Time limits
Neither firm imposes a traditional "deadline" to pass their challenges, but they both limit your freedom to walk away from the charts.
- Inactivity trap: At both Hola Prime and SFX Funded, you cannot leave your account untouched for 30 consecutive days. If you do, the account is closed (hard breach), forcing you to trade even when market conditions are unfavorable just to keep the account active.
- Minimum trading requirements: Hola Prime forces you to trade for at least 2 to 3 days depending on the challenge (Pro or Prime). SFX Funded is more restrictive in its 2-Step Ascend (5 days per phase) and 1-Step Pro (4 days), preventing you from advancing quickly even if you hit the profit target on day one.
- Payout cycles: At Hola Prime, you are locked into the cycle you choose at purchase (biweekly or monthly); you cannot change it later. SFX Funded limits your first standard payout on the Ascend plan to a minimum 14-day wait.
Weekends and news
The freedom to hold positions or trade during volatility is heavily restricted depending on the account type you choose.
- Weekend restrictions: At Hola Prime, you cannot hold positions over the weekend on Pro sim funded or Direct accounts. You must close everything by Friday 15:45 EST; failing to do so in a Direct account results in immediate termination. SFX Funded is more lenient here, allowing weekend holding across its programs.
- News trading bans: Hola Prime prohibits opening or closing trades 5 minutes before and after high-impact news on Pro and Direct accounts. SFX Funded imposes a similar restriction but with a narrower 4-minute window (2 minutes before and after) for all funded accounts.
- Stop Loss obligation: Hola Prime removes the freedom to manage risk without a Stop Loss; it is mandatory on all funded and Direct accounts. SFX Funded does not strictly require a Stop Loss.
Where you can trade from
Geography and technical access are significant barriers at these firms.
- Excluded countries: Hola Prime has a massive list of over 30 banned jurisdictions, including major markets like India, China, Russia, Pakistan, and Vietnam. SFX Funded has a much shorter list, primarily banning Syria, North Korea, Cuba, Iran, and Myanmar.
- VPN and VPS limits: Hola Prime does not allow you to circumvent geographic restrictions via VPN. You cannot trade manually through a VPS; VPS usage is strictly reserved for EAs and requires a dedicated static IP.
- US restrictions: Hola Prime prohibits MT5 access from any US-based IP address.
What the platform limits
The technical environment restricts both the software you use and how you execute your strategy.
- Software choice: SFX Funded limits you to only two platforms: MetaTrader 5 and MatchTrader. Hola Prime offers more variety (cTrader, TradeLocker) but restricts EAs exclusively to MT5.
- EA and Automation limits: At Hola Prime, you cannot use EAs on Direct accounts. On others, you must pay a 10% surcharge (add-on) to enable them. SFX Funded prohibits all third-party EAs; you can only use tools you developed yourself.
- Copy trading ban: SFX Funded completely removes the freedom to copy trades, whether from your own accounts, external providers, or signals. Hola Prime allows limited internal copying (one master to one copier) but forbids copying from other prop firms.
What the rules cost you
Every rule acts as a financial limit on your potential earnings or your ability to keep trying.
- Capital risk (Price): Choosing SFX Funded limits the number of attempts your budget allows, as their $100K 1-step challenge costs $699 compared to Hola Prime’s $579.
- Drawdown margin: Hola Prime restricts your breathing room with a 6% maximum drawdown on Prime 1-Step. SFX Funded's Rapid program is even tighter, allowing only a 4% trailing drawdown.
- Payout friction: Hola Prime limits your net profit by charging a 2.5% fee on every payout. SFX Funded limits your liquidity by capping the first two payouts at $10,000 each.
- Risk per idea: Hola Prime limits your execution freedom with a hard cap of 2% risk per "idea" (combined positions) on funded accounts. Crossing this can lead to account closure.
Restrictions that add up
The combined weight of these rules creates a high-pressure environment. At Hola Prime, the "Pro" model combines news trading bans, weekend restrictions, a mandatory stop loss, and a payout fee, making it a very rigid environment for discretionary traders. On the other hand, SFX Funded uses the "Stability Index" (consistency rule) alongside a total ban on copy trading and third-party tools. This forces you to be a strictly manual, highly consistent trader, effectively banning anyone who relies on external signals or automated portfolio management. Both firms use 30-day inactivity rules to ensure you can never truly "set and forget" a strategy, keeping you tethered to the platform.
Frequently asked questions
Which firm is more expensive to start a $100,000 1-step challenge, Hola Prime or SFX Funded?
SFX Funded is significantly more expensive for this specific size. Their 1-Step Pro account costs $699, while Hola Prime offers the 1-Step Prime Challenge for $579. This means starting with SFX Funded requires a higher initial investment for the same starting balance.
Who has more restrictive news trading rules, Hola Prime or SFX Funded?
Hola Prime is more restrictive for its Pro and Direct account holders, enforcing a 10-minute "no-trade" window (5 minutes before and after news). SFX Funded restricts news trading for all funded accounts, but the window is shorter at 4 minutes (2 minutes before and after). However, Hola Prime allows news trading on its Prime and evaluation accounts, whereas SFX applies the limit to all funded stages.
Which firm imposes more geographic restrictions, Hola Prime or SFX Funded?
Hola Prime is much more restrictive regarding geography. It bans residents from over 30 countries, including India, China, Russia, and Pakistan. In contrast, SFX Funded only lists 5 banned countries (Syria, North Korea, Cuba, Iran, and Myanmar), making it accessible to a much wider global audience.
Who makes it harder to withdraw small amounts of profit, Hola Prime or SFX Funded?
SFX Funded makes it harder for bank transfers, requiring a minimum of $100, though they allow USDT withdrawals for amounts under $100. Hola Prime has a $50 minimum for both crypto and wire transfers, but they impose a 2.5% fee on every withdrawal (minimum $5 or $25 depending on the method), which acts as a constant tax on your profits that SFX Funded does not charge.



















