I'm doing a real $100K FundingPips two-step evaluation, trading only XAUUSD Gold, and I'm logging every single trade here, the good ones and the bad ones. No highlight reel, no "look at my wins" nonsense. This is the actual journal: real dates, real entries and exits, real P&L. If you want to see what a real challenge attempt actually looks like (messy, honest, full of both), this is it.
What Is a Prop Firm 100K Challenge?
FundingPips (and prop firms like it) let you trade a simulated $100,000 account. It's a Two-Step Evaluation: Phase 1 needs an 8% profit target ($8,000), then Phase 2 needs a smaller 5% profit target ($5,000). Clear both without breaking the risk rules, and you move on to a funded account. I'm currently in Phase 1, so that $8K number is just this stage's target, not a separate thing from the $100K challenge.
I only trade XAUUSD (Gold) in this challenge, same as everywhere else on this site. One pair, full focus.
If terms like support/resistance or risk:reward are new to you, our free Learn To Trade game covers exactly this in a 19-lesson curriculum before you ever risk real money.
The Actual Rules I'm Trading Under
These aren't guidelines. Break any of these and the account is over. Here's what I'm actually held to on a FundingPips 2-Step Standard $100K account:
| Rule | Limit |
|---|---|
| Phase 1 profit target | 8% ($8,000) |
| Phase 2 profit target | 5% ($5,000) |
| Max daily loss | 5% of balance/equity (whichever is higher) |
| Max overall loss | 10% of the initial $100,000 |
| Minimum trading days | 3 separate days, each phase |
| Time limit | None (no deadline on either phase) |
The daily loss limit is the one that actually keeps me disciplined day to day. It resets every day off whichever is higher, my starting balance or equity, so a good day can't be undone by one reckless trade the next. The overall 10% max loss is the hard floor: touch it and the account is done, no second chances. That's why the stop-loss on every single trade in the log below is non-negotiable.
Where Things Stand Right Now
You can also watch this update live. The homepage has a full calendar with every trade, updated as it happens: see the live 100K Challenge tracker.
The Journal: Day by Day
Every trade so far. XAUUSD, 0.5 lot unless noted, all times Toronto.
| Day | Date | Side | Entry → Exit | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Jul 13 | SELL | 4067.25 → 4056.90 | +$515.00 |
| 2 | Jul 14 | SELL | 3995.28 → 4015.75 | -$1,026.00 |
| 3 | Jul 15 | BUY | 4052.97 → 4042.58 | -$522.00 |
| 4 | Jul 16 | SELL | 4057.67 → 4036.89 | +$1,036.50 |
| 5 | Jul 17 | BUY | 3985.63 → 4005.69 | +$1,000.50 |
| 6 | Jul 20 | SELL | 3993.16 → 4004.57 | -$573.00 |
| 7 | Jul 21 | BUY | 4015.46 → 4035.61 | +$1,005.00 |
| 8 | Jul 22 | BUY | 4098.23 → 4116.58 | +$915.00 |
| 9 | Jul 23 | BUY | 4134.41 → 4115.25 | -$960.50 |
| 10 | Jul 24 | SELL | 4046.60 → 4025.98 | +$1,028.50 |
| 11 | Jul 27 | BUY | 4095.29 → 4115.54 | +$1,010.00 |
| 12 | Jul 28 | SELL | 4062.09 → 4043.64 | +$920.00 |
| 13 | Jul 29 | BUY | 4032.80 → 4012.85 | -$1,000.00 |
| 14 | Jul 30 | BUY | 4093.88 → 4072.87 | -$1,053.00 |
| 15 | Jul 31 | SELL | 4096.36 → 4076.60 | +$985.50 |
Day 14: The One That Stung
Day 14 is worth calling out: a BUY at 4093.88 that ran straight into my stop-loss at 4072.87 for -$1,053.00, my biggest loss of the challenge so far. No excuses: the setup looked fine going in, the market just didn't cooperate. That's trading. What matters is the stop-loss was set before I entered and I didn't move it when the trade went against me. The loss stayed exactly what I planned it to be, not bigger. That discipline is the actual skill here, not avoiding losses altogether. You can't.
What I'm Actually Watching Each Day
Every entry in this journal comes from the same routine: mark the first-hour support/resistance range, check where price sits relative to the multi-timeframe RSI table, and only take the trade if both line up. I built this exact routine into my own Box Indicator for TradingView so I'm not manually redrawing boxes and flipping between charts every day. But the indicator doesn't pick the trades for me. It just gives me the same clean view, every single day, so I can make the call myself.
Why I'm Publishing This
Most "look at my trading results" content online is cherry-picked: screenshots of the wins, none of the losses, no real dates you could ever verify. I'd rather show the whole thing, messy parts included. If day 14's -$1,053 makes you trust day 15's +$985.50 a little more, that's the whole point of publishing both.
This post updates as the challenge continues. Check back, or follow along live on the YouTube channel.
FAQ
What is a prop firm 100K challenge?
A prop firm 100K challenge lets you trade a simulated $100,000 account. Hit the profit target without breaking the risk rules, and you move on to a funded account backed by the firm's real capital.
What are the FundingPips 2-Step Standard rules?
Phase 1 needs an 8% profit target ($8,000), Phase 2 needs a 5% profit target ($5,000). Both phases share a 5% max daily loss and a 10% max overall loss, with a minimum of 3 trading days per phase and no time limit.
What's the difference between Phase 1 and Phase 2?
Phase 1's profit target (8%) is higher than Phase 2's (5%), but the daily and overall loss limits are the same in both. Phase 2 also starts with a fresh drawdown counter — Phase 1's doesn't carry over.
What happens if I break the max daily loss rule?
The account fails immediately. That's why the stop-loss on every trade in this journal is set before entry and never moved once the trade is live.
Is this trading journal financial advice?
No. It's a personal, honest record of a real evaluation account for entertainment and educational purposes only — not financial advice, and not representative of typical results.
See you in the next update. 📈🥇
Disclaimer: This journal reflects results from a personal prop-firm evaluation account and is for entertainment and educational purposes only. It is NOT financial advice and is not representative of typical results. Trading XAUUSD involves significant risk of loss, past results (including these) do not indicate future performance, and most traders lose money. Always do your own research and consult a qualified financial advisor before trading. We're not responsible for the decisions you make.