How to Get Funded with Topstep: Rules and Payouts

Getting funded with Topstep requires passing their Trading Combine evaluation¹. You must hit a profit target while staying within both a maximum loss limit and a daily loss limit, with your best day under 50% of total profits¹. The evaluation can be completed in as few as 2 trading days¹. Once funded, traders receive an Express Funded Account with a 90/10 profit split⁷.

This guide covers the requirements for each of Topstep's three account sizes, the rules during evaluation, and the payout process.

The Trading Combine

Topstep's evaluation is a one-step process called the Trading Combine¹. Traders demonstrate their ability to hit a profit target while managing risk. The maximum loss limit uses a trailing calculation based on end-of-day balance².

Account Sizes and Profit Targets

Topstep offers three account sizes¹:

• $50,000 Account: $3,000 profit target, $2,000 maximum loss, $1,000 daily loss limit, up to 5 contracts¹²³
• $100,000 Account: $6,000 profit target, $3,000 maximum loss, $2,000 daily loss limit, up to 10 contracts¹²³
• $150,000 Account: $9,000 profit target, $4,500 maximum loss, $3,000 daily loss limit, up to 15 contracts¹²³

Maximum Loss Limit

The maximum loss limit trails upward based on your peak end-of-day balance². Once it reaches your initial starting balance, it stops trailing². If your account balance hits the MLL, you fail the evaluation.

Daily Loss Limits

In addition to the overall maximum loss, Topstep enforces daily loss limits on most platforms³. Breaching the daily loss limit triggers auto-liquidation for the rest of the session, but it is classified as an objective, not a rule violation — it does not disqualify you from funding³.

TopstepX accounts created or reset after August 25, 2024 have no daily loss limit³.

Consistency Target

Your best trading day must be less than 50% of total profits¹. If your best day exceeds 50%, the profit target increases accordingly¹. This applies only to the Trading Combine¹.

Position Closure Requirement

All positions must be closed by 3:10 PM CT daily⁴. Risk managers begin flattening positions at 3:08 PM CT⁴. No overnight or weekend positions are allowed⁴.

Evaluation Pricing

Topstep offers two pricing paths with identical evaluation rules⁵:

Standard Path

• $50,000 Account: $49/month plus $149 activation fee⁵
• $100,000 Account: $99/month plus $149 activation fee⁵
• $150,000 Account: $149/month plus $149 activation fee⁵

No Activation Fee Path

• $50,000 Account: $109/month with $0 activation fee⁵
• $100,000 Account: $159/month with $0 activation fee⁵
• $150,000 Account: $209/month with $0 activation fee⁵

What Happens After You Pass

After passing the Trading Combine, you receive an Express Funded Account (XFA)⁶. Activation takes minutes after paying the fee (Standard Path) or is immediate (No Activation Fee Path)⁸.

The XFA offers two paths to payout eligibility⁶:

• XFA Standard: 5 winning days of $150+ profit, maximum payout $5,000⁶
• XFA Consistency: 3 days traded with 40% consistency target, maximum payout $6,000⁶

Payout Structure

For traders who joined on or after January 12, 2026, the profit split is 90/10 from the start⁷. Traders who joined before that date receive 100% of the first $10,000 in payouts, then 90/10⁷.

The minimum payout request is $125⁷. Processing takes 1-3 business days via Wise or ACH⁷.

Tips for Passing the Evaluation

Respect the Daily Loss Limit

On a $50,000 account, the daily loss limit is $1,000³. Risk no more than $200-$300 per trade to give yourself multiple attempts each session. Consider using TopstepX for the no daily loss limit advantage³.

Manage the Consistency Target

Keep your best day under 50% of total profits¹. If you have a large winning day, trade additional sessions to dilute it.

Close Positions Before 3:10 PM CT

Set alerts or automated flattening before 3:10 PM CT⁴. Risk managers begin flattening at 3:08 PM CT⁴.

Automation and TradersPost

Topstep accounts can be connected to TradersPost through Tradovate. Topstep explicitly supports automated trading through the TopstepX API⁹. However, all automated trading must run from a personal device — VPS and VPN usage is prohibited⁹. Exploitative automation (sim fill exploitation, HFT, mass data entry) is prohibited¹⁰.

Conclusion

Getting funded with Topstep is straightforward through the Trading Combine¹. The 2-day minimum pass time and three account tiers provide flexibility for different trading styles.

Verify all rules and pricing directly on the Topstep website before purchasing an evaluation.

¹ Topstep Help Center - Consistency Target
² Topstep Help Center - Maximum Loss Limit
³ Topstep Help Center - Daily Loss Limit
⁴ Topstep Help Center - Trading Hours and Products
⁵ Topstep Help Center - Pricing
⁶ Topstep Help Center - Express Funded Account Parameters
⁷ Topstep Help Center - Payout Policy
⁸ Topstep Help Center - Express Funded Account Activation
⁹ Topstep Help Center - TopstepX API Access
¹⁰ Topstep Help Center - Prohibited Conduct