Topstep rules: drawdown, consistency, news trading, EAs and payouts
What Topstep publishes on drawdown, loss limits, consistency, news trading, EAs, weekend holding and payouts across 2 products. Every value below is read from Topstep’s own website; rows we could not confirm say so.
Rules at a glance
| Rule | Topstep | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Drawdown type | End-of-day trailing eod-trailing | Checked Oct 6, 2026Firm’s wording“end-of-day balance” |
| Daily loss limit | None None in the Trading Combine (single rule: Maximum Loss Limit) | Checked Oct 15, 2026Firm’s wording“It's a simulated account with one rule and two objectives.” |
| Maximum loss | $2,000 (50K) / $3,000 (100K) / $4,500 (150K) | Checked Oct 15, 2026Firm’s wording“Account Size Maximum Loss Limit $50K $2,000 $100K $3,000 $150K $4,500”“The MLL is a trailing limit. It rises as your end-of-day balance grows, but never moves down.”“$50K $2,000; $100K $3,000; $150K $4,500” |
| Consistency rule | 55% | Checked Oct 6, 2026Firm’s wording“Trading Combine — Consistency Target (55%)” |
| News trading | Allowed with conditions restricted | Checked Oct 15, 2026Firm’s wording“Trading Maximum Position Size into Major News Events. Purposefully trading your full Maximum Position Size directly into a scheduled major news event.” |
| Expert Advisors (EAs) | Allowed with conditions restricted | Checked Oct 20, 2026 · product page capture |
| Weekend holding | Not allowed not allowed | Checked Oct 15, 2026Firm’s wording“All positions must be closed by 3:10 PM CT every weekday. You can resume trading at 5:00 PM CT. No swing trading.” |
| Profit split | 90% | Checked Oct 6, 2026Firm’s wording“90/10” |
| Payout frequency | After 5 winning days of $150+ net P&L (XFA Standard path) or 3 trading days within the 40% consistency target (XFA Consistency path); daily after 30 winning days in the Live Funded Account | Checked Oct 26, 2026Firm’s wording“Express Funded Account Standard To request a Payout, you must meet both requirements: 5 winning days of $150+ Net P&L. Days don't need to be consecutive.”“Express Funded Account Consistency To request a Payout, you must meet both requirements: 3 trading days with at least 1 trade per day. Stay at or below the 40% consistency target.”“After you request a Payout, your winning day count restarts. You'll need 5 new winning days before you're eligible to request your next Payout.” |
| Platforms | TopstepX, Quantower | Checked Oct 15, 2026Firm’s wording“Connect using the Topstep Dashboard by selecting TopstepX as your platform. ... Quantower via TopstepX is available for the Trading Combine® and Express Funded Account® (XFA) only.” |
Rules by product
| Product | Phases | Profit target | Min. trading days | Drawdown | Profit split | Checked |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Trading Combine - Standard Path | 1 | 6% | not confirmed | End-of-day trailing | 90% | Oct 20, 2026 |
| Trading Combine - No Activation Fee Path | 1 | 6% | not confirmed | End-of-day trailing | 90% | Oct 20, 2026 |
Our take
Topstep sells the Trading Combine as "one rule and two objectives". The rule is the Maximum Loss Limit: $2,000, $3,000 or $4,500 by size, trailing your end-of-day balance but monitored in real time, open losses included.
The objective that catches people is the 55% Consistency Target. Going over it doesn't fail you. It raises the target. On a 50K, a $1,800 best day turns the $3,000 target into $3,273, and extra profit earned in that same session only lifts it further.
The real trap comes after you pass. The Express Funded Account starts at a $0 balance with the limit at −$2,000 on 50K, and your first payout resets the limit to $0 wherever it stood. After a $1,500 end-of-day high, the floor sits at −$500, so you have $2,000 of room. Request the 50% maximum, $750, and you're left with $750 of room.
To request at all, you need 5 winning days of $150 or more on the Standard path, or 3 trading days with a best day at or below 40% on the Consistency path. Every position must be flat by 3:10 PM CT, so nothing is held overnight or over the weekend. Scheduled news isn't banned outright. What's prohibited is trading your full maximum position size into it.
Pick Topstep if you day-trade and can keep a 50K best day under $1,650. Then follow Topstep's own advice and wait for the balance that puts the limit at $0 before your first payout.
Sources
- help.topstep.com/en/articles/10305426-prohibited-trading-strategies-at-topstep — checked Oct 15, 2026
- help.topstep.com/en/articles/14289835-topstep-pricing-and-payment-questions — checked Oct 20, 2026
- help.topstep.com/en/articles/8284179-quantower-connection-instructions — checked Oct 15, 2026
- help.topstep.com/en/articles/8284197-trading-combine-parameters — checked Oct 15, 2026
- help.topstep.com/en/articles/8284204-what-is-the-maximum-loss-limit — checked Oct 15, 2026
- help.topstep.com/en/articles/8284206-when-and-what-products-can-i-trade — checked Oct 15, 2026
- help.topstep.com/en/articles/8284208-consistency-at-topstep — checked Oct 6, 2026
- help.topstep.com/en/articles/8284233-topstep-payout-policy — checked Oct 26, 2026