Who is behind each firm
Upcomers is led by CEO Jakub Zeliska and operates out of the IFZA Business Park in Dubai Silicon Oasis, United Arab Emirates. The firm presents a structured corporate image focused on a wide variety of challenge types. On the other hand, Wall Street Funded is spearheaded by Iñaki Martinez and Albert Suriol, also maintaining its headquarters in Dubai at the Dubai Digital Park. While both firms have chosen the UAE as their regulatory and operational base—a common jurisdiction for prop firms seeking a business-friendly environment—the leadership of Wall Street Funded has managed to garner a significantly larger volume of public feedback in a shorter timeframe compared to the more specialized approach seen at Upcomers.
How long they have been around
Upcomers was founded in 2023, giving it a slightly longer history in the market than Wall Street Funded, which emerged in 2024. Despite being the younger entity, Wall Street Funded shows a massive footprint in terms of community engagement, boasting nearly 5,000 Trustpilot reviews, whereas Upcomers has around 581, with the particularity that its Trustpilot profile is currently marked as blocked in the provided data. This difference in "social backing" suggests that while Upcomers has had more time to refine its technical infrastructure, Wall Street Funded has scaled its user base much more aggressively since its inception.
What they promise and what backs it
The promises made by these firms are reflected in their risk rules and account variety. Upcomers offers a highly complex catalogue ranging from "Ash" to "Phoenix" challenges, promising flexibility through its "Dynamic Risk Shield™." This system, which trails the equity high-water mark, is a sophisticated technical promise that requires a robust back-end to manage fairly. They support these promises with a 200% refund of the challenge fee after the third payout, an aggressive incentive for consistency. Wall Street Funded promises a more traditional but strict environment; for instance, they mandate a Stop Loss within two minutes of opening a trade and restrict news trading on funded accounts. While Upcomers relies on technical flexibility and high allocation limits (up to $1.5 million), Wall Street Funded relies on strict risk management rules to ensure the sustainability of its capital, backed by a points reward and monthly competition ecosystem.
How they handle your money
Payouts and financial logistics reveal the operational backbone of each company. Upcomers employs a progressive payout cap system where the first withdrawal is limited to 1% of the balance, increasing until the eighth payout, where it becomes unlimited. This suggests a conservative approach to liquidity management, protecting the firm's capital while the trader proves their long-term viability. They charge specific fees for bank transfers and a significant 30% for crypto due to local liquidity constraints. Wall Street Funded handles money through Rise and Crypto, with a much simpler payout frequency: after 15 days for two-step accounts and then every 5 days. Wall Street Funded also requires a minimum 1% profit for any withdrawal, but they do not impose the same tiered progression cap as Upcomers, opting instead for a more standard withdrawal process.
Operational maturity
Operational maturity is signaled by the tools and currencies available to the trader. Upcomers shows high technical maturity by offering five different platforms: TradeLocker, MT5, MatchTrader, cTrader, and DX. This diversity indicates a significant investment in software integrations. They also provide a swap-free environment for all accounts, which is a significant operational hurdle. Wall Street Funded offers a solid selection including cTrader, MT5, MatchTrader, and DXTrade, but focuses more on internal brokers like WSF and Gooeytrade. While Upcomers supports a wider range of platforms and higher scaling potential (up to $4 million), Wall Street Funded displays its maturity through its high volume of processed reviews and a more streamlined, albeit rule-heavy, trading environment.
What the record does and does not tell you
The available data allows us to see two different philosophies within the same geographical hub. Upcomers is the choice for those seeking technical variety and high capital ceilings, though its blocked status on certain review platforms and its tiered payout system suggest a firm that is very protective of its internal risk. Wall Street Funded represents a firm with massive recent popularity and stricter operational rules (like mandatory SL), which may provide more transparency for some but less freedom for others. Neither the volume of reviews nor the complexity of the risk shield can guarantee future solvency; they only indicate how each firm has chosen to manage its growth and protect its capital up to this point.
Frequently asked questions
Which firm is more affordable for a $50,000 account, Upcomers or Wall Street Funded?
Wall Street Funded is generally more affordable for this specific size. Its "Classic" 1-step account is priced at $369, and its "Ultra" 2-step account is $349. In contrast, Upcomers' "2 Step Phoenix - Classic" for $50,000 costs $539, representing a significantly higher upfront investment for the trader.
Which firm offers a higher maximum capital allocation, Upcomers or Wall Street Funded?
Upcomers offers a much higher maximum allocation, allowing traders to manage up to $1,500,000 across all its programs. Wall Street Funded has a more modest limit, capping its maximum allocation at $400,000, which makes Upcomers the preferred choice for traders looking to manage larger institutional-sized portfolios.
Between Upcomers and Wall Street Funded, which one has stricter rules regarding news trading and Stop Loss?
Wall Street Funded has much stricter day-to-day operational rules. It requires all traders to place a Stop Loss within two minutes of opening a trade and prohibits opening or closing positions during high-impact news on funded accounts. Upcomers is more flexible in this regard, allowing news trading and not mandating a Stop Loss, although it uses a "Dynamic Risk Shield" to manage overall drawdown.
How do the payout systems compare between Upcomers and Wall Street Funded?
The systems differ fundamentally in their philosophy. Upcomers uses a progression cap where your first payout is limited to 1% of the initial balance, only becoming unlimited after the 7th successful withdrawal. Wall Street Funded does not use a progression cap; instead, it allows payouts starting 15 days after the first trade for two-step accounts, with subsequent payouts available every 5 days, provided a 1% profit is achieved.
