A new prop
trading firm, Upside Funding, has just entered the market. While it offers
trading in a simulated environment like others, two things set it apart. First,
after completing the evaluation process, you can become a trader with a real annual salary. Second, the project is backed by Charles Finkelstein, who worked at Citi’s trading desk for 30 years, from offices in Hong Kong, Australia, and
London.

Former Citi Managing
Director Launches His Own Prop Firm

This month, Finkelstein, who was associated with investment bank Citi from 1990 to
2023, established his own prop firm offering up to 90% profit split, cTrader
platform, and support from regulated broker Purple Trading.

“After
decades in institutional trading, we realized the biggest gap in proprietary
trading wasn’t just capital—it was guidance,” said Finkelstein. “Most
firms hand traders money and leave them to figure it out on their own. We do
things differently.”

According
to the company’s promotional materials, clients can expect one-to-one mentorships with the
CEO, who shares knowledge and experience gained during his years working for
Citi. For more than half that time, he served as Country Treasurer at Citi
Australia and Head of G10 Risk Treasury for the APAC region.

“We
mentor traders, help them scale their capital, and even provide a path to a
full-time salaried role,” he added.

From Demo to Working for a
Prop Trading Firm

The brand
is managed by Upside Funding Limited, registered in Hong Kong. The company
acknowledges that it doesn’t provide brokerage services, doesn’t accept client
deposits, and doesn’t trade real assets on behalf of traders.

“All
trading activities conducted through our platform during the evaluation phase
take place in a simulated trading environment,” states the website.
“The funds allocated in these evaluations are entirely virtual, hold no
real monetary value, and cannot be withdrawn or converted into real
assets.”

The fact
that trading during challenges, starting at $49, takes place in a demo
environment isn’t new in prop trading industry. What might distinguish this firm’s offer from
dozens of others is that it offers employment to its most profitable clients.

If you
reach the maximum funded-account level, you can potentially qualify for a
full-time position at Upside Funding Limited with a salary of up to $350,000.

For now,
the offer looks interesting, mainly due to the support from trading industry
veterans and the possibility of gaining employment as a prop trader. However,
time will tell whether the firm can maintain its position in an increasingly
competitive and challenging market. Especially since last year, between 80 to even 100 prop firms disappeared from the market.