Trader Success Spotlight: Three Funded Traders. Their 7 figure Everest.

The Reality Behind Prop Trading’s Biggest Success Stories in 2025

It’s the dream of almost every aspiring prop trader: turn a few hundred dollars into a life-changing income stream. But for traders Paul (FTMO), Zaki (Quant Tekel), and Ahmad (The Concept Trading), this isn’t just a dream—it’s their reality. Together, these three funded traders have withdrawn over $800,000 in profits and managed more than $2.5 million in combined capital.

What truly separates these success stories from the thousands who fail each month? We’ve unpacked their journeys to reveal the strategies, mindsets, and critical lessons you can apply to your own trading path.

Paul – FTMO | $500,000+ Withdrawn from a $1,916 Start

Paul’s story exemplifies how consistency, preparation, and long-term thinking pay off in funded trading. These $200k evaluations cost a little less than $2,000 with FTMO and went on to withdraw over half a million dollars from a single account, plus $192,000 from another.

Trading Background & Strategy

Paul’s approach blends sophisticated technical and fundamental analysis in a highly structured system:

• Technical toolkit: He relies on RSI and MACD (12-period) indicators with specific focus on divergence patterns and directional trend confirmation. These core tools are supplemented with meticulous support/resistance mapping and key candle formations to provide multiple confirmation points.
• Multi-timeframe analysis: Rather than confining himself to a single timeframe, Paul analyzes price action across multiple charts, incorporating wave theory principles and Fibonacci retracement zones to guide his exit strategies.
• Fundamental integration: Unlike purely technical traders, Paul actively hunts for macro thematics and regularly reviews CFTC commitment of traders (COT) reports to gauge institutional positioning across major asset classes, particularly the S&P 500 and EURJPY.
• Intermarket relationships: Perhaps his most distinctive edge is his sharp understanding of cross-asset correlations and cause-effect relationships between different markets.

“It wasn’t my first try,” Paul explains. “I had been trading for years and failed before. But once I aligned my psychology and strategy, it all came together.”

Takeaway: The funding challenge isn’t a shortcut; it’s an amplifier for traders who are already ready.

Zaki – Quant Tekel | $1M+ Funded, $170K+ in Profits

Zaki took the multi-firm, multi-evaluation path to scaling. After securing more than $1 million in funded capital with Quant Tekel, he has already withdrawn $170,000+ and continues to grow across multiple accounts.

Trading Background & Strategy

Zaki represents the new generation of traders who entered the markets through non-traditional channels:

• Social media foundations: Unlike traders from previous generations, Zaki initially learned about markets via platforms like TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube—a path increasingly common among younger traders.
• ICT methodology: His core strategy draws heavily from the Inner Circle Trading (ICT) approach, which emphasizes market structure analysis and pure price action over indicator-heavy systems.
• Social media discipline: Despite using these platforms as learning tools, Zaki is refreshingly candid about the FOMO and ego traps they create. He actively filters information and avoids performance pressure by maintaining independent income sources while developing his trading career.
• Business approach: Beyond his technical strategy, Zaki treats trading as a professional operation with detailed journaling, data reviews, and performance metrics.

“It’s about finding the funded firm that fits your style, not the one with the biggest payout,” Zaki emphasizes.

Takeaway: Funding doesn’t replace structure—it rewards it. Zaki’s ability to treat trading like a professional operation gave him an edge most overlook.

Ahmad – The Concept Trading | $1M Account, $150K+ in Payouts

Ahmad’s journey to $1 million in funding at The Concept Trading showcases the payoff of resilience. Like many traders, he failed his early evaluations. But instead of quitting, he adapted, optimized, and doubled down.

Trading Background & Strategy

Ahmad’s path reflects both modern learning approaches and timeless trading principles:

• Social media entry point: Similar to Zaki, Ahmad entered trading through social media channels, but his approach evolved significantly through experience and self-reflection.
• Hands-on development: Rather than following a single guru or system, Ahmad took a trial-and-error approach to developing his edge, learning through direct market experience.
• Market correction focus: While discreet about specific techniques, Ahmad is known for targeting market corrections—a strategy that echoes influences from Japanese trading legend Takashi Kotegawa (BNF), famous for turning modest capital into millions through disciplined correction trading.
• Impressive scaling achievement: Ahmad completed a challenging scaling program, hitting 7% profit targets eight consecutive times to earn his $1M account—all starting with a $497 evaluation.

“You don’t need to win every trade—you just need to not lose control. The payout will follow,” Ahmad notes.

Takeaway: Funded success isn’t luck. It’s strategy + experience + self-awareness.

Common Threads: What These Traders Have in Common

Despite trading at different firms with different styles, these three funded success stories share key ingredients that separate them from the masses:

• Evaluation failures led to success: None succeeded immediately. They had failed, reset, and learned from previous attempts before achieving consistency.
• Structured approach: Each had defined trading rules, session routines, and detailed journaling practices that transformed discretionary decisions into systematic processes.
• Gradual capital scaling: None rushed to max out account sizes or take excessive risk—they let funding and profits grow methodically over time.
• Psychological preparation: All three prioritized emotional discipline and mental preparation alongside technical skill, recognizing trading psychology as the ultimate performance edge.

Beyond the Indicators: The Reality of Prop Trading Success

What’s notably absent from these success stories? Get-rich-quick narratives and magical indicators. These traders succeeded because they:

• Put in real screen time: Each accumulated thousands of hours studying markets before achieving consistent results.
• Survived the learning curve: All three went through periods of inconsistency and drawdowns before developing true edge.
• Adapted to changing markets: Rather than clinging to static systems, they evolved their approaches as market conditions shifted.
• Removed performance pressure: Each created financial structures that eliminated the desperate need to succeed immediately.

The uncomfortable truth is that they approached funded trading with professional seriousness long before they received professional capital.

Turning Hundreds into Six Figures: Is It Really Possible?

These stories prove that turning modest evaluation fees into six-figure withdrawals isn’t just possible—it happens regularly for traders who approach the opportunity correctly. But they also demonstrate that success requires:

1. A thoroughly developed strategy with defined parameters
2. Experience navigating various market conditions
3. Psychological frameworks to manage trading emotions
4. The resilience to learn from multiple failures

The prop model isn’t a shortcut—it’s a multiplier for skills you’ve already developed.

Find Your Path to Funded Success

Ready to begin your own journey? Use Select Prop Firms to find the firm that matches your trading style, risk profile, and growth goals. Our comparison tool lets you evaluate:

• Payout structures optimized for your income goals
• Rulebooks aligned with your trading approach
• Verified trader reviews from real funded accounts
• Challenge difficulty levels appropriate for your experience

The path to six-figure withdrawals starts with selecting the right firm for your specific strategy and trading personality.

Inspired? We want to hear your story. Email your journey to be featured in our next Trader Spotlight info@selectpropfirm.com.