One Evaluation Phase
1-Step Challenge
A single assessment with one profit target and a static maximum drawdown. Accounts from $5,000 to $400,000.
- 10% profit target
- 5% daily loss limit
- 6% static drawdown
- No time limit
River Valley Capital / South African Traders
Prop Firm South Africa: Funded Trading Programmes for South African Traders
Looking for a prop firm that accepts traders in South Africa? River Valley Capital offers 1-Step, 2-Step and Instant Funding accounts from $5,000 to $500,000, with up to a 90% profit split. This guide shows the rules in local time and the points to check before you buy.
- 1-Step, 2-Step & Instant Funding
- Accounts up to $500,000
- Up to 90% Profit Split
- cTrader, DXtrade, MatchTrader, PropX
Last updated
Choose Your Route
Three Funded Trading Programmes for South African Traders
River Valley Capital offers three ways to trade a funded account. Each one has its own evaluation path and risk rules, so the right choice depends on how you trade, not on the headline account size.
Two Evaluation Phases
2-Step Challenge
Two assessment phases with separate targets and a wider static drawdown. Accounts from $5,000 to $500,000.
- 8% then 5% profit targets
- 5% daily loss limit
- 8% static drawdown
- No time limit
No Evaluation
Instant Funding
Start on a funded account without a challenge, with a trailing drawdown instead of a static one. Accounts from $5,000 to $100,000.
- No profit target
- 5% daily loss limit
- 8% trailing drawdown
- KYC needed before your first payout
Programme Comparison
Compare the Rules Side by Side
The table below sets out the main rules of each programme. Account sizes and fees are listed in US dollars, so the rand cost depends on your card or bank's exchange rate on the day you pay.
| Feature | 1-Step | 2-Step | Instant Funding |
|---|---|---|---|
| Account sizes (USD) | $5K to $400K | $5K to $500K | $5K to $100K |
| Evaluation phases | One | Two | None |
| Profit target | 10% | 8% / 5% | Not applicable |
| Daily loss limit | 5% | 5% | 5% |
| Maximum drawdown | 6% static | 8% static | 8% trailing |
| Time limit | None | None | Not applicable |
| Profit split | Up to 90% | Up to 90% | Up to 90% |
The standard profit split is 80%, and a 90% Profit Split Upgrade is available as an add-on. See current fees for every account size on the Accounts page.
South Africa Standard Time
Trading the Rules on South Africa Standard Time
Most prop firm rules are written in New York time. For a trader in South Africa, it helps to convert the key times before you start.
When the Daily Loss Limit Resets
River Valley Capital's daily loss limit resets each day at 5:00 PM New York time. In South Africa that is about midnight SAST when New York is on standard time, and about 11:00 PM SAST when the US is on daylight saving time. South Africa Standard Time does not change for daylight saving, so only the New York shift moves the reset.
Market Sessions
The London session opens in the South African morning and the New York session opens in the South African afternoon and evening, which is the busiest window for US pairs and indices.
News Events to Watch
Opening a position within 3 minutes before or after a news event is not allowed. Major US data releases, such as US employment and inflation figures, usually land in the South African evening, so check the economic calendar before trading at those times.
Trading Hours by Product
Trading hours are set by the liquidity provider for each product. You can check them inside the platform: in cTrader under the symbol's Market Hours, in DXtrade under Instrument Info, and in MatchTrader under the symbol's Info.
Before You Buy
What South African Traders Should Check First
A funded trading programme is a commercial agreement, so read the terms with the same care you would give any financial product. These are the points South African traders ask about most.
Eligibility
River Valley Capital accepts traders from all countries except OFAC-listed countries, subject to applicable laws and the company's discretion. You must be at least 18, or the minimum legal age where you live.
The FSCA and the SARB
In South Africa, the Financial Sector Conduct Authority (FSCA) regulates financial services and the South African Reserve Bank (SARB) runs exchange control. A funded programme is a private commercial arrangement in US dollars, so before you pay, check who you are contracting with, where that company is based, and how it describes its accounts. If you are unsure, take independent advice.
Funded Accounts Are Notionally Funded
After you pass an assessment, your funded account is notionally funded: the account size sets your trading level, and it may not match the capital held with the liquidity provider. This does not change your trading conditions.
Tax on Your Payouts
Funded traders are treated as independent contractors and are responsible for their own taxes. In South Africa, payouts are generally treated as income, and the South African Revenue Service (SARS) sets the rules. Speak to a South African tax adviser about your own situation.
Currency and Payments
Fees, account sizes and payouts are in US dollars. Your bank or card provider converts them to rand, so the final ZAR amount can move with the exchange rate, and SARB exchange-control rules may apply to international payments.
Verification
You will need to complete identity verification (KYC) and sign a trader agreement. For 1-Step and 2-Step accounts this happens after you pass, and the funded account is usually issued within 24 to 48 business hours. For Instant Funding it is needed before your first withdrawal.
Markets and Leverage
What You Can Trade
You can trade the products the liquidity provider streams into the platforms, including forex pairs and CFDs on indices, commodities, metals and cryptocurrencies.
| Market | Maximum leverage |
|---|---|
| Forex | 50:1 |
| Gold (XAUUSD) | 10:1 |
| Silver and other metals | 5:1 |
| Indices | 10:1 |
| Oil | 1:1 |
| Cryptocurrencies | 2:1 |
Trade on cTrader, DXtrade, MatchTrader or PropX (formerly GooeyPro). Expert advisors are allowed, within the programme's rules on prohibited trading.
Payouts
How Payouts Work for South African Traders
Your first withdrawal from a funded account can be requested at any time. After that, you can request a withdrawal once every 30 days from your trader dashboard. The standard split is 80% to you, or 90% with the Profit Split Upgrade add-on.
When a withdrawal is approved, River Valley Capital also takes its share of the gains, and the maximum drawdown locks at the account's starting balance unless you bought the Drawdown Lock Removal add-on. Withdrawing all of your profit would breach the maximum drawdown, so always leave a buffer. The prop firm payout calculator shows what you receive and a recommended withdrawal that keeps one.
For Instant Funding accounts, the minimum withdrawal is the greater of $100 or 1% of the starting balance. Read the full payout rules in the FAQ before you buy.
Get Started
How to Start a Funded Account From South Africa
- 01
Pick a Programme
Compare the 1-Step, 2-Step and Instant Funding rules above and choose the structure that suits your strategy and trading hours.
- 02
Choose Your Account Size
Open the account selector, pick an account size and platform, and review any add-ons before checkout. Fees are shown in US dollars.
- 03
Trade Within the Rules
Complete the evaluation if your programme has one. Keep track of the daily reset at about 11:00 PM to midnight SAST and avoid opening trades around news events.
- 04
Verify and Get Paid
Complete KYC and the trader agreement, then request withdrawals from your dashboard once every 30 days, after your first.
Frequently Asked Questions
Prop Firm South Africa FAQs
Can South African traders join River Valley Capital?
Yes. River Valley Capital accepts traders from all countries except OFAC-listed ones, subject to applicable laws and the company's discretion. You must be at least 18 years old and responsible for meeting any rules that apply in South Africa.
Is prop firm trading legal in South Africa?
The Financial Sector Conduct Authority (FSCA) regulates financial services in South Africa and the South African Reserve Bank (SARB) runs exchange control. A funded programme is a private commercial arrangement in US dollars, so check who you are contracting with and how it describes its accounts before you buy.
Do South African traders pay tax on prop firm payouts?
South African funded traders are independent contractors responsible for their own tax. Payouts are generally treated as income under South African Revenue Service (SARS) rules, so confirm your position with a South African tax adviser.
What time does the daily loss limit reset in South Africa?
The daily loss limit resets at 5:00 PM New York time, which is about midnight SAST on US standard time and about 11:00 PM SAST during US daylight saving time. South Africa Standard Time does not change for daylight saving.
Can I pay and get paid in rand (ZAR)?
Fees, account sizes and payouts are in US dollars, paid and withdrawn by bank wire, Rise or crypto. Your bank or card converts to rand, so the ZAR amount depends on the exchange rate, and SARB exchange-control rules may apply to international payments.
Which markets are best to trade from South Africa?
London opens in your morning and New York in your afternoon and evening, the busiest window for US pairs and indices. Leverage is up to 50:1 on forex, 10:1 on gold and indices, 5:1 on other metals, 1:1 on oil and 2:1 on crypto.
How do I pass a River Valley Capital challenge from South Africa?
Reach your programme's profit target without breaking the 5% daily loss limit or the maximum drawdown. Track the daily reset at about 11:00 PM to midnight SAST and avoid opening trades within 3 minutes of a news event.
Which account size should South African traders choose?
Account sizes run from $5,000 to $500,000 in US dollars, so your rand cost moves with the exchange rate. Pick the size whose daily loss limit matches how much you are comfortable risking in a day.
Which prop firm platforms can I use in South Africa?
River Valley Capital accounts run on cTrader, DXtrade, MatchTrader and PropX (formerly GooeyPro). Your own expert advisors and strategies are allowed within the prohibited-trading rules.
Who do South African traders contract with, and are fees refundable?
Assessments are run by Prop Account LLC, which receives the fee and signs the Trader Agreement with you if you qualify. River Valley Capital is the trading name of Xaura Evaluation Limited, a London company that remains responsible for its claims about the evaluations. Challenge fees and add-ons are non-refundable.
Your Next Step
Start Your Funded Account From South Africa
Compare the programmes, check the rules in South Africa Standard Time and choose the account size that fits your trading.