Samuel Drnda is the CEO of HyroTrader, one of the most reliable crypto proprietary (prop) firms on the market today.
Before entering the crypto space, Samuel successfully exited an AI startup and led a performance marketing agency with a team of over 40 employees. In 2022, at just 24 years old, he launched HyroTrader, a CFD crypto trading platform that attracted more than 3,000 customers.
While working on HyroTrader, Samuel also spent time at Golem Trading, a traditional Prague-based trading firm, where he learned directly from successful professional traders.
In 2023, he pivoted the project into HyroTrader, one of the first evaluation-based crypto prop trading firms, dedicated to funding traders on leading platforms like Bybit and CLEO. HyroTrader also became the first prop firm to connect directly with Bybit through a custom API, an integration that other firms later adopted.
Today, HyroTrader is helping thousands of traders scale with capital, tools, and education, establishing itself as a pioneer in the rapidly growing prop trading industry.
Q&A with Samuel Drnda
Q: How did you first get into trading and crypto?
We originally worked as a performance marketing agency for brokers and crypto platforms. That gave us deep insight into how the trading industry works. Eventually, we decided to build our own platform.
During that time, I also worked at a traditional prop firm in Prague that focused on arbitrage. I realized there was a huge gap: forex traders had access to firms like FTMO, which generated over $213 million in revenue in 2023, but there was no equivalent for crypto traders. That’s where the idea for HyroTrader was born.
Q: What were your early challenges and breakthroughs?
The hardest part was building the Bybit integration. Before us, prop firms were popular only in forex, but crypto traders needed a completely different product. We spent countless hours working with Bybit’s development team to create a reliable API connection. That integration became our breakthrough, setting HyroTrader apart.
The Vision of HyroTrader
Q: Why do traders need crypto prop firms like HyroTrader?
Most traders don’t have enough capital to trade effectively. A crypto prop firm like HyroTrader solves that problem by giving traders access to up to $200,000 in trading capital while allowing them to keep 70–90% of the profits.
Our vision is also about providing real capital. We’ve built a challenge system that evaluates traders in a safe demo environment with strict rules, such as daily drawdown, max loss, and risk per trade. Once they prove their skills, they gain access to funded accounts and real profit splits. For our top performers, we provide real capital through a separate entity.
Prop Trading Model Explained
Q: Can you explain how the HyroTrader model works?
It’s simple:
- A trader applies for our trading challenge.
- They pay a fee (which is refunded after their first profit split).
- If they pass the challenge with consistent profits and risk management, they get access to a funded account.
This model benefits both sides. Traders learn discipline and risk control, and once they succeed, they can scale up to as much as $1 million in trading capital. For the firm, it’s an effective way to build a network of reliable, skilled traders.
The Crypto Market Outlook
Q: What’s your view on crypto trading in 2025 and beyond?
The outlook for the crypto market in 2025 is very bullish. Bitcoin and Ethereum have already broken their all-time highs, and institutional investors are increasingly entering the space through ETFs.
For traders, the key is discipline. The crypto market runs 24/7, so you can’t chase every move. Build a strategy that works for you and stick to it.
Risk Management & Discipline
Q: Why is risk management so important in prop trading?
It’s not about big wins; it’s about survival. Small, consistent gains will keep you in the game during both bull and bear markets.
At HyroTrader, we enforce strict rules to protect capital. That way, no single bad move can wipe out an account. This discipline protects both the trader and the firm.
Trader Community & Culture
Q: How do you support your traders?
We provide an educational course, mentorship, and a custom dashboard that shows detailed statistics for both challenges and funded accounts.
So far, HyroTrader has:
- Funded over 700 traders
- Processed $2 million in payouts
- Built a community of 30,000+ users worldwide
- Hosted international events and competitions
At the end of 2024, HyroTrader organized a trading tournament at the Bybit HQ in Dubai, bringing together the 30 best crypto traders. The event was a huge success on social media, reaching more than 170,000 views across platforms and cementing HyroTrader’s reputation as one of the most engaging and forward-thinking crypto prop firms in the industry.
Q: Tell us more about the HyroTrader team.
We’re proud of our people. HyroTrader now has 34 full-time employees, with 15 working in our Prague office and the rest contributing remotely from around the world. This global approach allows us to attract top talent wherever they are. And we’re just getting started; we’re now preparing to open a new Dubai office, expanding our physical presence closer to the heart of global crypto trading.
Future Plans
Q: What’s next for HyroTrader?
We’re expanding to multiple exchanges and creating an implementation guide so other exchanges can integrate with us more easily. Our long-term goal is to serve over one million traders within three years.
We’re also developing a decentralized vault protocol so traders’ challenges and results can be recorded transparently on the blockchain. This will act as proof of their trading history and help them scale even further. We want HyroTrader to be the most transparent, decentralized crypto prop firm in the world.
Personal Touch
Q: What’s your philosophy as a leader?
As a leader, I believe in thinking big but moving forward step-by-step. Success comes from discipline and consistency, not quick wins. In crypto, you must innovate constantly or risk falling behind. I always put the team before ego, and no matter the success, I try to stay humble and keep learning.
Q: What advice would you give aspiring traders?
If you love crypto trading, stay committed. Improve every day, don’t look for shortcuts, and understand that this is not a get-rich-quick game. With the right tools, discipline, and support, you can achieve success.
Closing Thoughts
Samuel Drnda’s journey from marketing entrepreneur to CEO of a pioneering crypto prop firm shows how vision and execution can transform an industry.
With innovations like its Bybit integration, transparent evaluation systems, record-breaking tournaments, a growing international team, and future plans for blockchain-based trader verification, HyroTrader is setting new standards for proprietary trading in the crypto space.
👉 To learn more about HyroTrader or apply for a trading challenge, visit HyroTrader.com.
