I'm wondering how many users are, where most of them are (country), and what their (and their work partners) typical returns are on average. There are some who have 200-400%+ returns a year, but if you mention that or ask about it on any forum online with other traders, you get laughed at for believing it.
How would you base your returns while at a prop firm? Will you use the funds you deposit or the total leveraged used? Neither will be accurate.
Not sure; I suppose people can answer however they want and then maybe elaborate on their answer. All I know is I read many impressive things on here from people in prop firms, like making $500k-$1m a year on an $80,000 futures account, making "400% a year," etc. How they calculate it and if they do it manipulatively or dishonestly is beyond me as a n00b. Those kinds of returns simply sound interesting, and others laugh at them as implausible.
I would say you have to separate prop firms where your funds are first loss and the BD provides leverage from the true prop firms that offer an allocation with you as an employee. Making a 200% return on a $5K deposit with 20 to 1 for DT, is not impressive. Making a 30% to 50% return with moderate drawdowns with a $25mm allocation from a real prop firm or hedge fund is.
Keep in mind that essentially 99% of people are failures, or not fruitfully profitable/successful in trading (and in life) So naturally, the rare 1% or .01% ...is like claiming you've spot a Unicorn -- and the subsequent influx of ridicule, If you trade the right thing, day in day out, you'd be surprised. But if you simply are a stock investor...then that's an impossibility. You just have to be content with molasses returns. Splash around in the biggest swimming pool there is. at a higher frequency. with leverage. -- everything else is just child's play.
Sure you can make 200% to 400% in a year, especially if you bet the whole farm and ignore the risk of ruin. Sustaining that type of ROR year over year is pure Internet fantasy.
Have you ever seen documented/audited returns of 200-400% annum with a significant balence for any multi yr period ? I don't think I have.
Returns on prop accounts are vanity metrics from people who want to show off. Don't fall for it. They put up a small deposit and get huge leverage to accomplish these %,
As an employee at a prop shop in Australia, ROI is not a measure. Monthly profitability is, if you profitable you get more size. Note there are fixed costs and a profit share to be taken into account.
May I ask: Do you have to put up any capital? Is this regulated by any government institution in Australia?