Last Updated: April 2026 MyPropGenius Rating: N/A (Ceased Operations) Status: CLOSED — Went dark March 4, 2024
Quick Facts
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Founded | 2018, Nicosia, Cyprus |
| Status | Closed (March 2024) |
| Former Evaluation | 2-Step (Normal and Aggressive challenges) |
| Former Account Sizes | $15,000 – $1,000,000 (Micro and Pro Trader tiers) |
| Former Profit Split | 80% (Normal) – 90% (Aggressive) |
| Former Scaling | Up to $2,000,000 |
| Former Platforms | MT4, MT5 |
| Former Trustpilot | 3.8/5 (rating declined sharply before closure) |
| Awards | Best Proprietary Trading Firm UK 2022, Best Micro Forex in Europe 2021 |
What Happened to Fidelcrest?
Fidelcrest was a Cyprus-based proprietary trading firm founded in 2018 by Jussi Hallikas and a team of forex professionals. For six years, it operated as one of the more established firms in the space, distinguishing itself with $1 million account sizes (among the largest available anywhere), an "Aggressive" account option with 90% splits and doubled targets, and a scaling path up to $2 million.
On March 4, 2024, Fidelcrest suspended all trading operations without a formal public announcement. The official explanation cited the need to find a new technology provider after losing its MetaQuotes licensing — part of a broader MetaQuotes crackdown that affected approximately 80-100 prop firms between February 2024 and late 2025.
The firm promised a resumption of services "within weeks." Two brief updates followed — the second suggesting services would resume within three days, while simultaneously admitting no solution had been found. After that, communication ceased. The website eventually began displaying unrelated content (at one point showing the branding of a South African agriculture company). Social media accounts went silent. Support channels stopped responding. The firm never resumed operations.
Prop Firm Match formally delisted Fidelcrest, noting: "Fidelcrest is a scam, they shutdown on April because they can't provide MT4 and MT5, I asked for a refund of the challenge fees, they refused to pay me."
Trustpilot reviews from the final months tell a consistent story: traders with active funded accounts or pending evaluations were left without access, refunds, or communication. The rating plummeted from a healthy score to 3.8/5 as frustrated reviews poured in.
What Fidelcrest Did Well (Before It Collapsed)
Despite its end, Fidelcrest had real strengths during its operational years:
$1 million account sizes from day one. While most competitors cap evaluation accounts at $100K-$200K and require scaling, Fidelcrest offered Pro Trader accounts at $500K and $1M directly. For traders confident in their strategy, this was unmatched.
The "Aggressive" account innovation. Fidelcrest pioneered the concept of letting traders choose their risk-reward profile upfront: Normal accounts had 10% targets and 80% splits; Aggressive accounts doubled the targets to 20% but rewarded with a 90% split. This model has since been copied by numerous competitors.
Broad instrument coverage. Over 175 tradable instruments including forex, indices, metals, commodities, stocks, and — notably — a strong cryptocurrency selection. At the time, Fidelcrest was considered the best prop firm for crypto traders.
No minimum trading days. Either phase of the evaluation could theoretically be passed in a single day, which was unusual for the era.
Leverage up to 1:100. Higher than most competitors, regardless of the trader's location.
Competitive pricing. Micro Trader accounts started at just €99, and the firm ran frequent aggressive promotions that made challenges substantially cheaper. These promotions were popular but, in hindsight, may have contributed to the business model's unsustainability.
The Warning Signs That Were Visible Before Closure
Looking back, several red flags were apparent in the months before Fidelcrest went dark:
Increasing payout delays. Trustpilot reviews from late 2023 and early 2024 show a growing pattern of delayed or denied payouts, with traders reporting weeks-long waits for withdrawals that previously took days.
Tightening rules without notice. Reports emerged of trades being retroactively flagged for "inconsistent strategy" — a vague enforcement mechanism that allowed Fidelcrest to deny payouts without pointing to a specific rule breach.
Frequent aggressive promotions. While traders loved the discounts, a prop firm that repeatedly slashes prices is often signalling margin pressure. When the average challenge fee drops below the firm's cost of servicing funded accounts, the model becomes unsustainable.
No formal regulatory oversight. Fidelcrest was registered in Cyprus but not regulated by CySEC or any financial authority. This is standard for prop firms, but it meant there was no regulatory body to enforce refunds or hold the firm accountable when it disappeared.
Single point of technology failure. Fidelcrest's entire operation depended on MetaQuotes' licensing for MT4/MT5 access. When MetaQuotes pulled licensing from dozens of prop firms in early 2024, Fidelcrest had no fallback platform. Firms that had diversified to include cTrader, Match-Trader, or DXtrade survived; Fidelcrest didn't.
Why This Matters for Traders in 2026
Fidelcrest's collapse is part of a broader pattern. Between February 2024 and late 2025, approximately 80-100 prop firms ceased operations — the largest industry shakeout in prop trading history. The causes varied: MetaQuotes licensing revocations, regulatory pressure from the CFTC and European regulators, unsustainable business models built on challenge-fee revenue rather than profitable funded traders, and outright fraud in some cases.
For traders choosing a prop firm in 2026, Fidelcrest's story reinforces several critical due-diligence principles:
Diversify across firms. Never have all your funded accounts with a single prop firm. If one goes down, your entire income stream disappears overnight.
Check platform dependencies. Firms that only offer MT4/MT5 have a single point of failure with MetaQuotes. Firms that also support cTrader, Match-Trader, TradeLocker, or DXtrade have fallback options.
Monitor payout velocity. If your prop firm starts taking longer to process payouts than it used to, that's an early warning signal. Don't wait for the official announcement — by then it's too late.
Beware of unsustainable promotions. If a firm is running 50-80% discounts regularly, ask where the revenue to fund payouts is coming from. Legitimate firms can run occasional promotions; constant fire sales suggest margin pressure.
Track record matters, but it doesn't guarantee survival. Fidelcrest operated for six years and won multiple industry awards before collapsing. Duration isn't a guarantee of permanence — but firms with 7+ year track records (FTMO, Topstep, The5ers) have survived the shakeout, which is a stronger signal.
Watch the Trustpilot trend, not just the score. A 4.5/5 rating that's declining over 6 months is more concerning than a 4.0/5 that's stable. Fidelcrest's rating erosion in late 2023 was visible to anyone paying attention.
If You're Contacted About Fidelcrest
Any offer to sell you a Fidelcrest account in 2026 is a scam. There is a documented pattern of scam operators resurrecting dead prop firm brands to collect challenge fees from traders who remember the brand name. They accept payments but provide no trading services.
The Fidelcrest website is no longer operational. The domain no longer displays prop trading content. Social media accounts have been inactive since February 2024. There is no legitimate path to open a Fidelcrest account.
Alternatives to Fidelcrest in 2026
If you were drawn to Fidelcrest for its specific features, here's where to find equivalent offerings:
| What You Liked | Best Alternative | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Large account sizes ($1M) | FundedNext Stellar | Scale to $4M through performance |
| Aggressive account (high targets, high split) | FTMO (90% split) | Proven track record, no consistency rule |
| Best crypto instrument coverage | E8 Markets | Broad crypto selection with flexible challenges |
| Cheapest micro accounts | Blue Guardian 3-Step ($183.50 for $100K) | Lowest cost-to-funded ratio in the industry |
| No minimum trading days | The5ers | No min days on most programs |
| 1:100 leverage | No direct equivalent at this level | Most firms cap at 1:30-1:50 for forex in 2026 |
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Fidelcrest still operating? No. Fidelcrest ceased all operations on March 4, 2024. The website is no longer functional, support channels are unresponsive, and social media accounts have been inactive since February 2024. The firm never officially announced its closure — it simply went dark.
Can I get a refund from Fidelcrest? Almost certainly not. Multiple traders have reported requesting refunds for active challenges and receiving no response. Without regulatory oversight, there is no enforcement mechanism to compel refunds.
Is anyone selling Fidelcrest accounts in 2026? Any such offer is a scam. Scam operators frequently resurrect dead prop firm brands to collect fees. Do not send money to anyone claiming to represent Fidelcrest.
Why did Fidelcrest shut down? The immediate cause was the loss of MetaQuotes licensing for MT4/MT5 access, which was part of a broader industry crackdown. Contributing factors likely included margin pressure from aggressive promotions, increasing payout obligations, and the inability to secure an alternative technology provider quickly enough.
Was Fidelcrest a scam? The evidence suggests Fidelcrest operated legitimately for most of its history — it paid traders for six years and won multiple industry awards. The collapse appears to be a business failure rather than an intentional fraud, though the complete absence of communication or refunds in the final months damaged its reputation irreparably. Reasonable people disagree on this characterisation.
What happened to traders with funded accounts? They lost access to their accounts without warning or compensation. Pending payouts were not processed. This is the fundamental risk of unregulated prop trading — when a firm closes, there is no deposit insurance or regulatory safety net.
Final Verdict
Fidelcrest's story is a textbook case of why prop firm selection requires ongoing vigilance, not just initial due diligence. A firm can operate legitimately for years, win awards, serve thousands of traders, and still disappear overnight. The specific cause — MetaQuotes licensing loss — was an industry-wide event, but Fidelcrest's inability to adapt (while competitors pivoted to alternative platforms) exposed a fatal structural weakness.
The lesson for traders in 2026: Choose firms that have survived the 2024-2025 shakeout, diversify across multiple firms and platforms, monitor payout velocity as an early warning indicator, and never assume that past performance guarantees future existence.
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