Loss limits, per account size
The daily loss limit is a circuit breaker on the day; the trailing maximum loss is the line that ends the account. Both scale with the 50K, 100K, and 150K.
The Topstep rulebook, mapped
Every rule that can end a Topstep account, on one page.
Topstep accounts are lost to rules more often than to markets. This hub maps all of them — loss limits, drawdown, deadlines, payout requirements — with the deep-dive guide for each and the first-party Topstep source to verify against.
The flatten deadline
All positions closed by 3:10 PM CT every weekday. It applies to every program, and it ends more funded accounts than any strategy mistake.
Payout requirements
Winning days on the Standard path, the 40% consistency ratio on the Consistency path, plus per-request caps — payday has rules of its own.
Phases change, rules persist
Combine, Express Funded, Live Funded: the discipline framework carries through every phase, with tolerance for violations only getting tighter.
Rules are versioned — verify
Topstep revises parameters. Every figure here links to a first-party Topstep page so you can confirm what applies to your account today.
Every rule is a journal column
Room remaining, rule streaks, payout progress: if a rule can end your account, your journal should show your distance from it every session.
Figures below are the widely published values at the time of writing. Topstep revises its rules — always verify against the linked first-party pages before trading.
The rulebook in one table
| Parameter | 50K | 100K | 150K |
|---|---|---|---|
| Profit target (Combine) | $3,000 | $6,000 | $9,000 |
| Daily loss limit | $1,000 | $2,000 | $3,000 |
| Trailing maximum loss | $2,000 | $3,000 | $4,500 |
Source: Topstep Trading Combine parameters. Full analysis: 50K vs 100K vs 150K.
The four rule families
1. The daily loss limit — ends the day
Lose the daily limit and the day is over. Treat it as a circuit breaker, never a budget: two maximum-loss days in a row put most accounts at or near the trailing threshold.
2. The trailing maximum loss — ends the account
The threshold trails your equity high-water mark, so the cushion you started with is not the cushion you have after a good week. Recompute your room after every session.
3. Operational rules — end accounts silently
All positions closed by 3:10 PM CT every weekday, in every program. Consistency expectations and permitted products apply per account type. These rules end accounts without a single oversized loss.
4. Payout rules — govern getting paid
Standard path: five winning days of $150+ net with positive net since the last payout. Consistency path: three trading days with no single day above 40% of total net. Requests are capped per size and at 50% of withdrawable balance.
Rules are numbers. Track them like numbers.
Every rule above has a measurable distance: room left today, room left to the trailing threshold, minutes to the flatten deadline, winning days banked, the consistency ratio. Traders who keep accounts are the ones with those numbers in front of them during the session — not computed afterward in the post-mortem. That is precisely what Propfy's Topstep journal does per account, including across copied multi-account setups, with a 30-day trial, no card required.
Frequently asked questions
What are the main Topstep rules?
Four rule families govern every Topstep account: the daily loss limit (ends the day), the trailing maximum loss (ends the account), operational rules such as closing all positions by 3:10 PM CT every weekday, and — after funding — payout rules built on winning days or the consistency ratio. Exact figures depend on account size and change over time, so verify current values on Topstep’s own parameter pages.
What happens if you break a Topstep rule?
Breaching the daily loss limit typically ends the trading day; breaching the trailing maximum loss ends the account or evaluation attempt; operational violations such as holding past the flatten deadline are real rule breaks that can end funded accounts. After a failed combine, Topstep offers paid resets that restore the account’s starting parameters.
Does the Topstep trailing drawdown ever stop trailing?
The trailing threshold moves up behind the account’s equity high-water mark according to the rules of the specific program and account. How and when it trails — and whether it locks — is exactly the kind of parameter Topstep can revise, so check the current rules for your account type rather than relying on forum summaries.
How does a trading journal help with Topstep rules?
Every Topstep rule is measurable per session: loss room remaining, distance to the trailing threshold, flatten-deadline adherence, winning-day and consistency-ratio progress. A journal that tracks these per account turns the rules from surprises into numbers you manage — which is what Propfy is built to do for Topstep traders.
Build the process that keeps accounts alive.
Try the complete journal for 30 days with no credit card. Connect your trading data when you are ready.
Start 30-day trial