What Is a Profit Split?
A profit split is how a prop firm divides the money you make. When you trade with firm capital, you don't keep 100% of your profits — the firm takes a cut as compensation for providing the account, risk management, and infrastructure. The split tells you exactly what percentage you keep and what percentage the firm keeps.
At most reputable prop firms, including KorabKash, you'll see two main splits offered: 80/20 (you keep 80%, firm takes 20%) or 90/10 (you keep 90%, firm takes 10%). This might seem like a small difference on paper, but when you're scaling accounts or running consistent profits, it adds up fast.
The 80/20 Split: What It Means
An 80/20 split is the industry standard at most prop firms. You make a trade, hit your profit target, and you walk away with 80% of your gains. The firm keeps 20%.
Let's say you trade a $10,000 account and make $500 profit in a month. With an 80/20 split:
- Your take-home: $400
- Firm's take: $100
The 80/20 model works well for traders who are serious about scaling. Most traders accept this split because the firm is still providing real value — the capital itself, the trading platform, drawdown monitoring, and the ecosystem to scale from a $1,000 challenge all the way to a $400,000 funded account.
The 90/10 Split: Higher Reward, Higher Entry
A 90/10 split is less common, but some firms offer it as a premium tier. You keep 90% of profits, and the firm keeps just 10%. On that same $500 profit:
- Your take-home: $450
- Firm's take: $50
That's $50 more in your pocket. Over a year of consistent trading, that difference compounds. A trader making $5,000 per month would earn an extra $500 annually with a 90/10 split — real money.
However, 90/10 splits often come with trade-offs. Some firms require you to:
- Start at a larger account size (e.g., $25,000 minimum instead of $1,000)
- Prove a track record on an 80/20 account first
- Pass stricter evaluation criteria
- Maintain higher minimum trading volume or consistency metrics
Which Split Is Actually Better for You?
The "better" split depends entirely on where you are in your journey.
If you're starting out: Go for 80/20. You don't yet know if you can be consistent with firm capital, and you shouldn't optimise for the extra 10% when you haven't proven you can reach your profit targets. Get funded on 80/20, build a track record, and scale from there.
If you're already consistently profitable: A 90/10 split becomes more attractive. If you're making $2,000+ per month and you know your edge works, that extra 10% of profits is meaningful income. Many traders use a 90/10 account as their "main" account once they've grown into it.
If you're scaling multiple accounts: Some traders run both. They start with 80/20 to test and grow, then jump to a 90/10 account at a larger size once they've proven consistency. The slight friction of the bigger starting account is worth the better split.
The Hidden Costs to Watch
Before you chase a 90/10 split, check what else might be attached to it. Some firms use higher splits to justify:
- Longer payout wait times (30 days instead of 7 days)
- Stricter drawdown rules
- Lower maximum account sizes
- Mandatory minimum trading volume
- Higher challenge entry fees
At KorabKash, we keep things transparent. Whether you're on an 80/20 or 90/10 split, your drawdown limits, payout processes, and retry terms don't change. You can review our full terms to see exactly what you're getting with each split tier.
Real Math: What the Difference Actually Looks Like
Here's a practical scenario. Imagine you're consistently profitable at $3,000 per month:
- 80/20 split: You keep $2,400/month = $28,800/year
- 90/10 split: You keep $2,700/month = $32,400/year
- Difference: $3,600 per year
Now scale to two accounts ($6,000 total profit per month): that difference becomes $7,200 per year. For many Nigerian traders, that's life-changing money. But it only makes sense if you can actually hit and sustain those profit levels.
The Bottom Line
A 90/10 split is objectively better for your wallet — but only if you can access it on fair terms and you're already making consistent profits. Don't let a higher split tempt you into a bigger account or stricter rules than you're ready for. The goal isn't to maximise your split percentage; it's to stay funded, stay profitable, and build real income over time.
Start where you fit. Most traders begin with 80/20 and work their way up. If you're ready to test your edge with firm capital, explore our challenge options and see which split and account size align with your current level.