How you lose the account
The loss of an account in these two firms occurs through different triggers, some immediate and others linked to time or behavior:
- Dolvero: You lose the account if you breach the daily drawdown (3% or 4%) or the maximum drawdown (6%). Additionally, in funded accounts, a 7-day inactivity rule applies; failing to place a trade within 7 calendar days results in automatic closure. Using prohibited strategies like arbitrage or hedging across correlated accounts also leads to termination.
- Iceberg: Termination occurs if equity hits the static drawdown floor (6% below initial capital). On "Instant" accounts, there is a hard 90-day expiration date; if the period ends, the account is closed regardless of profit. Prohibited behaviors like latency arbitrage or tick-sniping also result in account loss.
Maximum drawdown
Both firms set a 6% limit, but the calculation method changes the risk profile significantly.
- Dolvero: Uses two different systems. In 2-Step evaluations, it is a Static drawdown. In 1-Step evaluations, it is a Trailing drawdown where the floor rises when equity reaches a new high and never moves down.
- Numerical Example (1-Step): On a $100,000 account, the initial floor is $94,000. If your equity rises to $105,000, your new floor becomes $99,000 ($105,000 - 6%). If your equity then drops to $98,999, the account is lost, even though you are still close to your starting balance.
- Iceberg: Uses a Static floor based on the initial capital for all accounts. It does not trail profits and does not decrease after payouts.
- Numerical Example: On a $100,000 account, the floor is permanently at $94,000. If you grow the account to $120,000, you have a $26,000 cushion before losing the account.
Daily drawdown
The daily limit is the most common reason for account failure, and its reset time is critical.
- Dolvero: The limit is 3% (1-Step) or 4% (2-Step). It is calculated based on the 00:00 UTC equity snapshot and includes open positions. This means if you have floating profits at midnight, your allowed loss for the next day is larger, but if you have floating losses, your margin for the next day is tighter.
- Iceberg: The limit is 3% for all accounts. It is calculated based on the opening balance at 00:00 UTC after funding. Since it is balance-based, floating profits at the time of the reset do not increase your loss limit for that specific day.
Rules beyond drawdown
Risk management is also enforced through operational restrictions:
- Dolvero:
- Maximum Risk: You cannot risk more than 2% of current equity per trade idea.
- Exposure Limit: Maximum notional exposure is 2x per trade and 3x across all positions.
- Position Count: Maximum of 10 open positions.
- Consistency: A 15% consistency rule applies during evaluation (no single day can exceed 15% of total profit), though this is a progression requirement rather than an account-breaking rule.
- Iceberg:
- Consistency: No consistency rule is applied.
- Stop Loss: Not mandatory.
- Copy Trading: Only allowed between your own accounts; copying other users is a breach.
Risk that comes from the setup
The technical environment dictates execution risk (slippage and connectivity).
- Dolvero: Operates through a read-only API connection to Bybit Demo. This limits the "universe" to more than 700 USDT-margined perpetual contracts. The risk here is the dependency on the API's stability and Bybit's specific liquidity.
- Iceberg: Uses a proprietary platform with simulated capital based on Hyperliquid prices. It offers a much wider range of assets, including Forex, Commodities, Indices, and Stocks. The risk is more diversified, but execution depends entirely on the firm's internal engine rather than a third-party exchange.
What is at stake and what you recover
The cost of the "ticket" is the first loss a trader faces.
- Dolvero: A $100,000 1-Step account costs $689, while a 2-Step costs $549. The fee is fully refundable with the second successful funded payout.
- Iceberg: A $100,000 1-Step Unlimited account costs $857. There is no refund of the initial fee. However, they offer a "Points" program that provides discounts for future purchases and a free $5,000 demo for practice.
Frequently asked questions
Which firm has a more restrictive maximum drawdown, Dolvero or Iceberg?
Dolvero is more restrictive in its 1-Step programs because it uses a trailing drawdown that locks in profits and raises the failure floor, whereas Iceberg uses a static drawdown floor of 6% that never moves from its initial level, providing a larger cushion as the account grows.
Is it more expensive to lose a $100,000 evaluation at Dolvero or Iceberg?
It is more expensive at Iceberg, where a $100,000 1-Step Unlimited evaluation costs $857 and is non-refundable. At Dolvero, the same size 1-Step evaluation costs $689, and if you succeed, the fee is refunded after the second payout.
Which firm allows more freedom for long-term strategies, Dolvero or Iceberg?
Iceberg offers more freedom for long-term trading in its Unlimited accounts as they have no expiration, whereas Dolvero enforces a 7-day inactivity rule on funded accounts that closes the account if no trades are placed. However, Iceberg’s "Instant" accounts expire in 90 days, which is a significant time risk.
Between Dolvero and Iceberg, which one has stricter rules regarding trade size?
Dolvero is much stricter, as it imposes a maximum risk limit of 2% per trade idea and a maximum notional exposure of 3x across all positions. Iceberg does not list specific notional exposure limits in its core rules, focusing instead on the 3% daily and 6% total drawdown limits.
