# Are Funded Accounts Live Funds?

Initially, our funded accounts operate in a simulated environment, allowing you
to trade with “virtual” capital during the earlier payout stages. This approach
ensures there’s no real money at risk while you prove your consistency and
discipline. Once you’ve demonstrated profitable performance over
time—particularly at the higher payout tiers—we connect your trades to live
liquidity or copy them to our own real-capital accounts. This model helps manage
risk effectively while still giving top traders an opportunity to earn
substantial rewards.