Most trading contests quietly favour big accounts: whoever makes the most dollars wins. ForexTradingCup ranks every trader by percentage return on their starting balance instead, so the size of the account never decides the result.
The formula
Return % = profit made during the competition ÷ starting balance.
A $500 account that makes $60 returns 12%. A $50,000 account that makes $2,500 returns 5%. The $500 account ranks higher, even though it made far fewer dollars.
What does not count
Deposits and withdrawals are not performance. Adding money does not raise your return and taking money out does not lower it.
Only trades opened and closed inside the competition window count, so everyone starts the month at 0%.
You need a minimum number of closed trades to be ranked, so one lucky trade cannot win the month.
Why this is fair
Percentage return measures the skill you can control: entries, exits and position size relative to your account. It is the same yardstick fund managers are judged on.
Because the data is read straight from the broker, nobody can type in a number or upload an edited screenshot.
What it means for you
Trade your own account the way you always do. You do not need a big deposit to compete for first place. You do need discipline: a single oversized loss hurts a percentage return exactly as much as a single oversized win helps it.
Join the cup for free, or read how scoring works in full.
Trading leveraged products carries a high risk of loss. Past results do not predict future results.