Are you intentionally choosing to not listen to me or am I really speaking over your head. Here, let me help you out. I spent 8 years in the chicago prop community and I had a lot of friends that ran IBs. I know a little bit about what goes on there so let me help you out here. Here is what an FCM does NOT want. Some guy rolls in like a BSD and says he is going to do 50 billion contracts a month to get whole sale costs plus other perks like free TT. The dude puts in some money and ends up doing 15 contracts the first month, 30 the 2nd and blows out his account and leaves.
I don't know of a single firm in Chicago that will not pay 100% of your software costs if you are trading. It matters not how they get their money as long as they get it. So because a lot of guys talk a big game with no follow through, firms no longer eat that up front cost. They make you pay for the platform so it doesn't come out of their pocket. Once you "actually" start trading, most these firms will cover your costs if the volume is there. Why? There is no reason not to. That is what I'm trying to tell you. Certainly for something like T4 any firm will pay that for you if you are doing volume.
Which comes back to my first post, the platforms are free. And speaking of Advantage, they have some nice office space in downtown. If you are doing nice volume they will set you up with space on their dime. It's one of their "perks". Hopefully this is more clear to you now.