Topstep Rules

TL;DR: For Trading Combine accounts, Topstep lists a Maximum Loss Limit of $2,000 on a $50K account, $3,000 on a $100K account, and $4,500 on a $150K account. The limit trails upward with end-of-day balance, never moves down, locks at the starting balance, and can be breached by unrealized P&L. A Daily Loss Limit is optional in the Trading Combine and Express Funded Account but automatic in the Live Funded Account. The Trading Combine also uses a 50% consistency target. All positions must be closed by 3:10 PM CT each weekday. BestProps checked official Topstep documents on July 31, 2026 and did not test the accounts first-hand.

Topstep rules by account stage

Topstep separates its program into the simulated Trading Combine, the simulated Express Funded Account, and the Live Funded Account. Start with the account stage before applying any loss or consistency rule.

Account stage	Rule focus	What the official documents say
Trading Combine	Maximum Loss Limit and consistency	Do not hit or go below the Maximum Loss Limit. Reach the profit target and keep the best day below 50% of the profit target to avoid increasing the consistency target. A Daily Loss Limit is optional.
Express Funded Account	Maximum Loss Limit	The Express Funded Account is simulated. The Maximum Loss Limit remains the core loss rule, and a Daily Loss Limit is optional.
Live Funded Account	Maximum Loss Limit and Daily Loss Limit	The Live Funded Account uses an automatic Daily Loss Limit. Confirm the current live-account parameters in the dashboard before trading.

This page covers published rule mechanics, not payout approval, fees, prohibited strategies, or eligibility. Those terms require separate checks against the current account agreement and dashboard.

Topstep Maximum Loss Limit rules

Topstep calls the Maximum Loss Limit its core account rule. The account can be liquidated as soon as the balance touches the limit during the trading day, including through unrealized P&L. A later fill above the line does not undo the breach because the limit is monitored in real time.

Trading Combine size	Maximum Loss Limit
$50K	$2,000
$100K	$3,000
$150K	$4,500

The Maximum Loss Limit rises with the end-of-day balance and never moves down. Once it reaches the starting balance, it locks there. It cannot be adjusted, so traders should leave room for open losses, fees, and slippage rather than treating the limit as a stop-loss order.

Read Topstep’s current Maximum Loss Limit document before relying on these values.

Topstep Daily Loss Limit rules

The Daily Loss Limit is optional when buying a Trading Combine or activating an Express Funded Account. It is automatic in a Live Funded Account. The official help article lists purchase-set limits of $1,000 for $50K, $2,000 for $100K, and $3,000 for $150K accounts.

When the Daily Loss Limit triggers, open positions are flattened, pending orders are canceled, and trading is blocked until the next session. Topstep says this is a forced session break rather than a Maximum Loss Limit breach. Purchase-set limits are fixed, while personal risk settings can behave differently, so verify which control is active on the account.

Read the current Daily Loss Limit document for the distinction between purchase-set and personal controls.

Topstep consistency rules

The Trading Combine uses a 50% consistency target. The best single trading day should stay below 50% of the profit target. Going above that level does not create the same immediate liquidation event as the Maximum Loss Limit, but it increases the profit required to pass.

Topstep also documents a separate 40% consistency objective for one Express Funded Account payout path. This page does not treat that payout condition as a general account rule. Check the exact Express Funded Account path before making a payout plan.

Read the current Trading Combine parameters and Topstep consistency document for stage-specific calculations.

Topstep trading-hours rules

Topstep is a futures-only day-trading program. Positions must be closed by 3:10 PM CT each weekday, and trading resumes at 5:00 PM CT. Some products close earlier or pause during the session, so the general deadline does not replace the product-specific schedule.

The official schedule says no swing trading and no overnight holding. Traders remain responsible for being flat even when the platform begins canceling orders or flattening positions near the deadline.

Read Topstep’s current products and trading-hours document before holding a position near a market close.

How BestProps checked Topstep rules

BestProps reviewed the official Topstep help documents linked above on July 31, 2026. We compared the named account stages, separated a hard Maximum Loss Limit breach from a Daily Loss Limit session lockout, and excluded limited-time offers and payout caps from this rules rebuild.

We did not buy a Trading Combine, trade an Express Funded Account, enter a Live Funded Account, test liquidation behavior, contact support, or request a payout. The page records what Topstep currently publishes, not first-hand performance or a promise that every account will behave the same after future rule changes.

Use the BestProps RuleWatch hub for other rule guides and the Topstep firm profile for broader document-based coverage. As of July 31, 2026, BestProps has no affiliate or sponsor relationships. This dated fact does not establish whether an unrelated service or other commercial relationship exists. A future material connection must be based on a confirmed dated record and disclosed near the affected item. Read the BestProps Commercial Disclosure.