Read the Live Elite provisions before you buy — the advertised payout progression is not one ETF has to let you finish
I joined Elite Trader Funding partly because of the promoted 5/5/3/2 payout progression. My experience is why I'd tell prospective traders to read the Live Elite section carefully first.
I completed Cycle 1 and was paid $1,250. I then completed the Cycle 2 requirements and submitted my $1,500 payout request, with a balance of $107,097.68 and $7,097.68 in realized Sim-Funded P&L.
Instead of that payout being processed, ETF exercised its discretion to select me for Live Elite while the request was under review. The offer was a $1,303 tradable balance with a $197 monthly data charge deducted from the account and a 5-micro contract limit. I declined it. Under ETF's rules, declining meant my sim earnings didn't carry over and the pending $1,500 was not paid; I received 5% of recognized earnings, $354.88, plus a two-year prohibition on using ETF.
My progression through 5/5/3/2 was: 5 ✓ → 5 ✓ → Live Elite transition. I never reached the advertised 3 or 2.
One detail worth knowing: per ETF's own confirmation, declining carries no rebuild path. A trader who liquidates a real-capital Live account does have one — 14-day cooloff, $99, then a 50K account requiring 15 active days and $9,000 realized. Lose their money and you can return. Decline their offer and you can't.
Credit where it's due: they paid the $354.88 within hours, and with earlier payouts I received $1,604.88 total. None of this appears to breach their written terms.
That's the point. Satisfying the advertised payout progression doesn't mean ETF will let you complete it. Decide whether those terms are acceptable to you before you buy, not after.