The CME charges $105/month/exchange/session if your status that you self-certify is "professional", which as a part of a prop firm you qualify as. For a single session (1 login), the cost for one exchange is $105. If you need two concurrent logins, you'll be charged $210 for that same exchange per month. I don't want to continue with the example, you understand how the math adds up. I just want to add that the calendar month is of course, unfortunately, the same cost regardless whether you started trading on the 1st or the 31st - still, the CME will charge the data provider $105, the data provider will charge the prop firm, and the prop firm will charge the trader. If you are aware of this already, I am sorry for the long-winded explanation, but based on your comment, it felt like there may have been some confusion there. The prop firm offers to have it deducted from the account balance.

I have already answered this question, please check below:

this is for live accounts. the CME does not charge $105/exchange/month for a SIM account.

this is why the live SIM account provided by Topsteptrader for their live funded traders does not charge any data fees.

this is also why Oneuptrader does not charge any data fees in their live accounts b/c they are known to keep their newly-funded live traders on a SIM account until they have proven profitability.

idk if you're deliberately trying to be obtuse but the point everyone here's been making is why you're the only funding company to charge $105/exchange/month on a live sim account when this is not being charged by the CME.

this is obviously why TST and OUT can offer free exchange fees on their live sim accounts. if, according to your logic, CME was charging these exchange fees for even livesim accounts, that would mean TST/OUT are taking a $420/month loss on each funded trader on livesim. that is clearly not true.

in case you're still confused, we're not talking about the SIM accounts in the Gauntlet or Gauntlet mini. we're referring to the livesim option you're currently offering those who've passed the Gauntlet mini and don't want to wait until prop firm setup is complete to move into a live (not livesim) account with real fills.

the fact is, you're just making excuses trying to make this out to be something outside of E2T's control by blaming the CME when the CME absolutely does not charge $105/exchange/month for a SIM account.

The CME charges data fees for sim accounts as well.

I think what's puzzling your current and prospective customers here, Orianna, is the undeniable reality that you're charging for something TopStep and OneUp aren't charging for.

I appreciate, of course, that you can't reasonably be expected to comment on other firms' policies in these circumstances ... just as I'm sure you appreciate that you have competitors who have evidently found a way of resolving this issue that you haven't found.

I accept that you have, as you put it, "already answered that question", but it's apparent to all concerned that you haven't answered it in a way that satisfies your customers and potential customers.

Maybe there's simply no more you can do about that, but that would be a shame (and clearly result in loss of potential business for you).

Obviously nobody's alleging for a moment that you're pocketing extra fees and not passing them on to CME, but why do you think this issue's turned into such a problem for E2T, when it clearly hasn't for so many of your competitors?

How do you know that the fee actually goes to the CME and not in the pocket of EtoT?

I was just clarifying/demonstrating that I'm casting no aspersions of impropriety at all, but also that this doesn't detract at all from the fact that what's being so repeatedly asked here is a perfectly legitimate and reasonable question that hasn't yet been answered to the satisfaction of E2T's customers and potential customers.

I'd be interested to hear Orianna's take on why it's turned into such a thorny issue for E2T when apparently it isn't for their competitors.