The 5%ers Review

When assessing a prop trading firm like The 5%ers, FXCanary’s editorial team takes a multi-step approach to verify its standing. We begin by cross-checking global financial regulators—including the FCA, CySEC, and national authorities in Israel—to determine if any valid licences are on file. We then examine company registration details, corporate structure, and employment data to gauge the firm’s substance and physical presence.

We complement regulatory checks with a thorough review of user sentiment. For The 5%ers, we collected real customer feedback from Trustpilot and analysed complaint data from industry databases. Our sources revealed 16 Trustpilot reviews and two withdrawal-related complaints. We also searched Forex Peace Army but found no rating or discussion thread. Finally, we weighed all findings against our proprietary Scam Risk Score methodology, which heavily penalises unregulated operations.

The legal entity behind The 5%ers is Five Percent Online Ltd, registered in the United Kingdom on 5 August 2019. Its official address is a commercial building on Praed Street in London, a location that appears to be a serviced office rather than a dedicated trading floor. Public filings indicate that the company has zero employees, a fact that by itself is not unusual for a small firm reliant on contractors, but it raises questions about the scale and resilience of operations.

In addition to the UK listing, the company claims to be 'officially registered in Israel.' Searches of Israeli business registries confirm the existence of a related entity, but this registration does not constitute a financial regulatory licence. It is best understood as a corporate foothold rather than a consumer protection framework. This dual-registration structure can create ambiguity over jurisdiction: if a dispute arises, it may be unclear whether UK or Israeli law applies.

FXCanary’s licensing audit found zero active financial services licences for The 5%ers. We searched the FCA register, CySEC, ASIC, and the Israeli Securities Authority—all returned blank. This is not illegal for a prop firm, as it does not handle retail client funds in the traditional sense, but it has profound implications for traders. Without a regulator, there is no external body ensuring that the firm’s evaluation rules are fair, that profit calculations are accurate, or that payouts are honoured.

Client money protection is non-existent. Evaluation fees are not held in segregated accounts, and there is no investor compensation fund to reimburse users if the firm becomes insolvent. In our assessment, this regulatory vacuum is the single greatest risk factor, directly contributing to FXCanary’s Severe Scam Risk Score of 75 out of 100. Even if user reviews are positive, the structural absence of oversight means that the only safety net is the firm’s goodwill.

The 5%ers markets itself as a ‘growth program’ for forex talent, but it does not publicly list detailed account tiers or scale-up pathways on its website. From user reviews, we know that it offers evaluation packages such as a $10,000 funding challenge, implying that different nominal capital amounts are available. Traders pay an upfront fee—amounts are not disclosed transparently—and must meet profit targets while respecting strict drawdown limits.

Once the evaluation is passed, the trader gains access to a funded account with a profit split. Typical splits in the industry range from 50% to 80%, but The 5%ers’ exact percentage is not stated. There is no free trial or demo evaluation available, and the terms regarding retries or fee refunds upon failure are unclear. This opacity makes it difficult for a cautious trader to gauge value before purchasing. In contrast, many regulated brokers now offer transparent prop-style challenges with clear, published fee schedules.

The 16 Trustpilot reviews paint a largely positive picture. Traders commend the customer support team for being ‘24/7’ and responsive, and several report that they passed their evaluations and received funded accounts without issue. One user stated, ‘I passed and received funding for the $10k package.’ Another emphasised, ‘Proper withdrawal and payout credit on time.’ Such testimonials suggest that, for at least some users, The 5%ers delivers on its promises.

However, FXCanary’s broader complaint dataset tells a more nuanced story. Two withdrawal-related grievances were logged, though they were not described in the sampled reviews. With only 16 reviews total, it is possible that these complaints represent a meaningful proportion of the user base. Prop firms often incentivise positive reviews through bonuses or competition entries, which can skew public sentiment. Thus, while the available feedback is encouraging, it should be interpreted with caution and is insufficient to override the risks posed by a lack of regulation.

Unlike traditional brokers, The 5%ers does not require a trading deposit. Instead, users pay an evaluation fee to enter a challenge. The payment methods accepted and the exact fee amounts are not disclosed on the website, which is a transparency shortfall. Practically, this means a trader cannot see the cost until they begin the sign-up process, making price comparison difficult.

When it comes to withdrawals, funded traders are paid a share of profits according to the contract. The handful of positive reviews claim payouts are ‘on time,’ but the two complaints in our data hint at possible delays or disputes. Without a regulator, a trader has no formal avenue to challenge a rejected payout. The onus is on the trader to trust the firm’s integrity, a risk that FXCanary considers unacceptable for all but the most adventurous speculators.

A consistent bright spot in the review record is customer support. Users repeatedly highlight that the team ‘operates 24/7,’ provides ‘quick responses,’ and is ‘always there when needed.’ One review noted that the firm even maintains a separate support channel for Promatch discounts, indicating attention to detail.

While excellent support is a positive attribute, it does not compensate for systemic risks. A responsive chat team can answer questions, but they cannot guarantee that a withdrawal request will be approved or that the company will remain solvent. In the absence of regulatory protections, support staff have no power to resolve serious financial disputes. The quality of support is a secondary factor compared with the fundamental safety of your funds.

The 5%ers does not reveal which trading platform funded traders will use. Most prop firms partner with MetaTrader 4 or MetaTrader 5, but without confirmation, it is impossible to know if traders will have access to their preferred charting tools, Expert Advisors, or mobile apps. The firm also does not list the instruments available for trading—whether forex pairs, commodities, indices, or cryptocurrencies.

This lack of transparency can lead to unwelcome surprises. A trader might purchase an evaluation only to discover that their strategy relies on an instrument that is not offered or that spreads are wider than expected. Seasoned traders expect this information to be upfront, and its absence is a red flag for professionalism and openness.

On Trustpilot, The 5%ers achieves a respectable 4.2/5, but the small sample of 16 reviews robs the score of statistical significance. Many scam-ridden firms have amassed better scores through fake or incentivised reviews. Forex Peace Army, a hub for seasoned retailer traders, has no listing for The 5%ers—an absence that suggests the firm has not yet been exposed to the scrutiny of a more demanding audience.

Aggregated industry databases that track scam reports and regulatory warnings assign The 5%ers a poor standing, primarily due to its unlicensed status. FXCanary’s internal methodology weighs the lack of regulation heavily, resulting in a Severe risk rating of 75/100. This confluence of factors—limited review volume, no Forex Peace Army presence, and industry-wide caution—should give any prospective client pause.

FXCanary’s investigation reveals a prop firm that has generated some satisfied customers but operates in a regulatory vacuum that leaves traders exposed. The positive reviews cannot be discounted, but they are too few to serve as a reliable barometer of trust. The two withdrawal complaints, while not detailed in the samples, underscore the potential for problems that cannot be resolved through official channels.

We assign The 5%ers a Scam Risk Score of 75 out of 100 (Severe). This does not mean it is definitively a scam—it may honour its promises most of the time. However, the absence of any license, the opaque fee structure, and the minimal public footprint pose risks that are, in our judgement, unacceptable for the typical retail trader. Only those willing to treat evaluation fees as sunk costs, and who have thoroughly researched the firm’s terms, can consider participating. For everyone else, we strongly recommend looking for regulated alternatives or at least prop firms with a longer, more transparent track record and independent oversight of their financial dealings.

If you are still drawn to The 5%ers, start with the smallest possible evaluation package to test the waters. Verify withdrawal terms, profit split percentages, and drawdown rules in writing before payment. Be wary of any pressure to upgrade or purchase add-ons. Keep records of all communications.

For long-term capital growth, consider regulated brokers that offer similar funded account programs under the oversight of bodies like the FCA or CySEC. These firms, while often more expensive, provide a legal safety net. Alternatively, look into building your own trading capital gradually, retaining full control of your funds at all times.