5 Market Predictions for 2026 from Funded Trading Plus CEO

These insights are underpinned by proprietary data from PropIQ, the advanced analytics engine that tracks thousands of profitable trader behaviors.

“The biggest mistake traders make is getting anchored to a single narrative,” says Massey. “Success in 2026 will depend on staying nimble rather than betting everything on one outcome.”

1) The AI Bubble Question Will Drive Extreme Volatility

A significant portion of US market performance has been driven by seven major technology companies interconnected through AI infrastructure partnerships. The central question for 2026 is whether these valuations represent genuine transformation or a concentration bubble.

Crypto markets traded sideways through late 2025, while gold and precious metals continued pushing to all-time highs.

“The market will remain irrational longer than you can remain solvent,” says Massey. “The smarter approach is preparation, not prediction.”

If sentiment shifts around AI valuations, volatility will arrive quickly, particularly in equity indices.

2) Gold Dominance Creates Risk Through Overconcentration

PropIQ Finding: Gold now accounts for 80-90% of trading volume in many prop environments.

This extreme focus creates a dangerous pattern: traders forcing setups when conditions aren’t optimal.

“When you’re only focused on one instrument, you start seeing trades that aren’t there,” warns Massey. “You take marginal setups out of boredom, and that’s when discipline breaks down.”

The recommendation for 2026 is deliberate diversification, maintaining a small basket of well-understood markets.

3) FX Markets Will Present Renewed Opportunity

The US dollar faces competing forces: political pressure for weakness versus structural market forces pushing the opposite direction. These opposing pressures create conditions for sharp, directional moves.

Cable (GBP/USD) has already shown extreme volatility, signaling what may become more common across major pairs in 2026.

“FX is quite low at the moment in terms of attention, but the dollar is probably going to do some interesting things,” says Massey.

4) Manual Trading Will Continue Outperforming Retail Algorithms

PropIQ Finding: The most consistently profitable traders at the retail level continue to execute manually.

While algorithmic trading dominates institutional volume, retail algorithms simply cannot compete on ultra-short timeframes. Successful retail traders operate on slightly longer horizons, focusing on market structure and disciplined risk management.

“Our most successful traders are manually executing trades,” confirms Massey. “The balance between algorithmic and discretionary trading at the retail level will probably stay similar.”

5) Trust Will Separate Surviving Firms from Failed Ones

The funded trading space remains unregulated, with hundreds of firms launching—and many disappearing quickly. As the industry matures, trust has become the defining currency.

As a firm operating successfully for five years, they know the basic indicators matter: verifiable ownership, published business addresses, open communication with senior management, consistent payout history, and review ratings with low negative feedback.

“You’re relying on firms to do the right thing even though they’re not compelled to by regulation,” says Massey. “Look for firms with a long-standing record and a focus on consistency over hype.”

ACT ON THE INSIGHTS: Access PropIQ Data

The unique insights and competitive edge shared above are only possible because of PropIQ, the proprietary analytics tool Simon’s team uses to identify profitable trading patterns and refine risk models.

When you trade with Funded Trading Plus, you don’t just get simulated capital—you get the data-driven edge that defines our successful traders.

Access PropIQ insights for free when you purchase any $50K or larger account.

Using the code: PropIQ at checkout

Stay Flexible, Not Anchored

Global economic conditions will continue shaping markets, with wildcards like potential resolution to the Russia-Ukraine conflict creating unexpected opportunities.

“Less experienced traders get anchored to a view because it’s logical,” observes Massey. “But what you think should happen and what actually happens are often different.”

There will be opportunities in 2026. But opportunity doesn’t guarantee success. Stay disciplined, stay realistic, and remember that in an environment defined by uncertainty, consistency remains the most undervalued edge.