The5ers: A Story of Risk, Resilience, and Reinvention

In 2016, Gil Ben Hur and his team looked at the trading world, the lofty promises from prop firms, the endless hurdles for traders, and a system seemingly designed to benefit only those at the top. They decided it was time for a change.

They didn’t start with millions; there were no polished advertisements or market dominance waiting for them. What The5ers had, however, was something far more valuable: a vision.

Their idea wasn’t radical by nature, but it was bold. They wanted to create a trading firm that would fundamentally change how traders were supported - not by squeezing them for capital or rushing them toward failure but by building a structure designed for sustainable success.

But shaking up an industry doesn’t come without its challenges.

Gil and his team had a straightforward mission: Bring opportunity back to the trader.

The proprietary trading space at the time operated like a revolving door. Traders would pay hefty entry fees, tackle aggressive evaluation tasks (usually with strict time limits), and if they failed? Tough luck. Profit-sharing rarely favored the traders, and the systems were rigged for firms to profit largely from trader losses rather than success.

Where others saw "business as usual," The5ers asked:

It seemed simple (focus on people, not just profits) but putting that into practice in a competitive industry proved difficult.

When The5ers launched, they were met with waves of skepticism.

“Why are you doing this?” some industry insiders asked. “Traders will abuse your flexibility.” Others, including traders themselves, were equally doubtful. Prop trading had become synonymous with high-pressure systems and rigid rules. A firm claiming to offer unlimited time for evaluations, profit splits as high as 100%, and an emphasis on steady, sustainable growth? It sounded too good to be true.

Building trust became their first mountain to climb.

Internally, the hurdles kept stacking up. Unlike traditional firms that profited from failure, The5%ers needed a scalable model where they could reward trader success and still sustain the business. They had to get creative. Profitability couldn’t come from churn rates or penalties, it had to emerge from partnerships. They spent countless hours working out the math, tweaking terms, and ensuring their programs remained viable.

Their competitors loomed, well-funded and well-known. Established names like FTMO dominated the space, showcasing aggressive high-stakes trading challenges (an easier sell for risk-hungry traders). The5%ers were offering something different: slower growth, lower risks, and more education.

In a fast-paced industry, that was a gamble.

When traders started sticking around, cautiously stepping into The5ers program and seeing success, the narrative began to change.

The unlimited time limits (initially viewed as a liability) became a hallmark of fairness. Traders shared stories online. Beginners, who were often frozen out by strict deadlines or entry fees, suddenly had a chance to flourish. And conservative traders, those who avoided the aggressive risks rewarded by other firms, found a home.

A breakthrough came with their Hyper Growth program, which promised traders the ability to start low and scale up to multi-million-dollar accounts, all based on performance milestones. It didn’t force them to trade recklessly to win. If you hit 10% profit? Your account doubled. For traders focused on longevity, the simplicity and reward structure stood out in a crowded market.

The5%ers became known as the prop firm where you don’t have to bet against yourself to succeed.

The proprietary trading space is not for the faint of heart (just like trading itself). Competitors play in a zero-sum game, each vying for more traders with bigger promises and flashier marketing. For The5ers, competition wasn’t about matching speed or hype. It was about proving the value of their philosophy.

The5%ers stuck to their three pillars:

Other firms prided themselves on speed and straightforward challenges, often attracting daring, fast-paced traders. The5ers catered to a quieter audience, methodical, thoughtful, and long-term focused.

This distinction set them apart.

By listening to traders and adapting their structure, The5ers didn’t just survive, they grew. Their independence as a firm allowed them to stay nimble. When markets demanded new trading assets, they diversified: BTC, commodities, and indices joined their forex roots.

Their focus on global reach became another source of growth, expanding their services into underserved communities in Southeast Asia, Africa, and Latin America. These regions lacked access to traditional prop trading firms, but The5ers decided to meet them where they were, offering tailored programs with more accessible entry barriers.

And today, the firm is looking into AI-powered tools to better assist traders. The integration of data-driven insights and automated risk management systems could give traders an edge without overloading them.

The5ers are now leaders, not just participants, in the prop trading industry. But they remain grounded in the same principles they started with:

Their story isn’t one of overnight success but persistence. In an industry that rewards quick wins, The5ers proved the value of slowing down, resetting the rules, and putting the trader’s journey first.

For traders today, The5ers stand as a reminder: Prop trading, at its best, isn’t about chasing endless profits. It’s about building the skills and pathways to sustain success, one milestone at a time.