Vortex Capital Group

Trading Program

The prop firm built for real equity day traders

Sterling Trader Pro. Multiple HTB vendors. Low-ADV symbols. 80%+ profit share, paid monthly. If you know what those mean, you belong here.

Apply to Trade with Vortex

No subscription challenges. Real markets, real infrastructure, and a partnership built on aligned incentives.

The Vortex Advantage

This is what real infrastructure looks like

Direct Market Access. Zero middlemen.

Sterling Trader Pro is the gold standard for professional equity day traders. Your orders go directly to the exchange — no payment for order flow, no internal crossing, no broker between you and your fill. When you see the price, you can hit it.

The locates your retail broker will never have

Most retail brokers have one borrow desk; when inventory is gone, it's gone. Vortex works with multiple HTB locate vendors, pulling from sources your broker doesn't even have a relationship with. Short the stocks that actually move.

Low-ADV trading is a specialty, not a restriction

Low average-daily-volume stocks are where intraday momentum creates explosive, repeatable setups — and where retail brokers put up the most friction. We support traders who focus on low-float, low-ADV names where price discovery is fastest.

Route to where the liquidity actually is

Best-in-class smart routing finds the optimal execution venue — lit exchange, ECN, or dark pool — based on real-time conditions. Pair it with DMA and you're executing at a level most retail traders never experience.

80%+ of what you make. Every month.

No drawn-out evaluation gauntlets, no 45-day payout reviews. Qualified traders trade firm-backed accounts on professional infrastructure and keep 80%+ of net profits, paid monthly for the prior month. Account structure and risk parameters are set with you individually.

A real desk behind you

Onboarding, route configuration, locate workflow, and risk parameters are set up with you — and the desk's research (see Trading Insights) is built into the tools you trade with.

Who we're looking for

We want traders who…

  • At least 6 months of consistent day trading experience
  • Understand Level 2, tape reading, or order flow analysis
  • Trade with a defined strategy and risk management framework
  • Frustrated with the execution quality at your current broker
  • Short small-cap momentum stocks and constantly hit the HTB wall
  • Take 10+ trades per week in equities
  • Profitable (or near profitable) and know infrastructure is your limiting factor

If that's you, we want to talk.

How it works

Four steps to the desk

01

Apply

Submit a brief application about your trading background, strategy, and what you currently trade. This is not an evaluation challenge — it's a conversation.

02

Interview

A brief call to understand your style, your edge, and what you need to perform. We're looking for evidence of process and discipline, not perfection.

03

Onboarding

Get set up on Sterling Trader Pro, configure your routes, and learn your HTB locate tools. We walk you through everything.

04

Trade

Trade your strategy on Vortex infrastructure, within agreed risk parameters — and keep 80%+ of the upside.

FAQ

Frequently asked questions

Is this an evaluation/challenge model?+

No. Vortex is a traditional proprietary trading arrangement, not a subscription challenge. We bring on experienced traders to trade firm-backed accounts on professional infrastructure, with the specifics agreed individually.

What's the minimum experience required?+

Demonstrated experience in equity day trading — ideally at least 6 months of active trading with a clear, repeatable strategy. We assess this during the application conversation.

What does the payout structure look like?+

Traders keep 80%+ of net profits, processed monthly for the prior calendar month's performance. The exact split and account terms are confirmed during onboarding.

How does the HTB locate process work?+

Through relationships with multiple locate vendors, Vortex accesses HTB inventory across several borrow desks simultaneously. Requesting locates is integrated into your trading workflow on Sterling Trader Pro.

Can I trade any stock?+

Vortex supports trading in low-ADV, small-cap, and micro-cap names that many retail brokers restrict. Specific guidelines and risk parameters are outlined during onboarding.

How is the account structured?+

Vortex backs traders with firm-funded accounts and aligns incentives so both sides share in the outcome. The specific account structure — including any risk-aligned contribution — is discussed individually once we've spoken, and depends on your experience and track record.

What is Sterling Trader Pro?+

A professional-grade DMA platform widely considered the gold standard for active equity day traders at prop firms — direct exchange routing, advanced order types, Level 2 market data, and full hotkey customization.

How do smart routes work?+

Smart routing algorithms analyze real-time liquidity across exchanges and ECNs to determine the optimal destination for your order at execution time, prioritizing execution quality — not payment for order flow.

Stop trading with one hand tied behind your back

The locates. The platform. The routes. The profit share. If you're consistently putting in the work and your broker's infrastructure is the ceiling — let's talk. Applications are reviewed within 48 hours.

Apply to Join Vortex