22 January 2026
The Upside Funding launches new brand identity and website as institutional-backed firm reaches milestone year
The Upside Funding, the only proprietary trading firm founded by former Citibank Managing Directors, today marks its first year of operations with the launch of a complete brand refresh and redesigned website, signalling the company’s transition from emerging start-up to established presence in the retail prop trading sector.
The milestone comes as the firm continues to differentiate itself through institutional-grade risk management infrastructure, including proprietary hedging technology that applies investment bank-level risk protocols to retail trading capital allocation.
“We entered this market because we saw a fundamental gap between what retail traders were being offered and what we knew was possible from our years at institutional level,” said Charles Finkelstein CEO and co-founder of The Upside Funding, and former Treasurer at Citibank Australia.
“Running active risk management through proprietary hedging isn’t standard in this industry, but it’s how serious capital is managed in institutional trading. This rebrand reflects our maturity as a firm committed to that approach.”
Institutional Risk Management Meets Retail Access
What distinguishes The Upside Funding in an increasingly crowded prop trading market is its founding team’s pedigree. Unlike competitors founded by marketing professionals or retail traders, the company’s leadership brings institutional risk management, proprietary trading, and capital markets expertise developed over decades at one of the world’s largest investment banks.
The firm’s proprietary risk management infrastructure incorporates hedging strategies and portfolio-level controls that mirror systems used by major banks – technical capabilities uncommon in the retail prop trading space.
First Year Milestone
Since launching 12 months ago, The Upside Funding has grown its global trader base, processed regular payouts, and expanded its offering to include multiple account sizes and asset classes.
Further information: Contact gemma@theupsidefunding.com
