: allowed. CFDs: "not permitted on account sizes of $50,000 and above" | $50,000 account size limit for EAs and VPS (CFDs) | [Futures bots](https://helpfutures.fundednext.com/en/articles/14298560-is-the-usage-of-automated-trading-systems-eas-and-bots-allowed-in-fundednext-futures), [Futures HFT](https://helpfutures.fundednext.com/en/articles/15358782-does-fundednext-futures-allow-high-frequency-trading-hft), [CFD EAs](https://help.fundednext.com/en/articles/8020763-is-ea-allowed-in-fundednext), [Futures VPS](https://helpfutures.fundednext.com/en/articles/14264100-can-i-use-vpn-vps-to-trade-in-fundednext-futures), [CFD VPS](https://help.fundednext.com/en/articles/8223809-can-i-use-a-vpn-or-vps) |
| Tradeify | Allowed if you are the sole owner and don't use the bot at other firms. Tradeify says it will also require "a live video of you enabling the code on your own PC" | Banned. "Personal bots are allowed as long as they are not high-frequency trading (HFT) bots." | "You cannot log in with VPN/VPS. After logging in normally, you may use VPS for trading at your own risk." | To get a payout on a funded account, "Over 50% of your trades are longer than 10 seconds", and over 50% of profit must come from those trades | [Guidelines](https://help.tradeify.co/en/articles/10468318-guidelines-for-traders), [FAQs](https://help.tradeify.co/en/articles/12268494-common-faqs) |
| Lucid Trading | Allowed. "Automated trading systems and trade copiers are permitted" | Banned. "HFT is strictly prohibited." | Not stated | Flagged if "More than 50% of your profits are generated from trades held for 5 seconds or less" | [Other activities](https://support.lucidtrading.com/en/articles/11404728-other-trading-activities), [HFT](https://support.lucidtrading.com/en/articles/11404736-prohibited-high-frequency-trading), [Microscalping](https://support.lucidtrading.com/en/articles/11404742-prohibited-microscalping) |
| Take Profit Trader | Banned. "Automated trading systems, bots, or algorithmic execution tools are not permitted." | No separate HFT rule, because all bots are banned | Not stated | None published | [Trading policies](https://takeprofittraderhelp.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/34431153546397-TakeProfitTrader-Universal-Trading-Policies-UTP) |
| MyFundedFutures | Allowed "so long as these automated tools do not aim to exploit the favorable fills offered in the Simulated Environment" | Banned. "High-frequency Trading is not allowed on our plans." | Not stated | None published on its help pages | [Fair play rules](https://help.myfundedfutures.com/en/articles/8444599-fair-play-and-prohibited-trading-practices) |
| Alpha Futures | Banned. "The use of AI, bots, and other automated trading mechanisms is strictly prohibited across all account types." | Restricted, "particularly those resulting in over 100 trades per day" | "The use of VPS is permitted in your trading" | 100 trades a day | [Prohibited practices](https://help.alpha-futures.com/en/articles/9508585-prohibited-trading-practices) |
| The5ers | Forex and CFDs: EAs allowed if you own the source code and they don't do HFT, tick scalping or latency arbitrage. Futures: "Taking high-frequency or algorithmic actions, and hedging, are not supported." | Banned. "High-frequency trading, in which the majority of trade durations span is measured within a few seconds or less." | Not stated | Most trades lasting "a few seconds or less" | [EA FAQ](https://the5ers.com/faqs/can-i-use-an-ea-expert-advisor-can-i-set-a-stealth-mode-stop-loss/), [Futures](https://the5ers.com/futures/), [Prohibited practices](https://the5ers.com/faqs/prohibited-trading-practices/) |
| FundingPips | Third-party EAs only "as a trade or risk manager". Full automation only with your own EA and proof that you own it | Banned, along with "server spamming" and "latency arbitrage" | Banned. "Connecting to a VPN or VPS while accessing your trading account is not permitted." | None published | [Trading conduct](https://help.fundingpips.com/hc/en-us/articles/34505029138449-Trading-Conduct-and-Security-Standards) |
| Breakout (Kraken Prop) | Kraken Prop: "All orders on a Prop account are placed manually through the trading interface." Breakout's own help centre has no bot rule | Not named. Bans "Exploiting errors or latency in pricing or the platform" | VPN allowed if not used to hide your jurisdiction. VPS not stated | None published | [Kraken Prop FAQ](https://www.kraken.com/pro/prop), [Breakout rules](https://intercom.help/breakoutprop/en/articles/11644090-what-trading-practices-are-prohibited-during-the-breakout-evaluation), [VPN FAQ](https://intercom.help/breakoutprop/en/articles/11644115-can-i-use-a-vpn-while-trading-with-breakout) |

*Apex's help centre blocked our automated check on 30 September 2026. Its row shows the wording we recorded from the same page on 27 September 2026. We could not confirm Apex's VPS rule, so we have left it as unclear.

We compare [VPS, VPN and copy-trading rules](/help/prop-firms-that-allow-vps) at the same 12 firms separately.

## What counts as HFT at these firms

No two firms define HFT the same way. The5ers goes by hold time, defining HFT as trading where "the majority of trade durations span is measured within a few seconds or less". Lucid and Tradeify use hold time too, for a separate microscalping rule. Lucid flags an account when more than half its profit comes from trades held 5 seconds or less, and Tradeify withholds funded payouts unless most trades, and most profit, come from trades held longer than 10 seconds.

Other firms count trades. Alpha Futures draws the line at "over 100 trades per day". Topstep has no fixed number, but says the behaviour it bans is "usually hundreds or thousands of trades per day".

FTMO counts messages, meaning every order, change or cancel you send to its server. It treats "more than 2,000 server requests per day" as hyperactive, and its [strategy FAQ](https://ftmo.com/en/faq/which-instruments-can-i-trade-and-what-strategies-am-i-allowed-to-use/) gives the limits on its platform servers as "200 orders at a time and 2000 max positions per day".

Some rules are about speed itself. FTMO's CFD rules ban "ultra-high-speed tools", and Lucid describes HFT as trading in time frames "often measured in seconds or even milliseconds".

MyFundedFutures bans HFT but gives no trade count or hold time on its help pages. Where a firm publishes no number, its own review decides what counts.

## Where bots are allowed, and on what terms

Eight firms allow bots or EAs with limits: FTMO, Topstep, FundedNext, Tradeify, Lucid, MyFundedFutures, The5ers on forex and CFDs, and FundingPips if the EA is your own. Apex, Take Profit Trader, Alpha Futures and The5ers Futures ban automation, and Kraken Prop takes manual orders only.

The same conditions come up from firm to firm. Several want you to own the code: The5ers says "the trader must own the source code of the EA", Tradeify wants proof that you are "the sole owner of the bot or strategy", and FundingPips allows full automation only for an EA you built yourself. Topstep leaves you on your own if a bot goes wrong, and its [Trading Combine rules](https://help.topstep.com/en/articles/8284197-trading-combine-parameters) say it "won't help set up or troubleshoot automated strategies, and no exceptions are made for errant trades or malfunctions". MyFundedFutures allows automation only if it doesn't target "the favorable fills offered in the Simulated Environment".

Permission to use bots often covers only the simulated stages. Topstep says its API "is built for the simulated environment and isn't available on Live", so "automated strategies are not possible at this time in the [Live Funded Account](https://help.topstep.com/en/articles/10657969-live-funded-account-parameters)."

Most funded accounts at these firms run [on a simulator](/help/sim-funded-vs-live-funded), and the firm pays real money for simulated profits. Several firms tie their HFT and scalping rules directly to the simulator, because very fast orders can [win against a simulator](/help/why-prop-firms-ban-hft) in ways they can't in a real market.

## HFT at ROMER

ROMER is Entity Capital, LLC's funded-trader program for algorithmic and high-frequency traders, and it allows bots, algos and HFT at every stage. Your algo runs on our hardware inside the [exchange's data centre](/help/prop-firm-with-colocated-servers), within the exchange's message limits, and we monitor every order. Manipulative trading such as spoofing, where someone places orders they intend to cancel so as to mislead other traders, isn't allowed. ROMER is still in development, and a waitlist and a closed beta come first.

## Quick answers

**Does FTMO allow HFT?**
No. FTMO allows EAs and automated trading, but its futures rules ban "high-frequency strategies and latency arbitrage". On CFD accounts, an EA must not cause more than 2,000 server requests a day.

**Does Topstep allow bots?**
Yes, through the paid TopstepX API, in the Trading Combine and the Express Funded Account. The API isn't available in the Live Funded Account, and Topstep bans both HFT and the use of a VPS.

**Which prop firms ban bots completely?**
Apex, Take Profit Trader and Alpha Futures ban automated trading. The5ers doesn't support algorithmic trading on its futures program, and Kraken Prop takes manual orders only.

**Is microscalping the same as HFT?**
Not always. Lucid and Tradeify each have a microscalping rule, separate from their HFT rules, based on how long trades are held: 5 seconds at Lucid and 10 seconds at Tradeify.

**Is there a funded-trader program that allows HFT?**
None of the 12 firms we checked allows it. ROMER, a program Entity Capital, LLC is developing, is being built to allow bots, algos and HFT at every stage, though it bans manipulative trading such as spoofing.

## Sources

1. [FTMO: Forbidden trading practices (FTMO Futures)](https://ftmo.com/en/futures/forbidden-trading-practices/)
2. [FTMO: Forbidden trading practices (CFD)](https://ftmo.com/en/forbidden-trading-practices/)
3. [FTMO FAQ: Can I travel or use VPN/VPS?](https://ftmo.com/en/faq/can-i-travel-or-use-vpn-vps/)
4. [Topstep help centre: TopstepX API Access](https://help.topstep.com/en/articles/11187768-topstepx-api-access)
5. [Topstep help centre: Prohibited trading strategies at Topstep](https://help.topstep.com/en/articles/10305426-prohibited-trading-strategies-at-topstep)
6. [Apex Trader Funding help centre: Prohibited activities](https://apextraderfunding.com/help-center/getting-started/prohibited-activities/)
7. [FundedNext Futures help centre: Automated trading systems (EAs and bots)](https://helpfutures.fundednext.com/en/articles/14298560-is-the-usage-of-automated-trading-systems-eas-and-bots-allowed-in-fundednext-futures)
8. [FundedNext Futures help centre: Does FundedNext Futures allow HFT?](https://helpfutures.fundednext.com/en/articles/15358782-does-fundednext-futures-allow-high-frequency-trading-hft)
9. [FundedNext help centre: Is EA allowed in FundedNext? (CFDs)](https://help.fundednext.com/en/articles/8020763-is-ea-allowed-in-fundednext)
10. [FundedNext Futures help centre: Can I use VPN/VPS?](https://helpfutures.fundednext.com/en/articles/14264100-can-i-use-vpn-vps-to-trade-in-fundednext-futures)
11. [FundedNext help centre: Can I use a VPN or VPS? (CFDs)](https://help.fundednext.com/en/articles/8223809-can-i-use-a-vpn-or-vps)
12. [Tradeify help centre: Guidelines for traders](https://help.tradeify.co/en/articles/10468318-guidelines-for-traders)
13. [Tradeify help centre: Common FAQs](https://help.tradeify.co/en/articles/12268494-common-faqs)
14. [Lucid Trading help centre: Other trading activities](https://support.lucidtrading.com/en/articles/11404728-other-trading-activities)
15. [Lucid Trading help centre: Prohibited high frequency trading](https://support.lucidtrading.com/en/articles/11404736-prohibited-high-frequency-trading)
16. [Lucid Trading help centre: Prohibited microscalping](https://support.lucidtrading.com/en/articles/11404742-prohibited-microscalping)
17. [Take Profit Trader help centre: Universal Trading Policies](https://takeprofittraderhelp.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/34431153546397-TakeProfitTrader-Universal-Trading-Policies-UTP)
18. [MyFundedFutures help centre: Fair play and prohibited trading practices](https://help.myfundedfutures.com/en/articles/8444599-fair-play-and-prohibited-trading-practices)
19. [Alpha Futures help centre: Prohibited trading practices](https://help.alpha-futures.com/en/articles/9508585-prohibited-trading-practices)
20. [The5ers FAQ: Can I use an EA (Expert Advisor)?](https://the5ers.com/faqs/can-i-use-an-ea-expert-advisor-can-i-set-a-stealth-mode-stop-loss/)
21. [The5ers: Futures program page](https://the5ers.com/futures/)
22. [The5ers FAQ: Prohibited trading practices](https://the5ers.com/faqs/prohibited-trading-practices/)
23. [FundingPips help centre: Trading conduct and security standards](https://help.fundingpips.com/hc/en-us/articles/34505029138449-Trading-Conduct-and-Security-Standards)
24. [Kraken Prop: FAQ](https://www.kraken.com/pro/prop)
25. [Breakout help centre: Prohibited practices during the Breakout Evaluation](https://intercom.help/breakoutprop/en/articles/11644090-what-trading-practices-are-prohibited-during-the-breakout-evaluation)
26. [Breakout help centre: Can I use a VPN while trading with Breakout?](https://intercom.help/breakoutprop/en/articles/11644115-can-i-use-a-vpn-while-trading-with-breakout)
27. [FTMO FAQ: Which instruments can I trade and what strategies am I allowed to use?](https://ftmo.com/en/faq/which-instruments-can-i-trade-and-what-strategies-am-i-allowed-to-use/)
28. [Topstep help centre: Trading Combine parameters](https://help.topstep.com/en/articles/8284197-trading-combine-parameters)
29. [Topstep help centre: Live Funded Account parameters](https://help.topstep.com/en/articles/10657969-live-funded-account-parameters)