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Alpha Futures Prime Account: How to Qualify for Live Trading, Monthly Salary & the London Floor
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Alpha Futures Prime Account isn't another "funded account" upgrade—it's entry into Alpha Prime, a traditional proprietary trading firm in London with 30+ years institutional trading experience. Live capital. Monthly salary. Access to professional traders who've run global desks at major funds.
Most prop firms call their "path to live" just relaxed rules on the same sim account. Alpha Prime is different: real capital, real execution, real profits from actual market activity. And unlike every other firm that voids your leftover balance when you scale, Alpha Futures converts it into a 12-month guaranteed monthly salary.
Here's how to qualify, what happens when you do, how the salary works, and why Prime's 60% split + salary beats competitors' "90% profit share" models.
Quick heads-up: This article is based on my real experience with Alpha Futures and the info available when I published/updated this. Things change in prop trading — rules, payouts, promos, all of it.
For the absolute latest, check Alpha Futures's website or their help center.
What Is the Alpha Futures Prime Account?
The Prime Account bridges Alpha Futures to Alpha Prime—a traditional prop trading company operating from a physical trading floor in the City of London. Led by James Johnson (30+ years managing institutional trading desks), Alpha Prime operates like classic proprietary firms operated before the sim prop explosion.
When you qualify, three things happen:
- Your sim accounts close; 50% of profit paid immediately at your split (70%-90%)
- You contribute $5,000, Alpha contributes $5,000 = $10,000 live account
- Leftover balance converts to 12-month monthly salary
This is transitioning from simulated to traditional institutional prop trading.
How to Qualify: $40K or 5 Payouts
You qualify when you hit either threshold on funded account(s):
Threshold 1: Account balance reaches +$40,000 above starting balance.
Threshold 2: Complete 5 successful payouts from one account (amounts don't matter—$200 minimum counts same as $15,000 maximum).
Alpha can call you up earlier if they identify exceptional consistency before you hit these marks.
Once you trigger qualification, Alpha contacts you directly. You don't apply—they promote you.
Standard accounts (bi-weekly payouts) hit 5 payouts in roughly 10 weeks. Advanced accounts (weekly payouts after 5 winning days) can hit 5 payouts in as little as 5-6 weeks if you withdraw weekly.
The fastest path: Advanced account, weekly withdrawals, 5 payouts in 6 weeks = Prime qualification in under 2 months.
What Happens to Your Balance: The 50/50 Partnership
When you qualify with $50,000 profit, here's the breakdown:
Step 1: 50% paid immediately ($25,000). At 90% split, you receive $22,500.
Step 2: You contribute $5,000 risk capital, Alpha contributes $5,000 = $10,000 live account. True 50/50 partnership. Other firms use 100% of your balance—you assume all risk, they contribute nothing.
Step 3: Remaining $20,000 becomes monthly salary. $1,666/month for 12 months while you're an active Alpha Prime trader.
Total from $50K profit: $22,500 immediate + $20,000 salary + ongoing live income. You retain $47,500 of your $50K profit plus live trading upside.
Other firms void that remaining $25,000 or use it 100% to fund your account with zero firm contribution.
Alpha Prime Live Account Rules & Benefits
Your $10,000 Alpha Prime live account operates under different rules than your funded sim account.
Live Account Structure
Starting Balance: $10,000 static (non-trailing) drawdown
Daily Loss Limit: 30% of account balance (starts at $3,000, scales as you grow)
Leverage: 10:1 maximum position sizing
Profit Split: 60% to you + monthly salary
Payout Frequency: Weekly (if profitable that week)
Consistency Rule: None (40% rule removed)
News Trading: No restrictions (2-minute buffer removed)
Trading Hours: All positions closed by 4:59pm EST (overnight margin requirements)
The DLL scales identically to Advanced accounts. A $13,000 account gets a $3,900 DLL (30% of balance). This isn't an account breach—it's a pause until next trading day.
Why 60% + Salary Beats Competitors' 90% Split
Most prop firms advertising "90% profit splits" on live accounts cap withdrawals at 50% of profit. Your effective take: 45% (50% × 90% = 45%).
Competitor model: $10,000 profit = $4,500 to you (50% withdrawal limit at 90% split)
Alpha Prime model: $10,000 profit = $6,000 to you (60% split, uncapped withdrawals) + $1,666 monthly salary
You're earning 33% more per dollar of profit ($6,000 vs $4,500), plus guaranteed salary regardless of trading performance that week.
Over 12 months at $10,000 monthly profit:
- Competitor: $54,000 total ($4,500 × 12)
- Alpha Prime: $92,000 total ($6,000 × 12 + $1,666 × 12)
Alpha Prime pays $38,000 more annually on identical trading performance.
What You Get as an Alpha Prime Trader
Weekly Strategy Calls: Video meetings with Alpha Prime's risk team. Strategy development, market analysis, risk coaching with traders who've managed institutional capital for 30+ years.
London Trading Floor: Top performers can relocate to Alpha Prime's City of London office. Trade alongside professionals in a physical floor environment.
Institutional Tools: Direct market access, professional charting, real-time data feeds, in-house quant analysts for 5-year strategy backtesting.
Scaling: Consistent performance leads to increased salary and capital allocation. Excel and get promoted within Alpha Prime's tier system.
No Forced Trading: Trade when opportunities exist, not to meet arbitrary targets. Alpha monitors for reckless behavior/salary farming, but professionals aren't required to trade daily.
Monthly Salary Calculation Examples
Your monthly salary depends on leftover balance after the 50% payout and $5,000 live account contribution.
Example 1: Standard Account, 5 Payouts, $15K Profit
You qualify via 5 payouts with $15,000 total profit at 90% split tier.
- 50% immediate payout: $7,500 × 90% = $6,750 to you
- Live account contribution: $5,000 (you) + $5,000 (Alpha) = $10,000 account
- Remaining balance: $7,500 - $5,000 = $2,500
- Monthly salary: $2,500 ÷ 12 = $208.33/month
Total value: $6,750 immediate + $2,500 salary over 12 months + live trading income = $9,250 guaranteed + upside.
Example 2: Advanced Account, $40K Profit Threshold
You hit $40,000 profit at 90% split.
- 50% immediate payout: $20,000 × 90% = $18,000 to you
- Live account contribution: $5,000 (you) + $5,000 (Alpha) = $10,000 account
- Remaining balance: $20,000 - $5,000 = $15,000
- Monthly salary: $15,000 ÷ 12 = $1,250/month
Total value: $18,000 immediate + $15,000 salary over 12 months + live trading income = $33,000 guaranteed + upside.
Example 3: Multiple Accounts, Combined $80K Profit
You qualify with two accounts totaling $80,000 profit at 90%.
- 50% immediate payout: $40,000 × 90% = $36,000 to you
- Live account contribution: $5,000 (you) + $5,000 (Alpha) = $10,000 account
- Remaining balance: $40,000 - $5,000 = $35,000
- Monthly salary: $35,000 ÷ 12 = $2,916.67/month
Total value: $36,000 immediate + $35,000 salary + live trading income = $71,000 guaranteed over 12 months + weekly profit splits at 60%.
The higher your sim account profit before promotion, the larger your guaranteed monthly salary at Alpha Prime.
Who Should Target Alpha Prime?
Ideal for: Traders staying funded 6+ months (salary pays over 12 months). Consistently profitable but not yet hitting $10K+ monthly. Want legitimate traditional prop experience. Trade without consistency/news restrictions.
Not optimal for: Traders focused purely on maximum split percentage (60% is lower than advertised 90% competitors, but total compensation exceeds them). Can't commit to closing positions by 4:59pm EST. Expecting to collect salary without genuine trading activity.
Positioning for Prime Qualification
Payout Count (Fastest): Advanced account, weekly withdrawals, 5 payouts in 5-6 weeks.
Profit Threshold (Highest Salary): Standard account, compound toward $40K over 3-6 months. Larger profit = larger monthly salary.
Multiple Accounts (Balanced): Run 2-3 accounts. Some hit 5-payout threshold, others compound toward $40K.
Choose based on trading style, capital, timeline. Conservative traders with limited capital target payout count via Standard. Aggressive traders with proven systems compound via Advanced toward $40K.
The Bottom Line
Alpha Prime is the only "path to live" offering true traditional prop trading: 30+ years institutional experience, guaranteed monthly salary from leftover balance, 50/50 risk partnership, and London trading floor access.
Most firms market "live accounts" that are still sim trading with relaxed rules. Alpha Prime is actual live execution with real capital.
If you're serious about trading as a career, Alpha Prime is the path. Testing prop trading or staying funded <6 months? Stick with Standard/Advanced and extract maximum payouts.
Next Steps
👉 Start Trading at Alpha Futures Today
