What Happened to Smart Prop Trader?
Smart Prop Trader is closed down as of 29 Dec 2024, after launching in Dec 2022. Smart Prop Trader, a forex/CFD prop firm from Austin, Texas, was founded by trader and YouTuber Blake Olson. Its evaluation programs went public in December 2022. On 27-28 November 2024 it posted on social media that new onboarding had stopped. It said operations would wind down by 29 December 2024 and hinted at an unnamed new venture. Until that cut-off, existing traders could keep trading and ask for payouts. Accounts bought in November 2024 at break-even or better could claim a full refund. Other accounts in good standing were promised individual follow-up. No relaunch came. The smartproptrader.com domain now redirects to SmartProfit FX, a separate Eightcap introducing-broker site, and sells no challenges.
Smart Prop Trader at a glance
- Current status
- Closed down
- Launched
- Dec 2022
- Ceased trading
- 29 Dec 2024
- Old website
- smartproptrader.com
- Trustpilot
- 4.3 · 2,507 reviews
Smart Prop Trader timeline
| When | What happened | Source |
|---|---|---|
| 22 Dec 2022 | An Austin, Texas press release launches the firm's challenges, verification stage and funded accounts | newsfilecorp.com |
| 6 Jan 2023 | A second press release introduces founder and CEO Blake Olson and funding of up to $400,000 | newsfilecorp.com |
| 27 Nov 2024 | Social media posts announce the wind-down, and onboarding of new traders stops | fastbull.com |
| 28 Nov 2024 | Industry press covers the closure: 29 December 2024 is the last operating day, and November buyers at break-even or better get refunds | financemagnates.com |
| 29 Dec 2024 | Last day of operations, as announced | fxprop.com |
| 29 Sep 2026 | smartproptrader.com sends a 302 redirect to smartprofitfx.com, an Eightcap introducing-broker site run by Smart Profit FX LLC. No prop challenges are sold there | smartprofitfx.com |
Were traders paid?
The firm promised normal payout processing until 29 December 2024. November 2024 purchases at break-even or in profit were to get full refunds. Other accounts in good standing were to be contacted one by one. No public record shows how fully it delivered. A few Trustpilot reviews posted after the closure (to May 2025) are 1-star complaints. They describe account bans, denied payouts and support that stopped answering.
Still waiting on money from a closed firm? Save your account statements, payout requests and every message. Look up the legal entity and jurisdiction named in its terms, and rely on official announcements. Third-party “fund recovery” services are a frequent scam.
Live firms to use instead of Smart Prop Trader
| # | Firm | Score | From | Per $10K | Payouts | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  FundingPips | 4.5 | $33 | $69.80 | Weekly | Go to site |
| 2 |  FundedNext | 4.4 | $32.99 | $65.99 | On request | Go to site |
| 3 |  The5ers | 4.3 | $22 | $65.80 | Every 14 days | Go to site |
| 4 |  Finotive Funding | 4.3 | $25 | $96.90 | Weekly | Go to site |
| 5 |  Equity Edge | 4.2 | $15 | $57.40 | Every 14 days | Go to site |
| 6 |  Atmos Funded | 4.1 | $28 | $56.70 | On request after 7 profitable days | Go to site |
| 7 |  Hola Prime | 4.1 | $39 | $77.40 | Every 14 days | Go to site |
| 8 |  FXIFY | 4.1 | $19 | $75.80 | Every 10 days | Go to site |
Operating forex firms with no open warnings, sorted by our score. You may also want our list of long-established prop firms and our guide to vetting a firm before paying.
Smart Prop Trader: common questions
Is Smart Prop Trader still in business?
No. Our records list it as closed down since 29 Dec 2024, checked on September 29, 2026. Smart Prop Trader, a forex/CFD prop firm from Austin, Texas, was founded by trader and YouTuber Blake Olson.
Were Smart Prop Trader traders paid?
The firm promised normal payout processing until 29 December 2024. November 2024 purchases at break-even or in profit were to get full refunds. Other accounts in good standing were to be contacted one by one. No public record shows how fully it delivered. A few Trustpilot reviews posted after the closure (to May 2025) are 1-star complaints. They describe account bans, denied payouts and support that stopped answering.
Which firms are good alternatives to Smart Prop Trader?
The top-scoring live forex firms in our data are FundingPips, FundedNext, The5ers.
Where the facts come from
- smartproptrader.com: site status today: 302 redirect to smartprofitfx.com
- smartprofitfx.com: where the domain now leads: an Eightcap IB site run by Smart Profit FX LLC
- newsfilecorp.com: Austin TX base and the Dec 2022 launch date
- newsfilecorp.com: the founder/CEO and the background of the launch
- financemagnates.com: the closure notice, its dates and the refund terms
- fastbull.com: when onboarding stopped, plus payout and refund terms
- fxprop.com: last day of operations
- wikifx.com: second source for the closure terms
- uk.trustpilot.com: TrustScore, number of reviews, and reviews written after the closure
Last reviewed September 29, 2026. Have more recent news? Let us know. Browse the full list of prop firms that closed.