Blue Guardian

Blue Guardian review: our verdict

Blue Guardian is a forex and CFD prop firm whose simulated trading is run by Blue Guardian Limited in Saint Lucia. Payment processing goes through Iconic Exchange FZCO, and the operational office is in Dubai. It suits traders who run their own EAs, want weekend holding, and like a static drawdown on the 2-step model, with the fee refunded after the fourth payout. It is a weaker fit for traders who let funded trades sit in deep floating losses, because the Guardian Shield rule closes positions at a 2% floating loss and permanently cuts the split after a first trigger.

Other trade-offs are a 3% processing fee on payouts, an offshore operating entity and a Trustpilot rating that is currently withheld. Blue Guardian holds a FundedTime score of 7.0/10 and ranks 7th of the 11 forex and CFD firms we track. See our methodology for how scores are built.

Programs and pricing

Blue Guardian's help center lists these current CFD models:

• 2 Step Standard: two evaluation phases with an 8% static maximum loss.
• 1 Step Standard: one phase with a 6% trailing maximum loss that locks at the starting balance.
• 1 Step Nano and 2 Step Nano: variants on a 7-day payout cycle with an optional 100% split add-on. We did not review their full rules.
• Instant Standard and Instant Starter: direct funded accounts with no profit target. Instant Starter allows one payout of up to $250, after which the account closes.
• Buy Now Pay Later: a deferred-payment model with its own rule page.

Older 1 Step Pro, 2 Step Pro and 3 Step accounts are listed as legacy models.

The official forex page shows one price grid, in US dollars, whose rules panel matches the Instant Standard account. It does not label prices by model, so we cannot confirm per-model prices for the 1-step and 2-step evaluations. With the November promotion (code NOV30, 30% off) applied, the grid showed:

Fees are one-time. For accounts bought on or after 21 January 2026, the evaluation fee is refunded with the fourth payout, but not on Instant Starter and not if the account is hard-breached first. Add-ons sold at checkout include a 90% split and 7-day payouts. We did not find a published reset price.

Trading rules explained

Profit targets

2 Step Standard needs 8% in Phase 1 and 4% in Phase 2. 1 Step Standard needs 9% for accounts bought from 20 August, while older accounts keep a 10% target. Instant accounts have no target. Passing an evaluation triggers a final review before the funded account is issued. There is no time limit.

Daily loss limit

The daily limit is 4% of the initial balance on the 1-step and 2-step models, and 3% on Instant Standard. It resets at 5pm EST. The new day's floor is the higher of balance or equity at the reset, minus the limit. So if you hold a floating profit overnight, the floor moves up with it. With no open trades, the floor is simply the closed balance minus the limit.

Maximum drawdown

2 Step Standard uses a static 8% floor measured against equity, including open trades. On $100,000 that floor is $92,000, and it never moves. 1 Step Standard and Instant Standard use a 6% trailing floor that follows the highest closed balance. Once you are 6% in profit, it locks at the starting balance, and a 1% buffer of the initial balance must then stay in the account after any payout.

Minimum trading days

Evaluations need 3 profitable days (5 for 2-step accounts bought before 20 August). A profitable day is one with at least 0.5% profit, and the days do not have to be consecutive. Instant Standard needs 5 such days per payout.

Consistency rules

The 1-step and 2-step help articles do not list a consistency rule. Instant Standard has one: no single day can make up 20% or more of the period's profit (15% on $300,000 and $400,000 instant accounts). Breaking it blocks payout requests but does not breach the account.

Guardian Shield

On funded accounts, if the combined floating loss reaches 2% of the account (1% on instant accounts), all open trades are closed automatically. This is a soft breach, so you can keep trading. The first trigger permanently cuts your profit split to 50%, and a second trigger breaches the account. This rule matters more than the headline drawdown for anyone who holds losing positions for a long time.

News trading

News trading is allowed during evaluations. On funded accounts you may not open or close trades within 5 minutes before or after high-impact (red folder) news or FOMC events on affected instruments. Profits from such trades can be removed, though this is not treated as an account violation. Instant Standard accounts bought after 13 November 2025 cannot news trade at all.

EAs, copy trading and hedging

EAs are allowed if you set them up for your own strategy, and VPNs or VPS are allowed unless they are used to get around copy or group-trading rules. Copy trading is allowed only between accounts you legally own. Hedging is allowed within one account but not across accounts. HFT, tick scalping, arbitrage and trade emulators are banned, and trades held under 2 minutes may be flagged. Using more than 80% of margin on a running trade counts as gambling.

Weekend, overnight holding and inactivity

Overnight and weekend holding are allowed on all account types. Each account needs at least one trade every 30 days, counted from when the account is created, or it is breached for inactivity.

Worked example

Take a $100,000 2 Step Standard account in Phase 1:

• Profit target: 8%, so a balance of $108,000.
• Daily limit: 4% of the initial balance, or $4,000 below the day's starting point.
• Static maximum loss floor: $92,000.
• Profitable day: at least 0.5%, or $500.

1. Day 1: you gain $1,200 and are flat at the reset. Balance $101,200. This counts as a profitable day (1 of 3).
2. Day 2: the floor for the day is $97,200 ($101,200 minus $4,000). You lose $2,500 and close at $98,700, staying above the floor. At the 5pm reset you hold a trade showing $1,000 of floating profit, so equity is $99,700 and the next day's floor becomes $95,700.
3. Day 3: you close that trade and others for a $3,000 gain on the day. Balance $101,700 (profitable day 2 of 3).
4. Day 4: you gain $2,600. Balance $104,300 (profitable day 3 of 3).
5. Day 5: you gain $3,900. Balance $108,200. The target is met with more than three profitable days, and the account goes to final review.

Phase 2 needs 4% ($104,000) under the same limits. Once funded, the Guardian Shield closes everything if floating losses reach $2,000. If you later request a payout on $5,000 of profit at the 85% split, your share is $4,250 before the 3% processing fee. Blue Guardian does not state the fee's base, but if it applies to your share it would be $127.50, leaving $4,122.50.

Payouts

The first payout is available once you have met the minimum trading days and at least 14 calendar days have passed since your first funded trade. With the 7-day add-on the wait is 7 days, and Nano accounts run on 7 days by default. Later requests are every 14 days (or 7) from the previous request. Instant Standard payouts are on demand.

The split is 85% on funded evaluation accounts (90% with the add-on) and 80% on Instant Standard (90% with the add-on). Instant Starter is fixed at 90%, and Nano accounts offer an optional 100% add-on. Payouts go by crypto (minimum $100, maximum $1,000 per request) or through Rise (minimum $500, no maximum), and are processed within 24 business hours. The first two payouts on $200,000 to $400,000 instant accounts are capped at $10,000 each.

To request, you must close all positions, have your balance above the initial balance, and have passed KYC. Our Blue Guardian payout guide covers the process step by step.

Platforms and instruments

Blue Guardian offers MT5, Match-Trader and TradeLocker. You can switch platform only before you place any trades. Instruments cover forex, indices, gold and commodities, and crypto. Commission is $5 per lot on forex and commodities and $0 on indices and crypto. Leverage on evaluation and funded accounts is 1:50 on forex. Indices and commodities get 1:20 on 1-step evaluations and 1:10 on 2-step and funded accounts. Instant accounts get 1:30 on forex, and crypto is 1:2 everywhere.

Who can join

You must be 18 or over. Blue Guardian restricts Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Cuba, Iran, Jordan, Libya, Myanmar, North Korea, the Philippines, Senegal, Syria and Vietnam. US clients are accepted but limited to Match-Trader and TradeLocker. KYC through Sumsub is required before the first payout on funded and instant accounts, and a live KYC or AML check may be requested during payout review. Accounts must be accessed from personal devices, and sharing devices or VPS servers between traders can lead to closure.

Reputation and trader feedback

When we checked in November 2026, Trustpilot listed 2,125 reviews for blueguardian.com but showed no TrustScore. Its notice reads "This company's rating is unavailable due to a breach of our guidelines", and it says it removed a number of fake reviews. A secondary tracker, PropFirmMap, records the profile being restricted in August 2026 and the headline split changing from up to 90% to 85% (90% with an add-on) in July 2026.

Some reviewers praise fast payouts, low spreads and quick execution. Others report delayed or blocked payout requests, accounts closed under Guardian Shield, and splits reduced to 50% after a Shield trigger. Some also describe repetitive support replies. These are individual, unverified accounts.

Alternatives to Blue Guardian

• FTMO: a static-loss two-step model without a floating-loss auto-close on funded accounts.
• Alpha Capital Group: UK-registered, with a static drawdown on Alpha Pro.
• The5ers: an established firm with growth-style programs.
• Goat Funded Trader: also allows your own EAs and offers a wide platform choice.

See also best prop firms for EAs and bots and prop firms with refundable fees.

How we verified this review

We checked this review in November 2026. Model rules, the Guardian Shield, news, EA and copy-trading terms, prohibited practices, restricted countries, KYC, refunds, platforms and payout terms come from Blue Guardian's official help center. The price grid comes from the official forex page, and entity details come from its contact page. Trustpilot data was read directly, and PropFirmMap was used only for change history.

Per-model evaluation prices, the full Nano and Buy Now Pay Later rules, the base of the 3% processing fee and reset pricing could not be verified. Prop trading is high risk: most traders fail evaluations, and fees can be lost. This is not financial advice.

Frequently asked questions

Is Blue Guardian legit?

Blue Guardian names its operating entities (Blue Guardian Limited in Saint Lucia, and Iconic Exchange FZCO in Dubai) and publishes detailed rules. Trustpilot currently withholds its rating for a guidelines breach, so read recent reviews critically.

Does Blue Guardian allow EAs?

Yes, for your own strategies. HFT, tick scalping, arbitrage and copying other traders are banned.

What is Blue Guardian's Guardian Shield?

On funded accounts it closes all trades when floating loss reaches 2% (1% on instant accounts). The first trigger cuts your split to 50% permanently, and a second ends the account.

How long does Blue Guardian take to pay out?

The first payout is available 14 days after your first funded trade (7 with the add-on), and requests are processed within 24 business hours.

Does Blue Guardian allow news trading?

Yes in evaluations. On funded accounts you cannot open or close trades within 5 minutes of high-impact news, and newer Instant Standard accounts cannot news trade at all.

Does Blue Guardian refund the challenge fee?

Yes, with the fourth payout, for accounts bought from 21 January 2026, except Instant Starter and accounts hard-breached before then.