Prop trading in India, for retail traders, means trading a firm's account under clear risk rules and keeping most of the profit, instead of risking your own capital. A funded trader program lets you pay a fixed fee, pass an evaluation on Indian markets, and then earn rewards from your performance. This guide explains how it works on NSE, BSE and MCX, where the money really comes from, and what to check before you join any prop firm for the Indian stock market.
01What prop trading means in India
Proprietary trading, or prop trading, originally meant a firm trading its own money through in-house traders. Brokers and trading desks have long done this with their own capital. Retail traders rarely had access.
The modern retail version is different. A prop firm for retail traders is a company that evaluates your trading skill under fixed rules and pays you a share of profits once you qualify. You do not need a finance degree, a referral or an interview. You need a strategy, discipline and the willingness to follow loss limits.
For Indian traders, the most relevant programs are built around the instruments you already know: NIFTY and BANKNIFTY options, stock futures, intraday cash and MCX commodities. If you are new to the concept itself, start with our explainer on what a prop firm is.
Who prop trading in India suits
Prop trading suits a particular kind of trader. It works best if you already have a tested approach, can follow a stop-loss without arguing with it, and are comfortable trading smaller than you feel like trading. It suits the intraday options trader who knows their setups but does not want to lock lakhs of savings into margin. It suits the salaried professional who trades the first hour before work and wants a defined, capped cost for each attempt.
It does not suit everyone. If you are still learning what an option premium is, or you tend to double your size after a loss, an evaluation will expose that quickly and the fee will be lost. Prop trading rewards consistency, not excitement. The honest test is simple: if you cannot stay within a 4% daily loss on your own account for a month, a funded account will not change that.
The difference from a broker
A broker executes your orders on the exchange using your own money and charges brokerage. A retail prop firm evaluates you on simulated capital and pays rewards from its own funds. You do not open a trading account with real deposits.
02How a funded trader program works in India
A funded trader program in India follows a simple sequence. The details differ by plan, but the structure is the same.
- Choose a plan and account size
On Greenwick, sizes are ₹5L, ₹10L, ₹25L and ₹50L, across 2-Step, 1-Step and Instant plans. You pay a one-time fee by UPI.
- Trade the evaluation
On the 2-Step plan, reach an 8% target in Phase 1 and 5% in Phase 2, without breaching a 4% daily loss or 8% static maximum loss. Each phase needs at least five trading days.
- Get funded
Once you pass, you receive a funded account. The rules on loss limits continue, and a consistency rule applies to payouts.
- Complete KYC and request payouts
KYC is done once before your first payout. Requests can be made every 14 days, or weekly on ₹10L and above.
- Scale over time
Every four months, with at least two payouts and 10% or more net profit, the account grows 25% and your split rises by 5% up to the plan maximum.
There is no time limit on any Greenwick plan, which matters more than it seems. You can skip bad market days and trade only when your setup appears. The full rules list each plan's limits, and our comparison of 1-step, 2-step and instant funding helps you choose.
03Simulated capital and how rewards are paid
This is the part every Indian trader should understand clearly, because it is often explained badly.
Greenwick evaluations and funded accounts use simulated capital with live Indian market prices. Your orders are not sent to NSE, BSE or MCX. When you qualify for a payout, the reward is paid from Greenwick's own funds, based on your simulated performance and the published rules.
Why does this matter? Because it explains three things. First, why the firm is not a broker and does not need your demat account. Second, why your only cost is the evaluation fee: there is no margin call and no debit from your bank if a trade goes wrong. Third, why the rules are strict. The firm is paying real rewards on simulated trades, so it needs traders who manage risk consistently.
Greenwick is not a broker or an investment adviser. It does not offer investment advice, and does not manage anyone's money. It runs a skill evaluation with a reward structure. Trading involves risk, and many traders do not pass.
On the 2-Step and 1-Step plans, the split starts at 80% and can rise to 90%. On Instant, it starts at 70% and can rise to 80%. For ₹10L and above on 2-Step and 1-Step, the evaluation fee is refunded with your first payout. Our guide to prop firm payouts in India covers the consistency rule and payout timing in detail.
04Why prop trading appeals versus own capital
Indian F&O trading has become expensive to do properly on your own account. Margin requirements for index futures and option selling are high, and a single bad week can wipe out months of savings. Many capable traders are not limited by skill but by capital.
| Trading own capital | Greenwick funded program | |
|---|---|---|
| Upfront money at risk | Full margin and capital | One-time evaluation fee only |
| Worst-case loss | Can exceed what you planned | Limited to the fee paid |
| Account size | What you can afford | ₹5L to ₹50L simulated |
| Profit share | 100%, minus your losses | 80% to 90% on 2-Step and 1-Step |
| Risk rules | Self-imposed, easy to break | Fixed daily and maximum loss limits |
| Time pressure | None | None, no time limit |
As an example, a ₹10L 2-Step evaluation costs ₹10,999 at the founding price for the first 500 traders, or ₹14,999 at list price, GST included. That fee is the most you can lose on that attempt. Compare that with the margin you would need to trade similar size on your own. See the pricing page for every plan.
A prop firm does not make you a better trader. It simply caps what a bad month can cost you.
The trade-off is the rules. Your personal account lets you break discipline; a funded account does not. For many traders, that structure is the main benefit. Our guide to risk management for prop traders explains how to size within those limits.
05What you can trade and market hours
A prop firm for the Indian stock market should cover the instruments Indian traders actually use. Greenwick covers these segments.
NSE indices
Options and futures on NIFTY, BANKNIFTY, FINNIFTY and MIDCPNIFTY. The core of most intraday strategies.
NSE stocks
Cash intraday, stock futures and stock options on NSE-listed shares.
BSE indices
SENSEX and BANKEX derivatives for traders who follow BSE expiries.
MCX commodities
GOLD, SILVER, CRUDEOIL and NATURALGAS, including the evening session.
Market hours
NSE and BSE run from 09:15 to 15:30 IST. MCX extends into the evening session.
Position types
Intraday MIS positions auto-close at 15:15 IST. Overnight NRML positions only where the plan allows.
Lot limits per account size are listed on the rules page, and orders are sized using the current exchange lot size. If an order is too large, it is simply rejected with a reason; it does not count as a breach. Maximum margin use is 80%. The daily loss floor resets at 09:15 IST every trading day, based on the previous day's closing balance.
Profit from trades opened within five minutes of listed events such as RBI policy or the Union Budget is not counted for payout. New option positions opened in the last 30 minutes of expiry day are also not counted. These rules adjust a payout; they never close the account.
06KYC, UPI payments and payouts
An Indian funded trader program should fit the way Indians already pay and get paid. Greenwick keeps it simple.
KYC, done once
- PAN for identity and tax records
- Aadhaar verified through DigiLocker
- A bank account in your own name for payouts
KYC is completed once, before your first payout. You do not need a demat account or a broker to take the evaluation.
Paying and getting paid
Evaluation fees are paid by UPI. Payouts can be requested every 14 days, or weekly on accounts of ₹10L and above. Each request is reviewed within 24 hours against the published rules, then sent the same day via UPI or bank transfer through IMPS or NEFT. The UTR reference is shared on your dashboard and on WhatsApp, so you can match it with your bank statement.
07Tax on prop firm payouts in India
Prop firm payouts may be taxable income in India. How they are classified depends on your personal situation, your other income and current tax law, and Greenwick does not give tax advice.
What you can do is keep clean records: the evaluation fees you paid, each payout received, and the UTR references from your dashboard. Then consult a chartered accountant before filing your return. A short conversation early on is far cheaper than correcting a filing later.
08Questions to ask before joining any prop firm in India
Not every program is built the same way. Before paying any firm, get clear written answers to these questions.
- Is the capital simulated, and who pays the rewards?
- Is the maximum loss static or trailing?
- Is the daily loss measured on equity or balance?
- When does the daily limit reset, in IST?
- Is there a time limit on the evaluation?
- How are payouts sent, and how fast?
- Do rule changes apply to accounts already bought?
- Claims of being a broker or adviser without proof
- Promises of easy or certain income
- Rules hidden in fine print or changed without notice
- Unclear payout timelines or methods
- Pressure to buy multiple accounts at once
One question is often overlooked: what happens when the firm updates its rules? At Greenwick, rule changes apply only to accounts bought after the change. The rules you buy are the rules you keep. Our prop firm FAQ answers many more of these questions.
09How Greenwick is built for Indian traders
Greenwick Funded is a premium prop firm designed only for Indian markets. Every part of it is set up around how Indian traders work.
- Indian instruments: NIFTY, BANKNIFTY, FINNIFTY, MIDCPNIFTY, SENSEX, BANKEX, NSE stocks and MCX commodities.
- Rupee pricing: plans from ₹6,499 at the founding price, GST included, paid by UPI.
- Clear limits: a static maximum loss on 2-Step and 1-Step, so your floor never moves.
- No time limit: on any plan, including evaluations.
- Fair rules: only five hard rules close an account; payout rules only adjust or delay a payout.
- Fast payouts: reviewed within 24 hours and sent the same day by UPI, IMPS or NEFT.
- Room to grow: scaling every four months, from ₹10L to ₹12.5L, ₹15.6L and beyond.
The five hard rules are simple: equity below the daily loss floor, equity below the maximum loss floor, hedging across Greenwick accounts or one person running several accounts, copy-trading or bots without written approval, and abusing price errors or delays in the simulation. Everything else is designed to keep you trading.
Read the rules for your plan, convert each limit to rupees, and decide your risk per trade before your first order. Our guide on how to pass a prop firm challenge gives a step-by-step playbook.
Greenwick is not a broker or investment adviser. Evaluations and funded accounts use simulated capital with live Indian market prices, rewards are paid from Greenwick's own funds based on simulated performance, and trading involves risk.