Prop firms · 14 November 2026 · 8 min
Prop Firm Match Scandal: Affiliate Redirects Explained
Prop Firm Match scandal: affiliate redirects, around 21 brands cut ties and $10,000 a month to be listed. What happened and whether it affects you.
In short: the Prop Firm Match scandal, involving the biggest prop firm comparison site, broke on 29 October 2026 when a trader showed that some clicks on the site sent users through affiliate links. Around 21 brands cut ties with the platform within days. Two weeks on, the lesson for you is clear: a ranking that earns commissions is not an audit, and you should verify any prop firm yourself.
If you are wondering what happened with Prop Firm Match, here is the short answer: on Thursday 29 October 2026 a trader known as Kane (@traderkane) posted a video on X showing that when you clicked a firm's profile or the button to copy a discount code, the original tab was routed through that firm's affiliate link. Prop Firm Match admitted it: "This should not have happened. We take full responsibility for it," as reported by Finance Magnates.
Below you will find a verified timeline, what the cookie stuffing the site is accused of actually means, which firms have left, what remains unclear and, above all, what it means for you if you are thinking of paying for a funded trader challenge. We do not recommend any particular firm.
What happened with Prop Firm Match?
Prop Firm Match, a site that compares prop firms and earns commissions on challenges bought through its links and codes, had code that, on certain clicks, sent users through a firm's affiliate link even though they had not asked to visit that firm's website. That allowed it to claim commissions on purchases users might have made anyway.
Timeline of the scandal
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| 30 November 2025 | Earliest archived copy of the redirect code found on the Internet Archive, according to an analysis by Alex Firdaus, editor of FundedTrading.com and therefore a competitor, cited by Finance Magnates without verification |
| 24 October 2026 | An archived copy still shows the redirect active (FinanceFeeds) |
| 29 October | Kane posts the video on X; the site says it disabled the redirect that day, and FinanceFeeds finds it already disabled around midnight UTC on the 30th |
| 30 October | Apex Trader Funding, Tradeify, Goat Funded Trader and Topstep announce they are cutting ties |
| 31 October | Prop Firm Match publicly acknowledges the behaviour, according to FinanceFeeds' timeline |
| 2 November | According to Finance Magnates, around 21 brands have broken with the platform, which still has 38 partners |
| 3 November | TradeInformer reports that, according to internal documents, the project began in October 2025 |
What is cookie stuffing and why does it matter?
Cookie stuffing (forced affiliate cookies or links) means placing an affiliate cookie or tag in a user's browser without the user knowingly clicking an affiliate link. If the user later buys from that merchant, the commission goes to whoever placed the tag, even if the user arrived by another route.
Prop Firm Match denies placing hidden cookies or scripts and says the mechanism ran within its own code, with no hidden iframes or invisible pixels, and did not change prices or discounts for traders. According to its preliminary review, the effect on attribution amounted to a "low single-digit percentage" of commissions (Finance Magnates).
TradeInformer tells a different story: according to internal documents it says it has seen, at least one prop firm saw the commissions it paid the site more than double after the code was introduced (TradeInformer). Neither figure has been independently verified.
Which prop firms have cut ties with Prop Firm Match
Firms with public announcements confirmed by the industry press are Apex Trader Funding, Tradeify (which also pulled the site's sponsorship of its Premier Trading League), Goat Funded Trader and Topstep. Finance Magnates put the number of brands that had left at around 21 by 2 November, including Lucid Trading, FundingPips and Blue Guardian. According to the same outlet, others such as FTMO, The5ers, FundedNext and E8 Markets were still listed three days later.
Whether a firm stays or leaves says nothing about its quality: it is a commercial decision. So this list should not be read as a ranking of good or bad prop firms.
The most surprising detail: paying to be listed
Topstep founder Michael Patak said his company paid $10,000 a month to be listed, with no affiliate code, and that its best ranking was sixth. Prop Firm Match states in its standards that "Listings are not automatic and cannot be purchased," as reported by FinanceFeeds. For many traders, that contradiction matters more than the code itself.
Why this scandal affects every trader seeking funding
Prop Firm Match is not a small site: according to the platform's own figures reported by Finance Magnates, it has had more than 25 million visits and 370,000 members over three years. Many traders choose their prop firm based on its rankings, reviews and discount codes. The case leaves three lessons:
- A comparison site with affiliate deals has a conflict of interest. It earns more if you buy certain challenges. That is neither illegal nor necessarily bad, but it does mean its ordering is not neutral by definition.
- "Top rated" is not the same as "audited". A ranking summarises opinions and its own criteria; it does not check real payouts to traders or account results.
- Discounts do not change the risk. A cheaper challenge is still an evaluation that many accounts fail.
How to check for yourself whether a link is an affiliate link
You do not need to be a programmer. Before paying for a challenge, do this:
- Look at the full address of the checkout page: parameters such as ?ref=, ?aff=, ?via=, ?a_aid= or utm_source= with a website's name show that someone is earning from your visit.
- Watch your tabs: if clicking on a comparison site also changes the tab you came from, be wary.
- Clear the prop firm site's cookies or use a private window and type the address yourself if you do not want anyone to claim the purchase. Note: this does not change the base price, only who gets the commission, although it may cost you a discount tied to a code.
- Read the comparison site's disclosure: a serious site explains that it earns commissions and how it orders its ranking.
Checklist: is this comparison site neutral?
| Question | Good sign | Red flag |
|---|---|---|
| Does it disclose that it earns commissions? | Yes, somewhere visible | It does not say or hides it |
| Does it explain how the ranking is ordered? | Public, fixed method | "Top rated" with no criteria |
| Do firms pay to be listed? | No, or it says so on each listing | Undisclosed monthly fees |
| Does it publish bad news about its partners? | Yes | Never |
Affiliate rankings versus audited results
| Criterion | Affiliate ranking | Audited results |
|---|---|---|
| Who pays | The listed firms, through commission or fees | Nobody pays to rank higher |
| What it measures | Opinions, rules and its own criteria | Real account data |
| Conflict of interest | Yes, even if disclosed | Minimal if the method is public |
| What it tells you | Which firms are popular | What an account has actually done |
How to choose a prop firm without relying on a ranking
Before paying for any challenge, these checks will protect you more than any list:
- Read the full rules, not the summary: maximum daily loss, overall drawdown (static or trailing), minimum trading days, news and weekend rules. You can model how much room each rule leaves you with our drawdown calculator.
- Look for proof of payouts that does not come from the firm itself or its affiliates.
- Check who is behind it: company, country, years in business and the broker or platform it uses.
- Size each trade to fit the daily loss rule with our position size calculator.
- Ask why a firm is being recommended to you: if the person recommending it earns a commission, they should say so clearly.
If you want to see results verified with account data, you can browse the directory of audited traders, with the same critical eye: an audit shows the past and does not guarantee future results. You will find more industry analysis on our prop firms blog.
Scenarios: what could happen next
- Review and compensation: Prop Firm Match has said it will review the affected commissions with its partners. If it publishes full figures and refunds any overpayments, some firms could return.
- Claims: Khaled of FundingPips said the firm is forfeiting that month's commissions and considering financial claims, according to FinanceFeeds. If others follow, the case could end up in court.
What to watch in the coming weeks
- Whether Prop Firm Match publishes the full results of its review, including how many clicks, sales and commissions were affected, which it has not yet detailed.
- Whether any of the firms that left confirm claims or return to the platform.
- Whether other comparison and review sites disclose how they order their listings and how much they earn.
Risks that do not change
Scandal or not, paying for a funded challenge means paying for an evaluation you may fail, and funded accounts are usually simulated. Only trade with money you can afford to lose, understand CFD leverage and read our risk warning. Nothing in this article is a recommendation to buy a challenge or to use any firm.
Frequently asked questions
Is Prop Firm Match legit?
The site has admitted that some of its clicks routed users through affiliate links without them asking, and that this "should not have happened". Its data may still be useful, but you should cross-check it and bear in mind that it earns commissions from the firms it lists.
Am I affected if I bought a challenge through Prop Firm Match?
According to the site itself, the mechanism did not change prices or discounts for traders. What was affected would be who received the commission, not what you paid. If in doubt, ask your prop firm directly.
What is cookie stuffing?
It means placing an affiliate tag in a user's browser without the user knowingly clicking an affiliate link, in order to collect the commission on a later purchase.
Which prop firms have left Prop Firm Match?
With confirmed announcements: Apex Trader Funding, Tradeify, Goat Funded Trader and Topstep. Finance Magnates counted around 21 brands as of 2 November 2026.
How can I tell if a prop firm is legit?
Read the full rules, look for independent proof of payouts, check the company behind it and be wary of recommendations that do not disclose that they earn a commission.