Review
Blue Guardian review: crypto challenge from $19
Blue Guardian is a forex-and-futures house that also lists crypto pairs at 1:2 with zero commission, priced from $20 for a 5k 1 Step Nano account and $299 for the 100k 1 Step Standard. The terms are unusually explicit, but the 85% default split and 3% payout fee mean the advertised 90% and 'fast payouts' both cost extra.
Every figure below comes from Blue Guardian's own published terms, linked at the foot of this page. We have not traded this account and this is not a rating out of five.
The four numbers
- Cheapest challenge$19 for a 5,000 account$3.76 per $1,000 at the $25k size
- Profit split85% default, 90% with paid add-on$104 of profit to clear the fee
- PayoutsInstant accounts on-demand; challenge accounts every 14 days, 7-day add-on; processing within 24 business hoursCrypto (BTC/ETH/USDT, $100 min, under $5,000) / Rise Works (bank, $500 min)
- Drawdown and rules6% trailing, 4% daily (1 Step Standard)$1,500 of room on a $25k balance
With code NOV30 at checkout: the 5,000 1 Step Nano falls from $26.66 to $19, and the 5,000 Instant Starter from $27 to $11. The firm's own page presents this code as a dated promotion rather than a standing offer, so the list figure is what it charges once the code stops.
Every figure in this panel comes from Blue Guardian's own pages, linked in the sections below. Where a firm publishes nothing, this says so rather than filling the gap.
Key terms
| Challenge formats | 1-step / 2-step / instant / pay later |
|---|---|
| Price for a $25k account | $94 (1 Step Standard, listed at $134; its 2 Step Nano costs $47) |
| Profit split | 85% default, 90% with paid add-on |
| Drawdown | 6% to 10% of room, depending on the plan. Each plan's own limit is in the table below. |
| Profit target | 9% (1 Step Standard) / 10% (1 Step Nano) / 8% then 4% (2 Step Standard) / 8% then 5% (2 Step Nano) / no pass mark (Instant) - four of the five set a pass mark and one sets none. Per-plan table |
| Leverage | Forex 1:50 (1:100 on 1 Step Standard challenge), indices/metals 1:10-1:20, crypto 1:2 |
| Maximum allocation | $400,000 active funded allocation; scaling plan to $4,000,000 |
| KYC | Before payout |
| Payout methods | Crypto (BTC/ETH/USDT, $100 min, under $5,000) / Rise Works (bank, $500 min) |
| Payout speed | Instant accounts on-demand; challenge accounts every 14 days, 7-day add-on; processing within 24 business hours |
| Instruments | Forex, indices, gold and commodities, cryptocurrencies; crypto commission $0 |
| Platforms | MT5, Match Trader, TradeLocker (US clients: Match Trader and TradeLocker only); futures side adds NinjaTrader, Tradovate, TradingView, DeepCharts |
| Restricted countries | Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Cuba, Iran, Jordan, Libya, Myanmar, North Korea, Philippines, Senegal, Syria, Vietnam |
| Instant plan | Instant Standard |
| Instant split at first payout | 80%, 90% with the split add-on |
| Instant drawdown | 6% trailing; daily 3% |
| First instant payout | On demand after five profitable days of at least 0.5% each |
All challenge prices
| Account size | Format | Fee |
|---|---|---|
| $5,000 | 1 Step Nano | $19list $26.66 |
| $10,000 | 1 Step Nano | $27list $38.66 |
| $25,000 | 1 Step Nano | $55list $78.66 |
| $50,000 | 1 Step Nano | $112list $160 |
| $100,000 | 1 Step Nano | $224list $320 |
| $200,000 | 1 Step Nano | $410list $585 |
| $5,000 | 1 Step Standard | $28list $40 |
| $10,000 | 1 Step Standard | $46list $66 |
| $25,000 | 1 Step Standard | $94list $134 |
| $50,000 | 1 Step Standard | $140list $200 |
| $100,000 | 1 Step Standard | $279list $398 |
| $200,000 | 1 Step Standard | $515list $736 |
| $5,000 | 2 Step Standard | $22list $32 |
| $10,000 | 2 Step Standard | $53list $75 |
| $25,000 | 2 Step Standard | $108list $154 |
| $50,000 | 2 Step Standard | $162list $232 |
| $100,000 | 2 Step Standard | $324list $463 |
| $200,000 | 2 Step Standard | $651list $930 |
| $25,000 | 2 Step Nano | $47list $66.66 |
| $50,000 | 2 Step Nano | $89list $127 |
| $100,000 | 2 Step Nano | $167list $239 |
| $200,000 | 2 Step Nano | $322list $460 |
| $5,000 | Instant | $50list $72 |
| $10,000 | Instant | $70list $100 |
| $25,000 | Instant | $146list $208 |
| $50,000 | Instant | $227list $324 |
| $100,000 | Instant | $436list $623 |
| $200,000 | Instant | $668list $954 |
| $400,000 | Instant | $1,540list $2,200 |
| $5,000 | Instant Starter | $11list $27 |
Price ladder read from the firm's own pricing page, at the fee its banner code charges, with the list price beside each row. Drawdown at 25k by format: 1 Step Standard and 1 Step Nano 6% trailing with 4% daily; 2 Step Standard 8% static with 4% daily; 2 Step Nano 10% static with 3% daily; Instant 6% trailing with 3% daily.
Rows above that show a list figure are the amount Blue Guardian charges with code NOV30, which it displays beside those prices; the list figure is what it charges without the code.
"List" is the firm's own advertised price for that row - a calculator figure, the regular price in its checkout, or the price a code it publishes is applied to - where the fee charged is different; the fee beside it is what its checkout takes.
Some links on this page are affiliate links: we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. It does not change the fee you pay or the terms described above.
Every plan, its own rules
Blue Guardian sells six models and the rules are not interchangeable. The same menu holds a 6% limit beside a 10% one.
| Plan | Profit target | Max drawdown | Daily loss | Split | Entry fee |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 Step Standard | 9% | 6% trailing | 4% daily | 85% default, 90% with paid add-on | $28 at $5,000 code NOV30 |
| 1 Step Nano | 10% | 6% trailing | 4% daily | 85% default, 90% with paid add-on | $19 at $5,000 code NOV30 |
| 2 Step Standard | 8% then 4% | 8% static | 4% daily | 85% default, 90% with paid add-on | $22 at $5,000 code NOV30 |
| 2 Step Nano | 8% then 5% | 10% static | 3% daily | 85% default, 90% with paid add-on | $47 at $25,000 code NOV30 |
| Instant | No target: no evaluation stage | 6% trailing | 3% daily | 85% default, 90% with paid add-on | $50 at $5,000 code NOV30 |
| Instant Starter | No pass mark: an instant-funding account is funded from the first trade. | Trailing drawdown of $250 on a $5,000 account - the loss limit follows your highest balance, so profits raise the floor. | No separate daily limit is published for the Instant Starter. | 90% | $11 at $5,000 code NOV30 |
Five of the six state a daily loss limit of their own, and the other one states there is none.
Entry fee is the cheapest size each plan is sold at, the same rows the ladder above prices. Where a code cuts a fee, the code is named beside it. Every figure is the firm's own wording, read from the plan pages linked under Sources.
The rules that decide whether you pass
Blue Guardian sells 1-step / 2-step / instant / pay later challenges; on its $25k account, hit 9% (1 Step Standard) before breaching 6% trailing, 4% daily (1 Step Standard). Leverage is Forex 1:50 (1:100 on 1 Step Standard challenge), indices/metals 1:10-1:20, crypto 1:2 and the account is traded on MT5, Match Trader, TradeLocker (US clients: Match Trader and TradeLocker only); futures side adds NinjaTrader, Tradovate, TradingView, DeepCharts. Forex, indices, gold and commodities, cryptocurrencies; crypto commission $0 are available, so the instrument set is broad enough that position sizing matters more than the rules do.
A further live KYC/AML check can run during payout review. Challenge accounts are not gated, and the terms contain no KYC clause.
“KYC is only required before submitting your first payout request on funded and instant accounts.”
Source: the firm's own page, read 2026-11-08. Our classification: Before payout.
Two practical warnings for this structure. A 6% trailing, 4% daily drawdown (1 Step Standard) is tighter than it looks: a 3% overnight move on a large position is normal in crypto and can end the account in one candle. And the profit split of 85% default, 90% with paid add-on applies to profit you withdraw, not to the account balance, so plan the first payout before you start rather than after you pass.
Payouts and verification
How it pays
Rails: Crypto (BTC/ETH/USDT, $100 min, under $5,000) / Rise Works (bank, $500 min)
Timing: Instant accounts on-demand; challenge accounts every 14 days, 7-day add-on; processing within 24 business hours
3% processing fee on every payout; first two payouts on 200K/300K/400K instant accounts capped at $10,000 each.
Before you request
Verification: Before payout - A further live KYC/AML check can run during payout review. Challenge accounts are not gated, and the terms contain no KYC clause.
Restricted: Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Cuba, Iran, Jordan, Libya, Myanmar, North Korea, Philippines, Senegal, Syria, Vietnam
Support: what this firm publishes about its own support - channels, stated hours, any response-time claim in its own words.
Confirm the network for any USDT, BTC or ETH withdrawal and the minimum payout on the firm's dashboard before you trade to the target; those two settings, not the split, are what turn a payout into a delay.
Strengths and trade-offs
What it does well
- Cheapest crypto-capable account in this set at $20 for 5k (1 Step Nano)
- Crypto pairs offered at 1:2 with $0 commission, so weekend trading is possible
- Payouts in USDT/BTC/ETH under $5,000 with a stated 24-business-hour processing window
- Five ladders (1-step, 2-step, Nano, Standard, Instant) with ladders published per size on the firm's own page
What costs you
- 85% default split, not 90%: the headline 90% is a paid checkout add-on
- Payouts carry a 3% processing fee, and crypto is limited to under $5,000 (Rise bank minimum is $500)
- Crypto leverage of 1:2 and no crypto market page: crypto is a side market on a forex/futures firm
- KYC before first payout, so an unverified trader can pass a challenge and then be refused
Who it suits, and who it does not
Suits: Traders who want a cheap, well-documented challenge and will pay crypto or Rise for payouts, and who treat crypto as one market among several.
Does not suit: Crypto-only traders who need leverage above 1:2, weekend-only crypto strategies, or a firm whose entire rulebook is built around on-chain payouts.
How it compares with the rest of the list
At the $25k size Blue Guardian sits at $94 for its 1 Step Standard account with a split of 85% default, 90% with paid add-on and a 6% trailing, 4% daily drawdown (1 Step Standard). The firms that undercut it charge less for the challenge but usually ask for a tighter drawdown or a one-step target, and the firms that publish wider room to trade ask more up front. If the deciding factor for you is the split rather than the fee, read the side-by-side comparison before choosing.
Sources
- Price ladder per size and per challenge type (1 Step Standard/Nano, 2 Step Standard/Nano, Instant), drawdown, targets, leverage
- Cryptocurrencies listed as a tradable market; crypto leverage 1:2, $0 crypto commission; MT5, Match Trader, TradeLocker
- Profit splits (85% default funded, 90% add-on, 80% instant), crypto vs Rise minimums, 24h processing, 3% fee, payout caps
- KYC before first payout, $400,000 max funded allocation, restricted countries, scaling to $4M
- 'Blue Guardian launched in 2027' (founding year)
- Registered entity Blue Guardian Limited, Saint Lucia; Iconic Exchange FZCO, Dubai
- Max drawdown per model: 6% trailing on the 1 Step, 8% and 10% static on the 2 Step models
Copied from the firm's own pages. If a term has changed since, tell us at research@cryptopropfirms.com and we will re-check it against the firm's own wording.
Head to head
- Blue Guardian vs Crypto Fund Trader
- Blue Guardian vs Bitfunded
- Blue Guardian vs HyroTrader
- Blue Guardian vs Breakout Prop Firm
- Blue Guardian vs Upscale
- Blue Guardian vs Fundedbit
- Blue Guardian vs Kraken Prop
- Blue Guardian vs Propr
- Blue Guardian vs FXIFY
- Blue Guardian vs Velotrade
- Blue Guardian vs Funded Trader Markets
- Blue Guardian vs Instant Funding
- Blue Guardian vs FX2 Funding
- Blue Guardian vs For Traders
- Blue Guardian vs City Traders Imperium
- Blue Guardian vs FundedNext
- Blue Guardian vs DNA Funded
- Blue Guardian vs E8Markets
- Blue Guardian vs AquaFunded
- Blue Guardian vs MyFundedPerps
The rules that end accounts
Every firm here publishes a fee and a split. These are the terms that decide whether the account survives a bad week, taken from Blue Guardian's own rules page and quoted verbatim under the table.
| Maximum drawdown type | Trails your high-water mark |
|---|---|
| Daily loss limit | 3-4% 4% on 1 Step Standard, 1 Step Nano and 2 Step Standard; 3% on 2 Step Nano and Instant; none on Instant Starter |
| Consistency rule | No 1 Step has none; Instant applies 20% |
| Minimum trading days | 3 days |
| News trading | Blocked |
| Weekend holding | Allowed |
| Cap on a single payout | none on 1 Step; $10k cap on first two payouts for 200k+ Instant |
1 step standard maximum drawdown will remain at 6% trailing of your Highest Watermark Closing Trade made. On drawdown, from https://help.blueguardian.com/en/articles/14062186-1-step-standard-rules
Where a firm runs several plans with different rules, the field says so rather than picking the flattering one. "Not published" means the page we read does not say.
Position and per-trade limits
| Largest position | Not published |
|---|---|
| Risk per trade | Not published |
| Open positions | Not published |
| Hedging | Allowed within one account; strictly prohibited between accounts. |
| Bots and EAs | EAs allowed when configured to your own strategy. |
| Other limits | Gambling rule: margin usage above 80% in any running trade is treated as all-or-nothing trading. |
Read from https://help.blueguardian.com/en/articles/14062186-1-step-standard-rules. Where a firm publishes nothing, this says so rather than assuming a limit.
Other firms
- Crypto Fund Trader review - Two-step, no time limit
- Bitfunded review - Coins first, 100+ of them, plus 20 TradFi pairs
Related: what a $25k challenge costs · firms that pay in USDT · KYC at signup vs payout.