# Topstep Rules

> Topstep's plans state a maximum drawdown of 3% to 4% of the account size (drawdown type: end-of-day), across 6 plans. A consistency rule applies: 55% in…

**Source:** https://propfirmpal.com/firms/unverified/topstep/rules  
**Generated:** 2026-09-25  
**Publisher:** Prop Firm Pal — independent prop firm comparison

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Topstep's plans state a maximum drawdown of 3% to 4% of the account size (drawdown type: end-of-day), across 6 plans. A consistency rule applies: 55% in the Trading Combine (exceeding it raises the profit target); 40% for payouts on the XFA Consistency path, reset after each payout. News trading is conditional: allowed on all accounts, but purposefully trading your full Maximum Position Size into a scheduled major news event is prohibited; news slippage is not eligible for exceptions or Reset credits.

_Compiled from 30 of Topstep's own published pages, read on 13 September 2026. Not verified by Prop Firm Pal: every value is what Topstep states about itself, quoted with the page it came from. A firm can change its rules at any time, so check the linked page before you pay for an account._

## Topstep drawdown rules

Topstep's plans state a maximum drawdown of 3% to 4% of the account size (drawdown type: end-of-day), across 6 plans.

A daily loss limit figure is not recorded in the plan details we hold. The firm may still set one, so check its rules page rather than assuming there is none.

Dollar amounts are the published percentage applied to the account size.

| Plan | Account size | Max drawdown | Drawdown type | Daily loss limit | Profit target |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Trading Combine (Standard path, monthly) | $50K | 4% ($2,000) | End-of-day | — | 6% |
| Trading Combine (Standard path, monthly) | $100K | 3% ($3,000) | End-of-day | — | 6% |
| Trading Combine (Standard path, monthly) | $150K | 3% ($4,500) | End-of-day | — | 6% |
| Trading Combine (No Activation Fee path, monthly) | $50K | 4% ($2,000) | End-of-day | — | 6% |
| Trading Combine (No Activation Fee path, monthly) | $100K | 3% ($3,000) | End-of-day | — | 6% |
| Trading Combine (No Activation Fee path, monthly) | $150K | 3% ($4,500) | End-of-day | — | 6% |

- Plan figures: "No Activation Fee Path: Higher monthly cost. No fee when you pass." — https://help.topstep.com/en/articles/14289835-topstep-pricing-and-payment-questions

## Topstep consistency rule

A consistency rule caps how much of your total profit a single trading day may account for. Here is what Topstep states.

| Topic | What the firm states |
| --- | --- |
| Consistency limit | 55% |
| Consistency rule | Applies — 55% in the Trading Combine (exceeding it raises the profit target); 40% for payouts on the XFA Consistency path, reset after each payout |

- Consistency limit: "Your single best day of profit must stay at or below 55% of your Profit Target." — https://help.topstep.com/en/articles/8284208-consistency-at-topstep

## Topstep minimum trading days and time limit

| Topic | What the firm states |
| --- | --- |
| Minimum trading days | Applies — At least 2 days to pass the Trading Combine; 5 winning days of $150+ per payout on XFA Standard and Live, 3 trading days on XFA Consistency |
| In the plan figures | 2 days |
| Time limit | None — No time limit; the Trading Combine rebills every 30 days until you pass or cancel |

- Minimum trading days: "You can pass in as few as 2 days, as long as no single day exceeds 55% of your total profit and your Profit Target is met." — https://help.topstep.com/en/articles/8284208-consistency-at-topstep
- Time limit: "No time limit for passing." — https://help.topstep.com/en/articles/8284121-trading-combine-subscriptions

## Topstep news trading, EA and copy trading rules

| Topic | What the firm states |
| --- | --- |
| News trading | Conditional — Allowed on all accounts, but purposefully trading your full Maximum Position Size into a scheduled major news event is prohibited; news slippage is not eligible for exceptions or Reset credits |
| Expert advisors and automated trading | Conditional — Permitted, without support or exceptions for malfunctions; automated trading via the ProjectX API is prohibited in the Live Funded Account; orders may not be placed from a VPS, VPN or remote server |
| Copy trading | Conditional — Trade copier across your own Express Funded Accounts up to $750K buying power; coordinated trading with others is prohibited |
| Hedging | Conditional — Opposite positions in the same or correlated instruments across accounts (e.g. MES/ES) are prohibited on Trading Combine, Express and Live accounts; hedging within one account is not addressed |
| Martingale and grid strategies | Not stated on the pages we read |
| High-frequency and latency arbitrage | Not permitted |

- News trading: "Topstep doesn't require you to flatten positions during economic releases — in SIM or Funded Accounts." — https://help.topstep.com/en/articles/8284211-economic-releases
- Expert advisors and automated trading: "Automated strategies are permitted, but Topstep cannot help set them up or troubleshoot them." — https://help.topstep.com/en/articles/10657969-live-funded-account-parameters
- Copy trading: "Yes, up to $750K buying power using a trade copier." — https://help.topstep.com/en/articles/8284215-express-funded-account-parameters
- Hedging: "Cross-account hedging is prohibited at Topstep." — https://help.topstep.com/en/articles/13747047-understanding-hedging
- High-frequency and latency arbitrage: "Custom automated strategies and bots are allowed via the TopstepX / ProjectX API, subject to standard platform rules and our prohibition on highfrequency trading (HFT)." — https://help.topstep.com/en/articles/11187768-topstepx-api-access

## Topstep weekend and overnight holding

| Topic | What the firm states |
| --- | --- |
| Weekend holding | Not permitted |
| Overnight holding | Not permitted |
| Trading hours | Sunday 5:00 PM CT to Friday 3:10 PM CT; all positions closed by 3:10 PM CT each weekday, reopening at 5:00 PM CT |

- Weekend holding: "All positions must be closed by 3:10 PM CT every weekday." — https://help.topstep.com/en/articles/8284206-when-and-what-products-can-i-trade
- Overnight holding: "Topstep does not permit holding positions from one session to the next." — https://help.topstep.com/en/articles/8284206-when-and-what-products-can-i-trade
- Trading hours: "All positions must be closed by 3:10 PM CT every weekday." — https://help.topstep.com/en/articles/8284206-when-and-what-products-can-i-trade

## Topstep scaling plan

In the Express Funded Account, maximum contracts rise with the account balance and only from the next session; the Live Funded Account uses Dynamic Live Risk Expansion instead.

| Topic | What the firm states |
| --- | --- |
| Largest account size | $150,000 |
| Maximum allocation | $750,000 |

- Scaling plan: "It sets your Maximum Position Size — the max contracts you can hold at one time — based on your current account balance." — https://help.topstep.com/en/articles/8284223-what-is-the-scaling-plan
- Largest account size: "Your buying power is still the full account size (50K, 100K, or 150K)." — https://help.topstep.com/en/articles/8284215-express-funded-account-parameters
- Maximum allocation: "Yes, up to $750K buying power using a trade copier." — https://help.topstep.com/en/articles/8284215-express-funded-account-parameters

## Other Topstep account rules

| Topic | What the firm states |
| --- | --- |
| Maximum number of accounts | Applies — Up to 5 active Express Funded Accounts and 1 Live Funded Account (all XFAs close on call-up); no limit on Trading Combines; 1 $50K account on the Focused Trader Program |
| Prohibited instruments | Conditional — Listed CME Group futures only, no forex; holding a position within 2% of a product's price limit is prohibited |
| Account sharing | Not permitted |
| Inactivity | Express Funded and Live Funded Accounts with no trading activity for more than 30 days may be closed |
| Resets | A Reset returns an active Trading Combine to its starting balance, costs the same as the monthly price, is limited to 2 per account per day and pushes the rebill date out 30 days; each monthly rebill adds 1 Reset credit |

- Maximum number of accounts: "You can hold up to 5 active XFAs at a time." — https://help.topstep.com/en/articles/8284215-express-funded-account-parameters
- Prohibited instruments: "Topstep is a Futures-only program." — https://help.topstep.com/en/articles/8284206-when-and-what-products-can-i-trade
- Account sharing: "Trading on behalf of others — including sharing incentives as part of any business arrangement" — https://help.topstep.com/en/articles/10296582-prohibited-conduct
- Inactivity: "XFAs with no trading activity for more than 30 days may be closed." — https://help.topstep.com/en/articles/8284215-express-funded-account-parameters
- Resets: "Limit : 2 Resets per account each day." — https://help.topstep.com/en/articles/8284128-what-is-a-reset

## Not found on Topstep's pages

- the contract limits at each balance tier of the Express Funded Account scaling plan
- whether hedging within a single account is allowed
- whether martingale or grid strategies are allowed
- the amount of the Responsible Trading Discount on Express Funded Account activations, which the pricing page names without a figure

## Frequently asked questions

### What are Topstep's drawdown rules?

Topstep's plans state a maximum drawdown of 3% to 4% of the account size (drawdown type: end-of-day), across 6 plans.

### Does Topstep have a consistency rule?

Yes. 55% in the Trading Combine (exceeding it raises the profit target); 40% for payouts on the XFA Consistency path, reset after each payout.

### Does Topstep have a scaling plan?

Yes. In the Express Funded Account, maximum contracts rise with the account balance and only from the next session; the Live Funded Account uses Dynamic Live Risk Expansion instead.

### Does Topstep allow news trading?

Only under conditions. Allowed on all accounts, but purposefully trading your full Maximum Position Size into a scheduled major news event is prohibited; news slippage is not eligible for exceptions or Reset credits.

### Does Topstep allow EAs and automated trading?

Only under conditions. Permitted, without support or exceptions for malfunctions; automated trading via the ProjectX API is prohibited in the Live Funded Account; orders may not be placed from a VPS, VPN or remote server.

### Does Topstep allow copy trading?

Only under conditions. Trade copier across your own Express Funded Accounts up to $750K buying power; coordinated trading with others is prohibited.

### Can you hold trades over the weekend at Topstep?

No. Topstep's own pages prohibit holding positions over the weekend.

### Does Topstep have minimum trading days?

Yes. At least 2 days to pass the Trading Combine; 5 winning days of $150+ per payout on XFA Standard and Live, 3 trading days on XFA Consistency.

### Is there a time limit at Topstep?

No. No time limit; the Trading Combine rebills every 30 days until you pass or cancel.

## Related pages

- [Topstep profile](https://propfirmpal.com/firms/unverified/topstep) — markdown: https://propfirmpal.com/firms/unverified/topstep.md
- [Topstep payouts](https://propfirmpal.com/firms/unverified/topstep/payouts) — markdown: https://propfirmpal.com/firms/unverified/topstep/payouts.md
- [Topstep web traffic history](https://propfirmpal.com/firms/unverified/topstep/traffic) — markdown: https://propfirmpal.com/firms/unverified/topstep/traffic.md