Prop firm

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Best Prop Firms for NAS100 and US30 Trading

By Published 2 min read

NAS100 and US30 are among the most popular instruments for South African traders. They move fast after the US open, which falls conveniently in the South African afternoon. You can trade them as CFDs at forex prop firms or as futures at futures firms, and the choice changes your costs and rules.

CFDs vs futures

Index CFDs (NAS100, US30) Index futures (NQ/MNQ, YM/MYM)
Firms FTMO, FundedNext, Funding Pips, The5ers Topstep, Apex, E8 futures
Position sizing Flexible, down to small fractions Whole contracts; micros help
Costs Spread, sometimes commission, overnight swaps Commission per contract; no swaps
Drawdown style Often static on 2-step programs Usually trailing (end-of-day options)

Our picks

For CFDs: FTMO‘s 2-Step static 10% maximum loss gives index traders room for volatility. FundedNext and Funding Pips also use static drawdowns on their main programs. Check each firm’s index leverage, which is usually lower than forex.

For futures: Topstep and Apex. Micro contracts (MNQ, MYM) let you size small enough to respect trailing drawdowns.

Timing in SAST

The US cash open is at 15:30 SAST during US daylight saving time and 16:30 SAST otherwise. The first hour after the open is the most volatile: great for momentum strategies, dangerous for daily loss limits. Many traders wait 15 minutes for the opening range to form.

Risk sizing for indices

A single NAS100 point is worth a different amount per lot at each firm, and index moves of 100+ points in a session are common. Always size from your stop in points and the firm’s value per point, keep risk at 0.25–0.5% per trade, and avoid holding CFDs over weekends where swaps are high.

Prop firms we currently recommend

  1. 1

    FTMO Best overall

    Max account
    $200,000 (more via scaling)
    Profit split
    80%, up to 90%
    Fee from
    €89 (≈ $10K account)
    Our rating
    4.6 out of 5
    Visit FTMO Read review
  2. 2

    FundedNext Best for MetaTrader users

    Max account
    $200,000 (up to $4M through scaling)
    Profit split
    80%, up to 95%
    Fee from
    $59.99 USD (confirm at checkout)
    Our rating
    4.4 out of 5
    Visit FundedNext Read review
  3. 3

    Funding Pips Best budget pick

    Max account
    $100,000 per account (scales to $2M)
    Profit split
    60–100% (depends on payout cycle)
    Fee from
    About $29–$36 USD ($5K)
    Our rating
    4.3 out of 5
    Visit Funding Pips Read review

FAQ

Which prop firm is best for NAS100?

For CFDs, FTMO’s 2-Step and firms with static drawdowns such as FundedNext and Funding Pips. For futures, Topstep and Apex with micro Nasdaq contracts.

What time does NAS100 open in South Africa?

The US cash session opens at 15:30 SAST during US daylight saving time and 16:30 SAST otherwise.

Is US30 or NAS100 better for prop challenges?

Both are volatile. NAS100 tends to move more in percentage terms; choose the one your strategy is tested on and size conservatively.