Is it correct that prop shops always require that you start out trading profitable on DEMO before you go LIVE ?
not always the case. depends what kind of package you have with them and whether they see you as a risk from trading their capital or not. i know prop firms will sometimes give you demos and trade recorded market data from the past so you can the gist of the hotkeys, software, etc. cygroup gave me a demo a few yrs ago before i signed up..
They want you to master their platform. They want to see if you can make some $$$. They want to see if you are normal. I kid you not. People react very strangely hen they make or break a bundle.