running multiple prop accounts simultaneously, how do you manage it

[carterw]

i have funded accounts at 3 prop firms now (ftmo, alpha, blueguardian) totaling about $700k notional. the challenge: each has different rules, different daily loss limits, different news restrictions.

trying to figure out the best way to manage this practically. options i see:

1. trade identical setups across all 3 (correlation risk, all blow at once)
2. trade different strategies on each (mental overhead, slower to spot what's working)
3. use one as primary and others as 'validation' running the same strategy as test
4. some kind of risk allocation framework

anyone running multiple props successfully sharing their management approach?

[darkhorizon]

ive been running 4 accounts for 2 years. my approach: same core strategy across all, but slightly different parameters to deal with each firm's specific rules. ftmo gets standard, alpha gets a slightly less aggressive version to fit their consistency rules, blueguardian gets a tighter daily DD version. one trading desk, three rule-adapted versions.

[tylerg]

the practical issue you mentioned (correlation risk) is the big one. if you trade identical setups and all 3 hit the same losing trade you blow 3 accounts at once. parameter variation across firms is how to mitigate. its not free though - you lose performance on each firm slightly.

[Logan]

is it worth doing multiple prop accounts in the first place? feels like more risk than reward to me

[nathanx]

depends on your capital efficiency goals. if your strategy can scale to 10 lots per signal but a single $200k account caps you at 5 lots due to risk rules, running 2 props lets you express your full position size. for traders well below their strategy capacity, multiple props is just complication for no gain.

[northlight]

i tried 3 props for 6 months and the mental overhead crushed me different rules different platforms different login workflows. dropped to 1 and my actual performance went UP because i could focus. multiple prop only works if you're systematic not discretionary

[justin_98]

+1 on the systematic vs discretionary distinction. for an algo trader running 3 props is just deploying the same algo on 3 funded accounts. for a discretionary trader its like having 3 jobs simultaneously.

[Brandon Lee]

$700k notional, no skin in the game on any of it. you're a fund manager without the responsibilities. enjoy

[mattlive]

my practical framework: ftmo gets 50% of weekly trading activity, alpha gets 30%, blueguardian gets 20%. allocation reflects how comfortable i am with each firm's rules. payouts are split similarly. doesnt eliminate correlation but reduces concentration risk if one firm has issues.

[lowkeysam]

one prop. focus.