Trading Combine rules at a glance
| Size | 50K | 100K | 150K |
|---|---|---|---|
| Profit target | $3,000 | $6,000 | $9,000 |
| Max Loss Limit | $2,000 | $3,000 | $4,500 |
| Daily loss limit (optional) | $1,000 | $2,000 | $3,000 |
| Best day under | $1,650 | $3,300 | $4,950 |
| Max contracts | 5 | 10 | 15 |
You can pass in as few as 2 days. The daily loss limit is only there if you pick it at checkout.
How the Maximum Loss Limit works
The MLL moves up with your end-of-day balance and never moves down. But it is checked in real time, and open losses count. Touch it at any moment and your positions are closed. Once it reaches your starting balance it locks for good.
- Start at $50,000. MLL: $48,000.
- Day 1 you make $500. Balance $50,500, MLL trails up to $48,500.
- Day 2 you lose $500. Balance back to $50,000, but the MLL stays at $48,500.
- Your room is now $1,500.
Careful: a final fill above the limit doesn't save you. If an open trade touched the MLL, the breach already happened, even if slippage closes you slightly above it.
The 55% consistency target
In the Trading Combine, your best day must stay at or under 55% of your profit target. Going over doesn't fail you, it raises your target to best day ÷ 0.55. Losing days don't reset your best day, and the best day locks at 3:10 PM CT.
- Target $3,000, so your best day should stay under $1,650.
- You make $1,800 in one day. New target: $1,800 ÷ 0.55 = $3,273.
- A $2,200 day would push the target to $4,000.
Fixing it has to happen on a different day. More profit on the same day just makes your best day bigger.
Your max loss today
Without a daily loss limit: your balance minus the MLL. With one: the smaller of your daily loss limit and your balance minus the MLL. Hitting the daily loss limit is not a violation, it just ends your session until 5 PM CT.
Express Funded Account (XFA)
After you pass, your XFA starts at a $0 balance. "50K" means buying power, not money in the account. On a 50K XFA the MLL starts at −$2,000, trails up with your end-of-day balance, and locks at $0 once your balance reaches $2,000. After your first payout, the MLL is set to $0 no matter where it was.
FAQ
Is Topstep's drawdown intraday or end of day?
It moves at the end of the day, but it's enforced in real time including open losses. So it trails like an end-of-day drawdown but can be hit like an intraday one.
Does Topstep have a daily loss limit?
Only if you add it at checkout in the Trading Combine or XFA: $1,000, $2,000 or $3,000 by size. Live Funded Accounts always have one.
Can I pass Topstep in one day?
No. The fastest is 2 days, because no single day can be more than 55% of the profit target.
When does the Topstep MLL stop trailing?
In the Trading Combine, when it reaches your starting balance. In an XFA, when it reaches $0.
Track every Topstep account automatically
Vantrell Ledger has Topstep's rules built in. Add your Combines and it shows your max loss for today on each one, plus your best-day % for the consistency target. Free. Open the free journal →
Sources
From Topstep's help center and website, checked November 10, 2026: Maximum Loss Limit · Consistency at Topstep · Daily Loss Limit · Trading Combine Parameters. Vantrell is not affiliated with Topstep. Rules change, so always check Topstep's help center before you trade.